Bluffton American erased a nine-run deficit Saturday but fell 15-13 to Gregg Park in the opening contest of the 2021 Dixie Youth Baseball AA Coach Pitch state tournament at the Orangeburg Recreation Park.
Gregg Park surged to a 10-1 lead after two innings, but Bluffton American began to chip away in the third, scoring three runs including a two-RBI triple from Kellen Bruegger to cut the deficit to 10-4.
YOUTH BASEBALL COVERAGE PRESENTED BY
After the teams traded a trio of runs each in the fourth, Bluffton American sent five across the plate in the top of the fifth. Bruegger continued his monster day with an inside-the-park home run before a Napp Yelton triple and Caleb Schultz RBI-single cut the lead to 13-12. The game was all tied up an inning later, but Gregg Park walked it off in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run inside-the park-homer to claim the 15-13 win.
Bruegger delivered at the plate all game long for Bluffton American, going 3-for-3 with a home run, triple, and four RBIs. Yelton was 3-for-3 with two triples and a pair of runs driven in while Adam Amarino, Elijah Christian, Brayden Kieffer, and Mavric Harpham all tallied two hits apiece. All 12 batters in the lineup had at least one base hit.
Bluffton American will look to rebound Sunday in an elimination game against North Myrtle Beach at 3:45 p.m.
By Wes Kerr
Some local sports content that is not sponsored is now available only to LowcoSports.com’s Patreon supporters. Pledge your monthly support here for as little as $1 per month to ensure you have access to all of our grassroots LOCAL sports coverage!