Choctaws win Region 7-3A Runner-up Game

 

Jason Peevyhouse

Editor, JP Productions Sports

Dyer County bounced back from its struggles earlier in the day on Saturday, but needed to score down the stretch on the way to an 8-4 win over Bolivar in the Region 7-3 Consolation Bracket Final to finish as region runner-up on Saturday in Newbern.

After Choctaw starter Jack Smith struck out the final two batters in the top of the first, Smith was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the frame. David Headtke followed with an RBI single to plate Smith and put his team on the board. Two batters later, Nick Epperson singled in a run to give Dyer County a 2-0 lead after one inning.

A second 1-2-3 inning by the Dyer County defense brought the offense back up looking to add to the Choctaw lead. Tucker Starnes singled with one out then scored on a Smith sacrifice fly to extend the orange and white lead to 3-0 after two innings.

But, Bolivar was able to climb back into it in the top of the third. Parsons singled for the first hit of the game for the Tigers then a one-out double by Walton plated a run. After a sacrifice bunt moved him up 90 feet, Maxwell singled in a run to cut the Dyer County lead to one. An error on the next play proved costly as a bobbled by at second led to a Tiger run to tie the game at 3-3 after two and a half innings.

Dyer County was able to get a one-out double from Jake Stanley but he was stranded at second as a groundout and a strikeout followed to end the inning.

The Choctaws were able to work around a two-out single in the top of the fourth to get out of the frame with a fly out. But, the Tigers were able to strand Smith at second after a two-out double to send the game into the fifth tied at 3-3.

The Tigers threated with a single from Walton and a hit batter to lead off the top of the fifth but reliever Landon Willis, in his first inning of work, settled down and struck out the next three batters to keep the game tied.

After a Talon Messer double to lead off the bottom of the fifth looked like he would be stranded there after a flyout and a strikeout, Jake Gentry was able to prolong the inning thanks to an error at third which also allowed Messer to score. Weston Sims then added an RBI single to put Dyer County on top 5-3 after five innings.

Bolivar got one of those runs back in the top of the sixth as Parker drew a leadoff walk then scored when Baker reached on an error to cut the Dyer County lead to 5-4 heading into the bottom of the sixth.

Dyer County answered in the bottom of the frame, getting a Starnes single to open the inning then Smith moved him to third with a sacrifice bunt. Headtke drew a walk then a Messer double scored two runs. Messer then scored on an Epperson single as the Choctaws took an 8-4 lead into the seventh inning.

In the final frame, Willis and the defense got a strikeout and a pair of groundouts to seal the win and earn the Region 7-3A Runner-up hardware.

Messer had a pair of doubles and two RBI to lead the way for the Choctaws at the plate while Stanley had a double and a single. Starnes, Epperson and Headtke each had two singles in the win.

Willis got the win in relief, allowing one run on one hit with four strikeouts in three innings of work.

Dyer County moves on to face Munford in the TSSAA Class 3A Sectional Series beginning on Wednesday at Munford. Times to be announced. The series will be a best-of-three series slated for Wednesday and Thursday.

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