Saturday, July 8, 2017. Center Dixie League Ballpark –
Saturday afternoon saw the Center Majors Dixie League baseball team start their Majors State Elimination Tournament play off with a convincing 15-4 win over Athens. They now will move on to face the winner of a later game between Huntington and Henderson in a second round matchup at 11 a.m. this Sunday.
There was no score in Saturday’s contest until Athens jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Athens loaded the bases on two walks and an error. A hit batter, and hits by Kole Ward and Jaycob Mingus, helped drive the runs home.
Center fought back in a big fourth inning rally. They used four walks, and a 2 runs-batted-in double by Danny Gonzales, a double by Lance Wilburn, and base hits by Kedrin Hinson and Ethan Lee to take a 9-4 lead.
Center added the final six runs of the game in the top of the fifth inning and Center pitching ace Kaleb Rawlinson struck out five, of the final six Athens batters, to help seal the enforcement of the 10-run Dixie Mercy Rule win.
