No comeback was necessary this time for the Bluffton American AA All-Stars, who jumped out to an early lead and cruised to a 14-6 win over Colleton County on Monday to advance to the championship game of the Dixie Youth Baseball AA Coach Pitch (7-8) district tournament in Walterboro.
After rallying for extra-innings wins in each of its first two games, Bluffton American pounced for four runs in the second and tacked on five in the fifth to open up a 9-0 advantage. Colleton chipped away with two in the bottom of the fifth, but Bluffton American slammed the door with a five-run sixth and the host team’s four-run sixth wasn’t enough to put the pressure on.
YOUTH BASEBALL COVERAGE PRESENTED BY
Elijah Christian continued his hot hitting for Bluffton American, going 4-for-4, and Austin Mayles, Jaxon Sanofsky and Mavric Harpham each had three hits and two RBIs. Adam Amarino and Bryce Thornton each had three hits and an RBI for Bluffton, Kellen Bruegger added two hits and drove in two, and Owen Beckmann had a two-run triple.
Colleton County’s Colton Jolly was 3-for-3 with an RBI, while Grady Williams was 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs, and Mason Walling hit an inside-the-park home run and drove in two.
Bluffton American can clinch the district title and advance to the state tournament with a win over Hilton Head at 6 p.m. Tuesday. If Hilton Head hands Bluffton American its first loss of the tournament, the teams will play one more time to determine the champion.