To meet Arkansas champ in first round of
World Series at Muscle Shoals, Ala.

Columbus East All-Stars
2007 North Carolina Jr. Dixie Boys Baseball champions

By DAN BISER
Sports Editor

SOUTHPORT – Columbus East All-Star pitcher Derrick Bracey knew Thursday morning that it was his game to start and his game to finish.

Even though the host Brunswick County All-Stars posed a big comeback surge in the top of the seventh inning, scoring two runs and putting the game-tying runs in scoring position, the right-handed Bracey calmly stood his ground on the mound and struck out Brunswick County clean-up hitter Craig Burton-White for the final out to preserve a 7-5 victory and the championship of the 2007 North Carolina Jr. Dixie Boys (age 13) Baseball Tournament at Smithville Township District Park.

The Columbus East team went through state tournament play unbeaten in five games.
Bracey struck out eight batters, including three in the final inning and yielded seven hits. He also hit a pair of singles and scored two runs. Shortstop Hunter Smith had three hits and centerfielder Jermal Davis added two hits.

It marked the 10th time in 12 years that a Columbus County entry has claimed the state tournament championship. Columbus County won the 2001 Jr. Dixie Boys World Series championship.

The Columbus East All-Stars, coached by Kevin Wayne, Robert Gurkin and Gary Smith will compete in the 2007 Jr. Dixie Boys Tournament, which will be held Aug. 4-9 at Muscle Shoals, Ala. The North Carolina champions will take on the Arkansas champions in the opening round of play in the 12-team, double-elimination World Series tournament.

The World Series event will also include state champions from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia as well as the host Muscle Shoals team.

“This has been a big week for our kids,” Coach Wayne said. “They’ve been consistent. They’ve pulled together from the start and have given it their best. They had to beat a real good team today. We’re tickled to death that we have the opportunity to play in the World Series.”

The Columbus East squad took the lead for good in the title game when it broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the second inning behind hits by Justin White, Bracey and Smith. It added another run in the third when Alex Batten scored on a single by Taylor Stevens. Singles by Jermal Davis, Bracey and Manuel Figueroa helped bring in two more runs in the sixth inning.
Columbus East had opened its scoring in the first inning when Smith singled and later scored from second on a single by Batten.

Brunswick County’s Gary Williams had a first-inning triple and seventh inning double. Terrell Stanley unloaded a pinch-hit triple in the seventh.

Columbus East also had tournament wins of 9-0 over Duplin County, 14-1 over Montgomery County, 11-8 over Bladen County and 7-5 over Montgomery County.

Brunswick 100 002 2 - 5 7 4
Columbus 131 002 x 7 12 2
Dobbs, Tow (3), Lowry (3) and Frink, Dobbs (3); Bracey and White..