GASTON — The Blythewood Minors All-Star team is just one win away from a trip to the state tournament.
After outscoring their first two opponents by a combined of 40-5 margin, Blythewood sits at a perfect 2-0 in the Diamond Youth Baseball district tournament in Gaston.
The 10U team will play for the district championship on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Because Blythewood is undefeated in the double-elimination format, their opponent will have to beat them twice to claim the title. The tournament champion will advance to the state tournament.
Blythewood opened tournament play on Saturday with a dominant 25-0 shutout over the Pineview Minor All-Stars in just three innings of play.
The team set the tone immediately in the first inning when Chandler Perry hit a two-run, inside-the-park home run to help build a 5-0 lead. Blythewood added two more in the second before blowing the game wide open with 18 runs in the top of the third inning.
Blythewood collected 18 hits in the win. Brody Hughes led the offense with a 4-for-4 performance at the plate, while Mason Winstead, JJ Sharpe, and Perry each drove in three runs. Hughes, Chandler Douglass, and Cooper Koch had two RBIs. Wylie Branham, Lincoln Smith, Trenton Wilburn, Jameson Hubbard and Jaxon Salley each drove in a run.
Hughes also earned the win on the mound. The starter pitched three scoreless innings, giving up just two hits and striking out six.
On Tuesday, Blythewood returned to the diamond and secured a 15-5 victory over the Dentsville 10U All-Stars.
Blythewood jumped out to an early lead, scoring four runs in the first inning and six in the second. Dentsville battled back with a five-run third inning to cut the deficit to 10-5, but Blythewood responded in the bottom of the fourth with five more runs to put the game out of reach.
Blythewood displayed their balanced offensive attack, with eight different players recording a hit. Hughes and Branham drove in two runs apiece. Harrison Cahoon had an RBI double. Smith, Branham, and Perry each stole multiple bags.
Douglass earned the victory on the mound, striking out seven batters over 3 1/3 innings while allowing just two earned runs on four hits. Wilburn closed out the game in relief.
Blythewood battles to advance to the state tournament on Thursday at 6:30 against the winner of the Wednesday’s elimination game.