The O-Zone All Stars are just one of five Blythewood teams who are headed to the State Tournament. From left, kneeling: Ayden Schaub, Ryan Watts, John Henry Collins, Sammy Franklin, Eli Marsha; standing: Miller Stuck, Harrison Collins, Landon Penfield, Alex Myers, Jeb Britt, Kowen Driy, Anthony Armstrong; back: coaches Shawn Collins, Les Penfield (head) and Ken Britt. | Amy Stuck
BLYTHEWOOD – The Blythewood Baseball and Softball qualified five teams for this year’s State Tournaments, the most in the program’s history. The T-Ball, Machine Pitch, 10U and 12U softball and O-zone All-Stars all reserved their date to State.
The T-Ball begin their bid for the State crown this weekend at Midland Park in West Columbia while the others begin in July.
The O-Zone All Stars celebrate following the final win against Pineview.
Last week O-Zone finished the Sub District Tournament with a perfect 3-0 record to advance to the State Tournament in Union beginning July 7. The O-zones started the tournament with a close battle against Pineview, but pulled out the 4-2 win. Game two against Cayce West Columbia was a hitting display by the Blythewood boys, who got the win 18-1.
They finished the tournament with a rematch against Pineview and came away with an 8-1 win, led by Miller Stuck’s dominating pitching performance. Stuck pitched a one-hit complete game, only throwing 61 pitches in six innings.
Monday, the O-zones topped Midlands, 7-5, in the first of a three-game set to determine the District four champion and top seed for the State Tournament, but game two was postponed in the third with a 1-1 tie due to rain.
This will be The Ozones third straight appearance in the Dixie Youth State Tournament for six of the players on the O-Zone team. Current O-Zone players Miller Stuck, Harrison Collins, Landon Penfield, Alex Myers, Jeb Britt, Sammy Franklin and Ryan Watts were on the Blythewood team that finished third in the 2016 Dixie Youth World Series.
T-Ball All Stars –
Kneeling, from left: Major Duckett, Will Dobreski, Caroline Reese Allen, Brantley McBride, Lawson Brown, Bennett Baker; Standing: Tanner Mechling, Landon Gilchrist, Konner Freeman, Seve Swearingen, Tyler Pantoja, Jackson Loftis; Back: coaches Billy Pantoja, Adam Swearingen, Kevin Allen, Chauncey Duckett, Tyler McBride