Phil Campbell swats Sheffield 16-8 in district semis

By Staff
Kim West
SHEFFIELD – The Phil Campbell 10-11 All-Stars overcame a five-run deficit to defeat Sheffield 16-8 in the District 6 tournament semifinals at Sheffield Youth Park Thursday.
Phil Campbell took advantage of nine errors by Sheffield, which allowed 11 unearned runs to cross the plate in six innings.
Phil Campbell struck first with two unearned runs in the bottom of the first by Ryan Setliff and Christopher Thomas, but Sheffield answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning to lead 4-2.
After a scoreless second inning, Sheffield pushed its lead to 7-2 with three runs on four hits in the third inning. Phil Campbell answered with six runs to take an 8-7 lead in the top of the fourth inning.
After Logan Nix and Ryan Setliff each drew walks and Thomas hit an infield single to load the bases, Skyler Tackett, who had three RBIs, came through with a two-run single to shallow right field to cut the lead to 7-4.
Hayden Bell followed with an RBI single to score Thomas, Tackett came home on a passed ball and Hunter Milam singled up the middle to tie the score. Blake Whitten was plunked by Kenny Hamm and then scooted home to give Phil Campbell an 8-7 lead.
Phil Campbell added two more runs in the top of the fifth inning when Tackett walked and scored on an error and Milam hit another RBI single to centerfield to score Bell.
After holding Sheffield scoreless in the bottom of the fifth, Phil Campbell scored six more runs in the top of the sixth on an error, two hits and three walks.
Sheffield scored one more run to make it 16-8 in the bottom of the sixth when Caine Rikard reached on an infield single and scored on a passed ball.
Milam went 2-for-2 with two RBIs, while Thomas went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored and Bell and Setliff scored three runs.
Setliff worked 4 2/3 innings, allowing only two earned runs and seven hits and striking out five to earn the win.
Hamm and Emily Morrison each went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead Sheffield.