Bluffton American came back from an overnight rain delay to storm back from a six-run deficit and stun Hilton Head 11-10 in the first round of the Dixie Youth Baseball AA Coach Pitch (7-8) district tournament Wednesday in Walterboro.
Hilton Head bounced back for a 6-4 win over Beaufort in an elimination game to stay alive in the double-elimination tournament, and Colleton County opened its tournament with a 13-6 win over Bluffton National to advance in the winner’s bracket.
Trailing 9-3 after three innings when play was suspended due to thunderstorms Tuesday night, the Bluffton American squad chipped away with a run in the fourth and two in the fifth before plating four in the sixth to force extra innings. Owen Beckmann drove in Wyatt Beach with the go-ahead run in the seventh, and Hilton Head was retired in order in the bottom half to seal the comeback victory.
YOUTH BASEBALL COVERAGE PRESENTED BY
Kellen Bruegger had a huge game at the plate for Bluffton American, going 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, and three runs scored, while Jaxon Sanofsky was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Austin Mayles went 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI, Elijah Christian added two hits and two RBIs, and Adam Amarino and Beach each had two hits and drove in a run.
Hilton Head’s Quinto Lopes was 3-for-3 with four RBIs, Noah Dorschimer was 3-for-3 and scored three times, and Connal Rooney and Andy Araque each added two hits and two RBIs.
After the heartbreaking defeat, Hilton Head came out swinging in its elimination game against Beaufort, plating four runs in the first inning and hanging on for a 6-4 victory to stay alive.
Lopes was 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs, Araque was 2-for-2 with a triple and drove in a run, and Dorschimer and Rooney added two hits apiece. Cooper Pernice added a single and two RBIs for Hilton Head.
Brendan Roberts and Gavin Ellsworth each had three hits for Beaufort, while Wallace Simmons, Carter Lee, and Bryce Williams added two hits apiece. Hugh Cook drove in two runs with a double, and Bryson Plair had an RBI triple.
After a drawing a bye in the opening round, host Colleton County held Bluffton National scoreless for four innings to build a 12-0 lead and held on for the 13-6 victory. Gavin Bryan, Colton Martin, Jeremy Romanelli, and Zachary Martin each scored twice for Colleton. Lucas McKenzie, Silas Graves, and John-Robert Pinckney each reached based twice and scored a run for Bluffton National.
Colleton County will face Bluffton American in a matchup of the last two remaining undefeated teams at 8 p.m. Thursday. Bluffton National will take on Hilton Head in an elimination game at 6 p.m.