RIEGELWOOD – South Columbus and host Riegelwood each came away with victories over Chadbourn in Saturday and Sunday rounds of the first-ever North Carolina Dixie Youth O-Zone Baseball Tournament.

On Saturday, South Columbus rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Chadbourn 5-3, and Riegelwood turned back the Chadbourn team 7-3 on Sunday.

The tournament will resume tonight at 7 with South Columbus taking on Riegelwood. The double-elimination tournament will run through Tuesday or Wednesday with the winner receiving a berth in next month’s Dixie Youth O-Zone World Series at Dothan, Ala.

SATURDAY
S. Columbus 5
Chadbourn 3

A three-run fifth inning, sparked by Storm Phillips’ two-run double and an RBI single by Reno Duncan, was the key in the South Columbus win.

Chadbourn had taken a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Hunter Walters powered a two-run homer. The Walters’ homer followed a single by Paul Bryan.

South Columbus scored its first run in the fourth inning when Logan Simmons singled home D.J. Jeter.

Sam Ward was the winning pitcher.

SUNDAY
Riegelwood 7
Chadbourn 3

Jake Connor was the winning pitcher for Riegelwood, which got two hits by Manuel Figuaroa and doubles by David Bridgers and Greg Melvin. Clay Bordeaux also had a key hit for Riegelwood, which scored five runs in the fourth inning.

Logan Fowler had a double for Chadbourn and Paul Bryan had a single.

Dixie Youth O-Zone baseball utilizes 70-foot bases with 50 feet between pitcher’s mound and homeplate. Conventional base-running rules are utilized.