Columbus County’s Ben Conner slides into second base while Nakina’s Tanner Duncan takes a throw from the outfield in Saturday’s District 2 Dixie Youth Baseball Tournament game at Evergreen’s Bill Johnson Field. Columbus County defeated Nakina 4-0 on a one-hitter by Conner and took a 13-3 victory over Whiteville Optimist in Sunday’s second-round play.

Cody Stubbs pitches for Nakina

Moochie Rhodes pitches for Whiteville

By DAN BISER
Sports Editor

EVERGREEN - The Columbus County All-Stars took a big step toward gaining their ninth District 2 Dixie Youth (ages 11-12) Baseball Tournament championship in 10 years Sunday by defeating Whiteville Optimist 13-3 in Sunday’s second-round winner’s bracket action at Bill Johnson Field.
In Sunday’s other second-round game, Bladen County stayed alive by defeating Nakina 9-6.

Tonight’s tournament schedule has Whiteville going against Bladen County at 8 with the winner taking on Columbus County Tuesday night at 8 in the championship round.

The tournament winner will advance to the 2007 North Carolina Dixie Youth Baseball Tournament, which will get underway on July 21 at Dunn.

Columbus County 13
Whiteville 3

Josh Tedder turned in a solid pitching performance, and Dillon Faulk, Hyland Tyler and Luke Tedder led a strong batting attack for Columbus County as it put up runs in every inning. The game was halted in the bottom of the fifth inning by the 10-run rule.

Ben Conner, who pitched a one-hitter in Columbus County’s 4-0 shutout of Nakina in Saturday’s opening round, scored three runs.
Faulk hit a triple and single while Hyland Tyler had a double and single. Luke Tedder added a double.

Columbus County also took advantage of several Whiteville errors as it pulled away from a 5-3 lead with three runs each with three runs in the third inning, two in the fourth and three in the sixth. The game ended with Justin Ward drawing a bases-loaded walk after Columbus County had opened the inning with a double by Zack Hardin and a triple by Marquice Antone.

Whiteville scored a run in the second inning and two in the third. Josh Tedder retired the final eight batters he faced. Losing pitcher Tyquan McDonald, Colby Shelley and Seth Spivey scored the Whiteville runs after reaching base with singles.

Bladen County 9
Nakina 6

Bladen County rebounded from a 12-4 first-round loss to Whiteville to eliminate Nakina.

Nakina, which had turned in a strong defensive effort in Friday night’s opening-round loss to Columbus County, was plagued by several costly errors. It also left a total of seven men on base in the third, fourth and fifth innings without scoring a run.

Bladen County, led by the pitching of pitching and hitting of Cody Messimer and Deonte Anton, scored five runs in the second inning and four in the fifth. A bases-loaded triple by Evan Dove was the big blow of the second inning.

Devin White had two hits for Nakina while Austin Jernigan and Tanner Duncan each hit a double.

SATURDAY’S GAMES

Whiteville 12
Bladen County 4

Moochie Rhodes was the winning pitcher while Ryan Ciamillo, Zack Brown and Tyquan McDonald led Whiteville at the plate.
Whiteville took advantage of several walks and some aggressive base running in gaining the win.

Columbus County 4
Nakina 0

The game turned into a strong pitcher’s duel between Columbus County’s Ben Conner and Nakina’s Cody Stubbs.
Josh Tedder walloped a first-inning home run for Columbus County and Dillon Faulk added a two-run triple.
Nakina’s Devin White knocked a double for the only hit off Conner.