GASTONIA - The Columbus County All-Stars claimed the 2006 Dixie Pre-Majors (ages 15-16) baseball championship Sunday, taking an 8-6 win over host Chapel Grove in the second game of a best-of-three series at the Hunter Huss High School baseball field.

Coach T.J. Spivey’s Columbus squad had opened the series Saturday night with an 8-3 victory.
“We played well,” Spivey said. “We hit the ball hard and took advantage of some opportunities. Now we have to get ready to take it to the next level.”

With the state championship comes a berth in the 2006 Dixie Pre-Majors World Series, which opens on July 28 at Thomasville, Ala. Columbus County will meet the Texas champions on July 29 in the opening round of the 12-team World Series event.

In Saturday’s game, Columbus County had 12 hits, including two each by Bryant Edwards, Timothy Brown, Todd Barnhill and Josh Coleman. Winning pitcher Pat Worley and Brown had doubles. Lloyd Enzor, Donovan Watts and Corey Harris also had hits.

Worley gave up four hits and struck out six in the complete-game victory.

On Sunday, Watts had two hits and Barnhill stroked a double for Columbus County. Columbus County came away with 10 stolen bases for the game. Josh Duncan, Matt Russell and Watts pitched for the Columbus team. Dakota Piver, Edwards and Enzor also had hits.

The Columbus Countians had earned the trip to state finals by defeating Duplin County 8-4 and 12-9 for the Eastern N.C. Pre-Majors title.