HARTSVILLE – The Hartsville Northern Major League All Stars defeated the Kershaw County All Stars twice on Friday, 7-5 in the first game and 11-5 in the second game, to advance to the Dixie Youth State Tournament in Clemson, S.C.
“Our offense picked right up where we left off yesterday,” Hartsville Northern head coach Scott Beasley said. “We were challenged with fastballs and responded, and we were challenged with change-ups and responded.”
Kershaw jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning of the first game off three straight solo home runs by Cole Irick, Carson Morgan and Darius Smith.
Hartsville struggled hitting in the first three inning of play as the team was held scoreless. That changed however in the top of the fourth when Hartsville scored four runs and tied the game up.
With Matt Lynch on and no outs, Andrew Coker ripped a two-run homer to cut the lead in half. Austin Morris followed with a solo shot, and Bennett Gainey capped the inning off with a RBI double to right field.
Hartsville’s bats stayed hot in the fifth as Morris hit his second homer of the game, a three-run blast putting Hartsville ahead by three.
Kershaw scored another run in the bottom half of the inning, but it would not be enough as that was the last time the team scored in the game.
In the second game, Hartsville used big-time hitting and outstanding pitching to seal the deal against Kershaw.
Justin Prozzi led the top of the first inning off with a solo homer. After Toby Burchfield reached on a walk and Lynch on an infield single, Coker launched a three-run homer over the fence and into the trees.
Kershaw answered right back with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. With a man on, Smith hit a two-run homer, and Christian Flick followed with a solo homer.
Lynch settled down though and pitched flawlessly, not allowing another run through the five innings total that he pitched. Lynch finished with 10 strikeouts for the game, two in each inning.
“My arm was kinda hurting,” Lynch said. “But I sucked it up and pitched good.”
Lynch also had a great night at the plate going 4-4 with two homers and four RBIs. He hit a RBI double in the third, a solo homer in the fifth and a two-run blast in the sixth to go along with his single in the first.
“They throw fast, so all I did was time it up and swing hard,” Lynch said.
The opening ceremony for the state tournament will be Friday, and Hartsville’s first game is at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement