Westside grabs historic win over West Lauderdale

By By Jeff Byrd/staff writer
July 13
PHILADELPHIA A monster rainstorm dumped three more inches of rain on a already soggy Northside Park on Friday evening.
But after an hour-plus delay, the District 4 Dixie Youth Minor League Tournament got back underway. The wait proved to be worth it for the Westside National All-Stars who grabbed a historic win in eliminating West Lauderdale 8-3.
In the Dixie Youth Majors Division tourney, East Mississippi ousted Westside 14-10. The winners bracket game between Philadelphia National and West Lauderdale, originally slated for a 7:30 p.m. start, did not get underway until 10 making it too late for presstime.
Dixie Youth Minors
Westside National 8
West Lauderdale 3
For Westside National out of Philadelphia, Friday's win marked the first time in recent memory the league has made it to the final round of the Dixie Minors District Tournament.
Westside, now 2-1 in the tourney, could play for the District title if unbeaten Philadelphia American beats East Mississippi in Friday night's late game. The title game could start at 11 a.m., today in an effort to avoid the afternoon rain.
An East win would create a three-way tie, but American would probably get the bye into the finals having played the most games.
That aside, Westside was happy to just to finally beat West Lauderdale.
The two teams were tied 3-3 after four innings. But in the fifth, Westside took advantage of three walks to take control.
A grounder to first base by Terrance Hill allowed DeKarian Wells to score the go ahead run to make it 4-3. Then, Ben Young, Westside's No. 13 hitter, ripped a single to right scoring Nick Willis and Jerry Calloway for a 6-3 lead.
Westside added two more runs off two West Lauderdale errors in the sixth to make it 8-3.
Westside pitcher J. Rick Seales put West Lauderdale down in order in the sixth to end the game. Seales went all six innings, allowing just three runs off two hits. He struck out seven.
Clay Clearman, who came in relief of WL starter Blake Thomas in the fifth, took the loss.
Tee Kirkland led Westside scoring three runs to go with a fourth inning hit. Androis Huddleston had two hits including a leadoff hit and run in a two-run first and a double in the fifth. Westside had five hits in all.
Nathan Hodges and Parker Davis had hits for West Lauderdale and both drove in runs. Davis' hit scored Smokey Etheridge to make it 2-1 in the second. Hodges' safety plated Nathan Alawine to tie the game at 2-2.
Dixie Youth Majors
East Mississippi 14
Westside 10
East Mississippi scored 11 runs in its first at bat to take control against Westside National in an elimination game in the Dixie Youth District 4 Majors Tournament.
Westside came back scoring nine n the third inning cutting a 14-1 deficit down to 14-10.
East, however, got a lift from Michael McKenzie pitched a scoreless fifth and sixth innings to garner the save. He struck out five including the side in the sixth inning.
Tyler Covington, Jerry Wallace and Allen Williams all scored twice for East. Clark Boatner had a double.