One more for the World Series

The roll for Perry Junior League’s 10 & under baseball squad didn’t stop, even going to a third and deciding game in the Dixie Youth state championships held over the weekend in Wrens.

Taking on Troup County, Perry won Game 1 Friday 3-2, leaving only one more win to go for a trip to the Dixie Youth World Series in Lexington, S.C. Troup, however, postponed Saturday’s celebration by taking Game 2 3-1. That was the first loss for the Gold group that was 5-0 in bracket play and cruised through the district tournament at home undefeated.

Rains came and tarps came out delaying the final deciding game by more than an hour. The game started as rain let up, but continued to fall on all participants.

“In the final decisive day and coming off our first loss, we were unsure how we would come out,” said Perry Junior League president Neal Newhouse. “But these kids showed no signs of giving in as we were to face their ace (from what we were told).”

To start the game, Troup County’s pitching and defense recorded two groundouts. Jeb Walls, though, began what was an onslaught as he doubled to left field on a line drive down the third base line. Up came Zack Mast, and with a 1-2 count he hit a towering home run over the 200-foot left field fence to put Perry up 2-0 after top of the first.

After that, Newhouse said the rain seemed to quit and the sun started to show through.

Walls started the game on the mound registering two strikeouts and was masterful mixing in his fastball, change-up and curveball keeping the Troup batters off balance.

Perry found a pitcher struggling to find the strike zone in the top of the second, the bases loaded on three straight walks. That brought up Nolan Nauss, who had a hard single down the first base line knocking in a run. More walks to Ethan Bearden and Tyler Newhouse brought in another run.

At that point Troup made a pitching change and managed to register a out before walking in a run to give Perry the lead 5-0.

Perry started the third inning with Walls getting hit by pitch. Up came Mast, who drilled another deep fly ball to left field that hit the bottom of the fence for a double and score Walls from first.

Troup County started to make some noise scoring two on a hit batter, a double, and a single. Perry led 6-2 going into the fourth.

Perry’s offense couldn’t be kept in check, and the new frame started with a single by Randal Holder to right center, a walk to Bishop Smallwood and Newhouse hit a ground ball to third baseman and reached on an error. That plated two for an 8-2 lead.

James Hays singled to centerfield. With runners on second and third, Jamey McDaniel hit a line drive single to left field scoring Newhouse as Hays moved to third (9-2).

After a stolen base by McDaniel put runners on second and third, Mast came back up to the plate and hit a line drive ground rule double to left field to score two for a 11-2 lead. That gave Mast five RBI for the game, the second time in tournament he did that. The inning continued with Perry hitting and scoring until it was 15-2.

Jonah Wynn pitched in relief, and Troup County flew out to Nauss in left field. The next batter singled, but a fielder’s choice at second base – McDaniel to Newhouse – helped Perry Junior League seal the championship. Ali Rae Dykes tracked a pop up foul ball to the dugout to register the third and final out.

The Dixie Youth State Tournament started with 16 teams and whittled down to two for a best-of-3 championship. Perry gave up only an average of two runs per game with a scoring average of 10 runs per game. Perry outscored opponents 67-16.

Game 1

Walls pitched three innings giving up no hits and striking out two with three walks. Wynn pitched in relief for two shutout innings and gave up three hits, struck out three and walked one. Dykes came in to close out game and gave up three hits and two unearned runs (two errors by defense).

Pitching and defense was the name of the game for the first four innings as neither team advanced a runner past second base.

All of that changed in the top of the fifth as Perry, the visiting team, got a hard ground ball from Wynn to the Troup County shortstop. The ensuing error allowed him to reach. Newhouse laid down a bunt down the first base line for an attempted sacrifice, but reached first on an error by the first baseman. He was waiting for the ball to stay foul, but it rolled into play. By then Newhouse was at first and Wynn at second.

Holder came to the plate and drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. Bearden came through with a hard ground ball straight up the middle to score Wynn and Newhouse for a 2-0 lead. Both Holder and Bearden ended up in scoring position after an error on the throw in by Troup County shortstop. Hays, Perry’s leadoff hitter, continued the attack with a line drive to centerfield to plate Holder.

Troup attempted to break through in its half with a leadoff single, but Hays collected a fly ball to deep centerfield for the first out. Troup had an infield single on a ball between short and third. With runners on first and second with one out, McDaniel collected a grounder in the infield and flipped it to Newhouse at second.

There was still trouble to deal with as Troup loaded the bases with a walk, but Wynn completed his second inning of work with a three-pitch strikeout to leave all runners stranded and keep the game 3-0.

In the sixth, Dykes managed to get the first out on a pop up in front of home plate. The next two batters singled, and after a mishandled ball in the outfield Troup managed to score their first run of the game and runner ended up on third. Another single plated a second run, but Perry was still on top 3-2.

The defense shook off the effects of the rally as Newhouse got a force at second on a hard grounder and throw to McDaniel for the second out. That’s all the defense Dykes needed as she sealed the victory and gained the save with a three-pitch strikeout.

Game 2

Weather was as bad in Wrens, near Augusta, as it was in middle Georgia Saturday. Troup County struck first with a run in the top of the second as, with one out, there was a walk and single to left center. Newhouse made a play on a hard ground ball between short and third, managing to flip the ball to Walls for the force at third. But an error on a ground ball allowed Troup County to score. With runners on second and third, Newhouse recorded the third out on a ground ball and throw to Dykes at first.

Troup struck again in the third. With runners on second and third, Troup’s cleanup hitter doubled in two runs on a line drive down the third base line.

The score stayed 3-0 through the next two innings.

Perry’s only run was in the fifth when Holder doubled to centerfield with one out and Smallwood singled to left center. Smallwood advanced on a stolen base, and with runners on second and third Newhouse laid down a bunt for a sacrifice to allow Holder to score and move Smallwood to third.

Perry had its chances in the final turn with a line drive single to left field by Walls to start the inning. Mast walked, and Perry had runners on second and third on a past ball. Wynn walked to load the bases with one out. All remained where they were as Troup ended the game recording a strikeout and catching a foul pop-up.

• The Perry Junior League team is seeking donations to assist in defraying the costs for travel and uniforms. Anyone wishing to make a donation may contact the coaches or any of the players, or do an online donation at www.gofundme.com/btjd3g.

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