YBB: Dragons soar to finals in Youth 9-10 tourney
coaches after upsetting Center, 2-1, in the semifinals of the Youth 9-10 AAA
District 2B Tournament on Sunday. The Dragons finished second in the
tourney. (Photo by John Krueger)
CENTER, Tx -- After dropping a double-digit decision to Center in the second round of the Dixie Youth 9-10 YO AAA District 2B Tournament on Saturday, the Shelbyville All-Stars had some 'soul searching' to do. The squad then responded with a pair of huge victories, including some 'payback' to Center before falling in the title game of the tourney on Monday.
Shelbyville posted a 3-2 record in the four-day affair, executing some exciting moments before falling 15-0 in the finale to undefeated Tyler County.
The Dragons opened with a hard-fought 11-10 win over Pineland on the first day of the event before losing to Center 18-2 on Saturday morning.
Shelbyville players could have gave up, but they didn't. The Dragons turned around later that day and knocked off Hemphill, 4-3, in extra innings. Shelbyville then clipped Center, 2-1, on Sunday to eliminate the 'Riders from the tournament and advance to the title game on Monday.
Here's a rundown of some of the action for the Dragons:
Shelbyville 4, Hemphill 3 -- Cole Ferguson hit an inside-the-park home run and picked up the win on the mound in relief as the Shelbyville All-Stars edged Hemphill, 4-3, in seven innings.
Ferguson went 1-for-2 at the dish, recording a two-RBI home run in the fourth frame. He also walked in the game.
Trace Clark and Kolby Parker each added singles in the game as the Dragons won the hard-fought game despite recording only three hits.
Parker started the game on the mound for Shelbyville and pitched three innings, allowing no runs on one hit with four strikeouts and five walks.
Ferguson came out of the bullpen and worked the final four frames. He gave up three runs on four hits with 10 strikeouts and just one walk.
Ferguson's homer in the fourth inning drove in Parker and gave Shelbyville a 2-0 lead. Clay Helander scored in the sixth after a walk. Josh Goodwyn scored what turned out to be the winning run in the seventh inning after walking and stealing second. There was a pair of bad throws, resulting in him scoring all the way from first base.
Other players chipping in for Shelbyville included Sawyer Hendricks, Brayden Scarborough, Colt Leach, Jaylon Brinson, Jorge Hernandez, Kaleb Campbell and Zach Clark.
Shelbyville 2, Center 1 -- In one of the top defensive performances of the tournament, Kolby Parker pitched six innings as the left-hander kept Center off-balance on Sunday in a 2-1 victory.
Parker allowed just one run on three hits with eight strikeouts and four walks.
Juan Gonzales and Kaden LaRock both pitched for Center in a solid effort. Gonzales worked 1.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with two strikeouts and a pair of walks. LaRock finished the final 3.2 innings, not allowing a run scored. He struck out seven, did not walk a batter and gave up just two hits.
Ferguson doubled in two at-bats for Shelbyville, while driving in a run. Helander was 1-for-2 with a RBI, Scarborough singled in two at-bats and Hendricks had a 1-for-2 effort at the dish. Parker went 1-for-2 with a run scored and stole a pair of bases.
Clark, Campbell (walk), Leach, (hit by pitch), Hernandez, Brinson and Clark also played well defensively for Shelbyville.
Tristan Smith, Juan Gonzales and Kobe Whisenant all picked up hits for Center, but the Roughriders couldn't push the baserunners across the plate as nine of them were left stranded when the third out was called.
Also playing for Center was Brayden Strong (walk), Lainee Cooper (2 stolen bases), Bryce Cockrell (run), Kyle Lambert (walk), Camden Cordray (walk), Luis Bueno (RBI) and Dijon Sanders.
Parker gave Shelbyville a 1-0 lead in the first when he scored off a double by Ferguson.
Center tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the second on Cockrell's run when Bueno was hit by a pitch. But the Roughriders left the bases loaded.
The Dragons' Goodwyn scored after walking in the second. Helander drove him in. That turned out to be the winning run as Center couldn't push the tying run across the plate despite getting a runner aboard in the final frame.
District 2B Tournament Results
FRIDAY, JULY 1
Gm 1: Tyler County 17, San Augustine 0
Gm 2: Hemphill 9, Joaquin 2
Gm 3: Shelbyville 11, Pineland 10
Center had a BYE
SATURDAY, JULY 2
Gm 4: Center 18, Shelbyville 2 (4 inn.)
Gm 5: Joaquin 18, San Augustine 7 (5 inn.) - San Augustine is eliminated
Gm 6: Tyler County 10, Hemphill 3
Gm 7: Shelbyville 4, Hemphill 3 (7 inn.) - Hemphill is eliminated
Gm 8: Pineland 17, Joaquin 13 - Joaquin is eliminated
Gm 9: Tyler County 6, Center 3
SUNDAY, JULY 3
Gm 10: Shelbyville 2, Center 1 - Center is eliminated
Gm 11: Tyler County 16, Pineland 1 (3 inn.) - Pineland is eliminated
MONDAY, JULY 4
Championship Game
Gm 12: Tyler County 15, Shelbyville 0