T-Ball State: 'Riders eliminate Joaquin, 26-18
base coach during Sunday's T-Ball South Regional State Tournament
game against Joaquin. Center won the contest, 26-18, to even its
mark at 1-1. (Photo by John Krueger)
CENTER, Tx -- After dropping their opening game of the T-Ball South Regional State Tournament to Diboll White on Saturday, the Center All-Stars responded well with their backs to the wall as nine of their players had perfect days at the plate on Sunday in a 26-18 victory over Joaquin here at Center Noon Lions Ballpark.
The setback eliminated the Rams from the tourney. Joaquin fell to Dayton, 22-14, on Saturday. Center moved on to play Hudson National on Monday at 4 p.m.
Other first-round results of the tourney included Panola County National stopping Onalaska, 22-1, East Montgomery County American clipped Palestine National, 11-10, Palestine American clipped Liberty, 22-21, and East Montgomery County National topped Hudson National, 17-5.
In other Sunday games, Palestine National eliminated Onalaska, 23-15, Hudson National knocked off Liberty, 27-19, East Montgomery County National bumped Palestine National, 18-9, Diboll White popped Dayton, 27-12, and Panola County National roared past East Montgomery County American, 18-3.
Center used tough defense in the first frame and a strong offensive performance throughout to put away the Rams. The 'Riders scored the maximum of seven runs in each of the first two innings to build a 14-5 lead.
Braxton Riley was a perfect 3-for-3 for Center with three runs scored, as was Peyton McBride, Dalton Beckham, Bobby Hendricks, Sental Chambers and Mason Perry. Connor Henson and Ryan Jones were 3-for-3, scoring twice, Sadler went 2-for-3, Johnathon Flores went 2-for-3 with a run scored, Kedrin Hansen added a hit and a run scored and Jamorian Evans scored two runs and went 2-for-2 at the dish.
Joaquin was also aggressive at the plate, even though the Rams got a late start offensively. Jackson Lister went 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored, while teammates Derik Holt, Maddox Hutchins copied the effort. Colton Harper went 2-for-3 with a run scored, Corbin Arwine scored a pair of runs and went 2-for-3. Mason Hughes was 3-for-3 with two runs, Logan Barton and Kolton Whitton both went 1-for-2 while scoring once, Sawyer McDaniel scored a run and went 1-for-2 and Logan Barton and Ryan Harper each added a hit. Landen Whitton also played hard for the Rams.
The Roughriders broke on top in the first inning with seven runs as Riley, McBride, Beckham, Connor Henson, Hendricks, Chambers and Jones each plated before the inning was stopped on the seven-run maximum rule.
In the second it was Perry, Flores, Kedrin Hanson, Evans, Riley, McBride and Beckham all plating to give Center a commanding 14-0 lead entering the bottom of the frame.
The Ram bats started coming alive as Holt, Hutchins, Arwine, Hughes and McDaniel all crossed the plate to cut into the Center lead, 14-5.
But despite a seven-run third and a six-run fourth, Center was able to keep enough offensive pressure on Joaquin to claim the win early in the fifth inning. Perry scored the clinching run in the Roughriders in the top of the fifth when he scored on a hustling play from third base.
Dixie South Regional State Tournament
(at Center Noon Lions Park, Center, Tx.)
SATURDAY, JULY 16
Gm 1: Panola County National 22, Onalaska 1
Gm 2: East Montgomery County American 11, Palestine National 10
Gm 4: Dayton 22, Joaquin 14
Gm 5: Palestine American 22, Liberty 21
Gm 6: East Montgomery County National 17, Hudson National 5
Gm 3: Diboll White 24, Center 16
SUNDAY, JULY 17
Gm 7: Palestine National 23, Onalaska 15
Gm 8: Center 26, Joaquin 18
Gm 9: Hudson National 27, Liberty 19
Gm 10: East Montgomery County Nat. 18, Palestine National 9
Gm 11: Diboll White 27, Dayton 12
Gm 12: Panola County National 18, East Montgomery County Am. 3
MONDAY, JULY 18
Gm 15: Palestine American vs. East Montgomery County Am., 2:30 p.m.
Gm 13: Center vs. Hudson National, 4 p.m.
Gm 14: Dayton vs. Palestine National, 5:30 p.m.
Gm 16: Panola County National vs. Diboll White, 7 p.m.
Note: East Montgomery County Nat. has a BYE until Tuesday
TUESDAY, JULY 19
Gm 17: Winner Gm 14 vs. Winner Gm 13, 5:30 p.m.
Gm 18: Loser Gm 16 vs. Winner Gm 15, 4 p.m.
Gm 19: Winner Gm 16 vs. East Montgomery County Nat., 7 p.m.