Hilton Head’s Ozone All-Stars fell short in their Dixie Youth Baseball World Series opener Saturday, dropping a five-inning, 12-2 run-rule decision to Troy (Ala.) in Laurel, Mississippi.
Troy ignited its offense early in the ballgame, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning on three hits and two walks. Team South Carolina responded in the second with a Brandon Espinoza double that scored Alan Wolf before an RBI groundout from Colin Lozan cut the lead to 3-2. But Alabama dominated the contest the rest of the way, scoring nine unanswered runs while holding South Carolina to just one hit in the final three innings.
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Espinoza led the way at the plate for Hilton Head, going 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI. Nicklaus Feltner added a hit from the leadoff slot, and Wolf was 1-for-2 with a run scored while picking up four strikeouts on the mound in 1 2/3 innings.
Hilton Head returns to the diamond on Sunday for an elimination game against Georgia or Texas at 3:30 p.m. ET.
By Wes Kerr