Rain doesn't halt tourney

By By Ryan Satcher / staff writer
June 24, 2004
NEWTON The Dizzy Dean 10- and 12-year-old district tournaments continued through the muddy weather on Wednesday afternoon.
Meridian Crestwood lost to Pearl 11-10 to drop into the losers' bracket of the 10-year-old tournament. It will now play Winston County today at 5:30 p.m.
In the 12-year-old tournament, Newton County's East Central beat Meridian Crestwood 14-6 but fell to Northwest Rankin 14-1 in the night game to drop out of the tournament.
In the 10-year-old game, Meridian came up just short in a comeback attempt against Pearl.
After falling behind because of a lot of walks earlier in the game, Meridian scored three runs in the fifth and four runs in the sixth but came up short in the 11-10 loss.
In the sixth for Meridian, Jonherio Blakney singled and Eric Sims Jr. doubled to help score four runs.
The runs could not overcome a three-run fifth inning for Pearl.
Meridian will now take on Winston County, who beat Jones County 9-0 in the night game in the losers' bracket on Wednesday. The winner will also play in the 7:30 losers' bracket game today.
East Central will take on Pearl in the 3:30 p.m. game today.
In the other 10-year-old game on Wednesday night, Winston County beat Jackson 5-4.
12-year-olds
East Central used a six-run first and six-run second inning to eliminate Meridian Crestwood in Wednesday's 3:30 p.m. game.
In the first inning, Dylan Williams walked and Tyler Cochrane singled. Jonathan Gibbs followed with a double and Taylor Spangle also had a single to help East Central jump out to a 6-0 lead.
East Central added six runs in the second inning. Williams singled and Joseph Norton doubled.
Gibbs followed with his second double of the game and Jay Thomas and Trenton Evans each added singles to help East Central take a 12-0 lead.
Crestwood answered with four runs in the bottom of the second inning.
Jacoby Eason doubled and Richard Hickman and Luke Ball each singled in the four-run inning.
The two teams each scored a run in the third. Crestwood scored a run in the fifth inning but couldn't make a comeback.
East Central moved on to face Northwest Rankin in the night game on Wednesday and fell 14-1 in the elimination contest.
Northwest Rankin scored five runs in the first inning and added five runs in the third to secure the victory.
East Central's lone run came in the first inning when Norton walked and later scored.
In the other 10-year-old game, Winston County beat Oak Grove 9-0.
Today Winston County and Jones County will square off at 3:30 p.m. followed by Northwest Rankin and Oak Grove at 5:30 p.m. The night game will be another losers' bracket game.