GILBERT – Blythewood Minors’ DYB state tournament run ended on Wednesday in a pair of elimination games that featured a dominant blowout, a gritty comeback, and a literal blackout in Gilbert.
The day began with an 11-1 elimination win over Westminster. Trenton Wilburn put Blythewood on the board early, followed by a flurry of runs from Chandler Perry, Harrison Cahoon, and JJ Sharpe. Wylie Branham and Brody Hughes kept the pressure on with RBI singles, while Mason Winstead dominated on the mound, allowing no earned runs over three innings. Jameson Hubbard provided relief to secure the victory.
The 7:30 p.m. nightcap against Hilton Head turned into an eight-inning saga. Down 7-2 in the bottom of the third, the Minors surged back. Branham was perfect at the plate, going 3-for-3, while Hughes matched him with three hits. A clutch single from Perry tied the game at 8-8 in the seventh. Winstead came on in relief, striking out 4 and allowing just one hit in 2.2 innings of work.
Deep in extra innings at 10 p.m., the field lights timed out, forcing a delay. When play finally resumed, Hilton Head managed two runs to seal a 10-8 win. The District 4 champions conclude their summer as state semifinalists.
Hilton Head advanced to fall to Lancaster 9-4 in a Thursday morning title game. Lancaster advances to the DYB World Series.