SWANSEA — The Blythewood Rookie All-Stars showcased power at the plate and defensive discipline during the Diamond Youth Baseball District Tournament. The Blythewood squad finished the series with a 2-2 record highlighted by two gritty come-from-behind victories.
The tournament kicked off May 30 with a high-scoring 15-9 win over the Dentsville All-Stars. Despite trailing by three early, Blythewood’s bats exploded for 20 hits and 15 runs. Brandon Graves ignited the offense with a two-run home run in the first, while Ja’zious Lewis added a two-run homer in the second. Harrison Gennie, Cooper Laney, Rhett Erwin, Hudson Glass, Lane Brazell, Malik McCullouch, Walker Brown and Harker Motes all contributed RBI hits to secure the win.
Glass, Erwin, and Lewis each drove in a run on May 31 against the Pineview All Stars, but the Blythewood team fell in a tough 16-3 loss. Gennie, Erwin and Luke Miller scored the team’s three runs. Gennie went 2-2 at the plate. The team returned to form on June 1 for a rematch with Dentsville.
In what proved to be the most exciting game of the tournament, Blythewood erased a five-run deficit to defeat Dentsville 12-10.
The game was defined by speed, as Graves, Lewis and Erwin all notched inside-the-park home runs. Brazell notched a triple for two RBIs. Graves finished the day a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate. Late-inning RBIs from Laney, Brown and Axel Temes helped seal the comeback.
The team’s tournament run came to an end on June 2 in a 14-4 loss to a potent Pineview squad. Erwin led the final offensive push with two RBIs, while Glass and Lewis each had two hits.
Pineview advances to the Diamond Youth Baseball state tournament.