T-Ball State: Panola County shuts down Diboll
during Monday night's game with Diboll at the Dixie South Regional State
Tournament in Center. Hammons scored a run in the game for the
Carthage team. (Photo by John Krueger)
CENTER, Tx -- Even at the T-Ball level of baseball competition, defense is the key to championships. And the Panola County All-Stars are living up to that reputation.
The defending Dixie T-Ball Texas State Champions rode the strong arm of third-baseman Fat Fat 'rocket-arm' Roquemore and the stopping power of shortstop Connor 'the vacuum glove' Cuff as the two keyed a strong defensive effort Monday night in a dominating 15-5 third-round victory over Diboll White here at the Center Noon Lions Baseball Park.
Panola County became only the second team to post an unbeaten mark in the tourney, dominating its third straight opponent in the Dixie South Regional State Tournament. The Bulldogs put their 3-0 mark on the line Tuesday evening against the other unbeaten squad, East Montgomery County National, in the double-elimination tourney.
The tournament will continue through Thursday, with the winner moving on to face the North Regional State Tournament winner in a best-of-three series for the bragging rights as the best Dixie T-Ball team in Texas.
The Bulldogs didn't give Diboll White any breathing room all night long, limiting the Lumberjacks to just six hits in the contest - a dominating defensive effort when it comes to T-Ball play. Time after time Roquemore, Cuff and first baseman Lane Wilson led the infield's defensive charge by hauling in hard hit balls by Diboll.
On the offensive side of the plate Panola County was consisting as well, pounding out 18 hits as 11 of the 12 players on the Carthage-based squad produced at least one hit. Seven of the players on the team were a perfect 2-for-2 at the dish.
Leading the offensive charge for the Bulldogs was Mason Smith, who tagged a triple, finishing 2-for-2 with three RBIs and a run scored. Logan Presley was 2-for-2 with a double and a run scored, Cole Curry went 2-for-2, driving in four runs, scoring another and connecting with a double.
Fat Fat Roquemore had a spotless 2-for-2 effort, scoring twice and pushing in two runs, Jaydan Cockerham was 2-for-2 with a pair of runs scored, Alex Tyner hit 1.000 with a 2-for-2 night and two runs scored and Lane Wilson was also 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs and two runs scored.
Thomas Weidner went 1-for-2 with a double, one run batted in and a run scored, Colby Davidson was a perfect 1-for-1 with a sacrifice and a run scored, Connor Cuff doubled in two at-bats with a run scored and another driven in, Bo Hammons singled and scored and Daxton Etheredge contributed to the win.
Carsen Morales led the Diboll attack with a triple in his 2-for-2 effort at the plate. He also drove in a run. Jathen Garcia was a perfect 2-for-2 with a run scored and Jalen Wilson and Izaac DeJesus both connected with doubles.
Diboll took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but Panola County came roaring back with a five-run first frame. Cuff and Curry both slapped doubles in the inning and Hammons, Cuff, Tyner, Roquemore and Cockerham all crossed the plate to give the Dawgs a four-run lead.
After holding the Lumberjacks to just two hits in the first inning, the Panola County defense stiffened in the second, limiting Diboll White to just one hit as only one baserunner crossed the plate.
Wilson, Presley and Smith scored for the Bulldogs in the bottom of the frame as the Panola College lead stretched to 8-1 heading into the third.
Only one runner scored for Diboll in the third, before the floodgates opened offensively for Panola County. Seven runs scored before the inning was ended because of the seven-run maximum rule as the Bulldog lead was stretched to 15-2.
Diboll never recovered after that point.
This story will appear in the Panola Watchman.
Dixie T-Ball (6U) State Tournament
(at Center Noon Lions Park, Center, Tx.)
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: EMC American 20, Palestine American 11
Gm 13: Center 14, vs. Hudson National 5
Gm 14: Palestine National 32, Dayton 24
Gm 16: Panola County National 15 Diboll White 5
Note: East Montgomery County Nat. had a BYE
TUESDAY, JULY 19
Gm 18: Diboll White vs. EMC American, 4 p.m.
Gm 17: Palestine National vs. Center, 5:30 p.m.
Gm 19: Panola County National vs. East Montgomery County Nat., 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 20
Gm 20: Loser Gm 19 vs. Winner Gm 18, 5:30 p.m.
Gm 21: Winner Gm 19 vs. Winner Gm 17, 7 p.m.
THURSDAY, JULY 21
Championship Round
Gm 22: Winner Gm 21 vs. Winner Gm 20, 5 p.m.
Gm 23: (If necessary)