Sports Writer

Jessie Carroll belted a grand slam during an eight-run outburst as the Eufaula National Tournament team routed the Brundidge All-Stars, 15-2 in five innings Saturday during the first round of Dixie Youth Sub-District action at the Troy Sportsplex.

Eufaula pounded out 17 hits during the contest, including three home runs and Blayne Green, Matt Hutto and Sean Gibson combined to shut down the Brundidge offense, allowing two hits.

Brundidge ran itself out out of a scoring opportunity in the bottom of the first after Eufaula took a 2-0 advantage. Marcus Hollingwed was hit by a pitch to start the inning, stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. After a strikeout, Jeremy Sneed walked to put runners at the corners with one out. But Hollingwed tried to score on another passed ball and during a rundown, was finally tagged out by Carroll for the second out of the inning. Sneed followed by getting thrown out trying to steal second to end the inning.

Eufaula extended the lead to 5-0 heading into the bottom of the third, but Brundidge sliced into the lead thanks to Mak King and George Wilson.

Hutto started the inning hitting Cameron Luker and Corey Stephens and one out later, King drove home Luker with a single. After a strikeout, Wilson contributed an RBI single that scored Stephens cutting the deficit to 5-2. But King was thrown out trying to advance to third to end inning.

Eufaula would take over from there, building the advantage to 7-2 after the fourth and blowing the game open in the fifth.

Eufaula sent 12 batters to the plate during the inning, highlighted by Carroll’s home run. Four of the eight runs came with two outs as Brundidge pitcher Blake Beachum relieved Zach Trawick to get the final out of the inning, but the damage had been done.

Hollingwed started the game on the mound for Brundidge, allowing two earned runs on five hits during his two innings of work. Hollingwed struck out four and didn’t walk a batter.