EUFAULA

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Drew Vaughan, Casey Weston and Adam Senn blasted home runs to lead a 15-hit assault as the Troy Dixie Youth Nationals defeated Newton 13-6 Friday night in the championship game of the sub-district tournament.

David Williams and Ryan Williamson also combined strong pitching performances to allow only five hits while striking out 12.

The Troy Nationals advance to the district tournament to join the Troy Americans, who also won their sub-district tournament earlier in the week at Highland Home. The 7-team district tournament begins Monday at Greenville.

Friday’s championship match between Netwon and Troy was their third meeting in the tournament. Troy won the opener 6-5, with Newton taking the second game 3-2 in nine innings. While Friday’s game was not an extra-inning affair, a 1 1/2 hour rain delay was tossed in to make for another late night.

Newton jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Robbie Clark walked and Semaj Brackin singled. Both later scored, with Justin Bass driving in the latter run with a single.

Troy did not waste any time letting Newton know they were playing for keeps, as William Teal singled, Williamson walked and Vaughan powered an opposite-field home run to left for the 3-2 Troy lead. Troy later loaded the bases in the first, but could not score.

Williams, who only had two innings remaining of his 13 allowed by Dixie baseball rules, struck out all three hitters in the second inning.

The Nationals increased their lead to 5-2 in the second inning as Jake Smith and Trent Boutwell drew walks, and with two outs, Teal and Williamson slashed singles to bring the runners home.

Williamson came in to pitch for Troy in the top of the third, striking out two of the three outs, while allowing only a walk.

Troy chased Newton starter Antonio Curley from the game in the bottom of the third inning, as Weston hit a mammoth homer to left-center field. Williams then greeted reliever Durrell Brackins with a single, reached second on a wild pitch, and scored on an infield error forced by a hard hit grounder by Jeremy McGuire. Sam Jones then walked, with Newton changing pitchers again, brining in Robbie Clark. With two outs, Dario Rouse doubled to score Jones and give Troy the 8-2 lead.

Newton’s dangerous hitting came through with three runs in the fourth inning as Brackins hit one off the center field fence, driving in three runs, and cutting the lead to 8-5.

Troy came to bat in the bottom of the fourth, but so did the rain, as powerful winds and rain sent everyone seeking shelter for over an hour.

When play resumed, Troy was unable to score in the bottom of the fourth, but Newton cut the lead to 8-6 in the top of the fifth inning.

Troy tacked on five more runs in the fifth inning as Vaughan reached base on an infield miscue, Weston singled, Williams walked, McGuire and Jones singled, and with one out, Senn crushed a homer to left field that landed on top of the batting cage beyond the left-field fence, for the 13-6 lead.

Newton had runners on first and third in the top of the sixth inning, but Williamson struck out the next batter to end the game.

David Williams worked two innings for Troy, allowing two runs on two hits, while striking out four and walking one. Williamson allowed four runs on three hits, walking five and striking out eight.

Teal, Weston, McGuire and Rouse each had two hits for Troy, while Williamson, Vaughan, Williams, Jones, Senn, Boutwell and Wesley Hayes had one hit each.

The Troy Nationals will face the Ozark Americans Monday night at Greenville in the first round of the district tournament, while the Troy Americans will face Ashford.

Troy 5

Eufaula 3

Dario Rouse pitched six strong innings as the Troy Dixie Youth Nationals eliminated the Eufaula Americans 5-3 Thursday night in the sub-district tournament.

Troy jumped to a 2-0 lead as Ryan Williamson singled, Drew Vaughan reached on a hard-hit infield grounder, and Casey Weston singled. David Williams reached on a fielder’s choice, forcing out Williamson at home, and Jeremy McGuire hit a hard grounder that the third baseman misplayed to score Vaughan and Weston.

Eufaula cut the lead to 2-1 in the second inning when Marco Cantu hit his third home run in two nights, with a blast over the left field fence.

Troy tacked on two more runs in the third inning when Trent Boutwell was hit by a pitch, and Wesley Hayes reached on a fielder’s choice. William Teal then also took one for the team, and Williamson reached on a fielder’s choice. Vaughan then slashed a single to drive in Hayes and Teal, and the 4-1 Troy lead.

Eufaula scrapped back with two runs in the fifth inning to make the score 4-3, as Desmon Thomas and Cortney Upshaw singled, and both scored on a single by Jack Sanders.

Troy scored it’s final run in the fifth inning to go ahead 5-3 when Rouse and Jake Smith hit consecutive singles, and Rouse scored on an infield grounder by Boutwell.

Troy put Eufaula away in the sixth inning, aided by a sparking double-play started by William Teal to Drew Vaughan.

Troy was led at the plate by Williamson, Vaughan, Weston, Zeb Swindall, Rouse and Smith, with one hit each.

Rouse worked six innings, allowing three runs on eight hits, walking two and striking out three.