Bluffton National heated up in the middle innings and pulled away for a 15-9 win over Beaufort in the opening game of the Dixie Youth Baseball AA Coach Pitch (7-8) district tournament Tuesday night in Walterboro.
The second game of the night was suspended after three innings due to thunderstorms in the area. That game will resume at 6 p.m. Wednesday with Hilton Head leading Bluffton American 9-3.
YOUTH BASEBALL COVERAGE PRESENTED BY
Bluffton National got the offense going in the third inning of the opener, putting up five runs to take a 5-1 lead, but Beaufort answered with six in the bottom half to regain the lead. Bluffton National responded with a seven-run fourth to take control and tacked on three more in the fifth.
Cullen Andersen reached base in all four at-bats and scored twice from the leadoff spot to lead National, and Lukas McKenzie, Jake Rao, Thomas Pruehs, and Austin Swinehamer each scored twice.
Leadoff man Patrick Decker reached base and scored in all three of his plate appearances for Beaufort, while Brendon Roberts got on base three times and scored twice.
Bluffton National will face host Colleton County in the winner’s bracket at 6 p.m. Wednesday followed by an elimination game between Beaufort and the Hilton Head-Bluffton American loser at 8 p.m. The winner of the suspended game will advance to face the Bluffton National-Colleton winner at 8 p.m. Thursday.