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| Southwest shortstop Nick Adams makes a diving tag on an East Surry runner. |
In their latest victory, the Southwest Forsyth Blue team all-stars extolled those virtues while pounding a stunned East Surry squad 10-3 in Little League baseball tournament play.
Battling for the winner’s bracket championship in the double-elimination District Two tournament of the boys minor division, Southwest withstood a fast start by East before answering with a fury. The resulting seven-run win demonstrated why this year’s group of 9 and 10-year olds may soon become the most productive Southwest Forsyth minor team ever.
Trailing 2-0 after surrendering a pair of two-out runs in the bottom of the first, Southwest appeared to be in serious trouble when East’s leadoff man belted a long double to right-center field in the bottom of the second.
But instead of panicking, the Southwest defense produced the most important play of the game by executing a perfect relay throw that caught the East runner between second and third base. The relay generated an out when shortstop Nick Adams made a diving tag as the runner slid into the third base bag.
The momentum created by that defensive gem carried over into the top of the third when Southwest erupted for eight runs. Will Carter ignited the rally with a leadoff single and Lee Eubanks followed with a hard-hit ball that created an East error.
Adams then tied the game with a scorching triple down the right field line that drove home both Carter and Eubanks. Later, he took advantage of an East wild pitch to score the go-ahead run.
Recognizing that East was reeling, Southwest kept the pressure on with a single by Nicholas Boyles, an infield single by Jacob Kennedy and a well-timed bunt single by Alex Saphar that produced two East throwing errors. Michael Bates followed with another bunt single and Tristan Comer capped off the outburst with an RBI single.
The lead proved to be more than enough for Saphar, who took the mound in relief in the bottom of the third. Entering the game with the bases loaded and one run in, Saphar silenced the East uprising by successfully fielding a comebacker to the mound and throwing to first for the final out of the inning.
His pitching success continued in the fourth as he fanned the first two batters and cleanly fielded another grounder to retire the side in order. He added another scoreless frame in the fifth before giving way to Kennedy in the sixth.
Southwest, managed by Scott Boyles and coached by John Kennedy, can wrap up the district title with a win on Tuesday.