GASTON — The Blythewood Minor All-Stars didn’t just win the District 4 Championship; they owned it.
Capping an undefeated run through the bracket, Blythewood claimed the title with a 12-2 take down of the Dentsville 10U All-Stars on Friday. The win marked a clean sweep of the tournament, with every one of Blythewood’s games ending early via the mercy rule.
The Minors’ championship clincher was a two-day affair. The game began Thursday evening but was halted by weather and completed Friday.
Lincoln Smith ignited the offense in the first inning with an RBI double and finished the day 2-for-2 with three RBIs. Chandler Perry was equally effective at the plate, going 2-for-2, while Mason Winstead crushed a two-run home run to center field in the fourth inning to put some extra distance between Blythewood and Denstville. Wylie Branham led the team with two walks and added an RBI single.
Brody Hughes earned the title win on the mound, racking up eight strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings while surrendering just one earned run. Chandler Douglass entered in relief to strike out the final batter, officially sealing the district crown.
Blythewood’s dominance was established from the opening pitch of the tournament on June 13, when they routed Pineview 25-0. In that contest, Perry hit a two-run, inside-the-park home run, and Hughes threw three scoreless innings. JJ Sharpe, Winstead, and Perry each drove in three runs, while Douglass and Cooper Koch tallied two RBIs apiece. Branham, Smith, Trenton Wilburn, Jaxon Salley, and Jameson Hubbard each drove in runs to contribute to the 18-hit performance.
The team moved into the championship round following a 15-5 win over Dentsville on June 16. Harrison Cahoon provided a highlight with an RBI double, while Smith, Branham, and Perry stole multiple bags. Douglass earned the win in that contest with seven strikeouts, and Wilburn provided relief to close out the game.
The stats from the three-game stretch tell a story of total control: Blythewood outscored its opponents 52-7, out-hitting them 35-9.
The Minor All-Stars now advance to the Diamond Youth Baseball State Tournament. Play is scheduled to begin July 4 in Gilbert.