Inches Away

As soon as Louis Colaiacomo took ball four, a dream scenario unfolded for the Spring Hill Dixie Senior Boys (age 14) All-Stars.
Down four runs in the bottom of the seventh and final inning, the bases loaded with two outs, Spring Hill had its most imposing hitter, Julian Perez, stepping into the batter's box.

Oh yeah, and all this was taking place in the World Series championship game Thursday night at City Pond Park in Covington, Ga.

Perez pounded a pitch to the deepest part of the ballpark, dead centerfield. But the dramatic game-tying grand slam didn't materialize; the ball landed in the glove of center fielder Maleeke Gibson just in front of the fence.

Thus ended Spring Hill's quest for the first World Series crown in league history, as the South Carolina squad claimed a 12-8 victory.

This marked the fifth straight time the South Carolina state champion has won this double-elimination tournament. This same Sumter group also won the Junior Boys (age 13) World Series last year.

Down quickly

The game opened up inauspiciously for Spring Hill (13-4 overall, 4-2 states), as Gibson led off the top of the first with a single, stole two bases and scored on Jeremy Buckner's ground out.

Blake Graham doubled and Tyler Smith was hit-by-pitch preceding a two-run single with two outs off the bat of Trent Pannell.

Sumter pitcher Gibson Klapthor struck out four in holding Spring Hill scoreless over the first two innings, but gave up a single to Joey Asquith and walked Thomas Tambasco to start the bottom of the third.

Colaiacomo worked a 3-1 count, then smacked a three-run home run to tie the score and chase Klapthor.

Spring Hill went out in front in the next inning thanks to the bottom of its order. Dante' Sollazzo, hitting eighth, doubled with one out and scored when Asquith followed with a two-run homer.

In the fifth Sumter cut the deficit in half on a sacrifice fly by Graham, and threatened for more with runners at second and third with two outs.

However, Spring Hill ace J.T. Simpson induced a grounder to short to cut short that rally. Simpson went five innings, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks, striking out four.

With Simpson off the mound in the sixth, things suddenly unraveled for the Hernando County club.

Three errors committed by Spring Hill's previously flawless defense, along with a double by Klapthor and a sacrifice fly by R.J. Hayden, allowed Sumter to take a 6-5 advantage.

Sumter tacked on another run on a trick play resulting in a double steal, followed by a two-run blast to center field by Tyler Smith.

Pannell lifted his own two-run bomb two batters later to make it 12-5. Sumter batted around, sending 11 men to the plate in the eight-run outburst.

Spring Hill bounced back with three runs in the bottom half, getting RBI singles from Colaiacomo and Perez, as well as benefiting from three Sumter errors.

But with two in scoring position and just one away, Hayden struck out two batters to hold the lead at four.

It appeared Sumter would add some insurance runs loading the bases with one out in the second, yet the runner on third opted not to score on a fly ball to center and David Woop caught the next batter looking.

The bottom of the seventh began with a single by Mike Kodetsky and a walk to Sollazzo. After two outs, Colaiacomo walked to bring up Perez as the potential tying run.

SUMTER (S.C.) 12, SPRING HILL 8
123 456 7 R H E
SUM 300 018 0 -- 12 13 4
SH 003 203 0 -- 8 8 3
SUM - Klapthor, Hayden (3), Wilkie (7) and Graham.
SH - Simpson, Gaffney (6), Kodetsky (6), Woop (7) and Kodetsky, Tambasco (6), Kodetsky (7).
W - Hayden. L - Gaffney. S - Wilkie.
2B - Graham, Gibson, Klapthor (SUM); Sollazzo (SH).
3B - none.
HR - Smith, Pannell (SUM); Colaiacomo, Asquith (SH).
Records - Spring Hill (13-4 overall, 4-2 states).

Dixie Youth League
Senior Boys (age 14)
World Series Scoreboard Recap

08-02:
Spring Hill 10, Tennessee 4
North Carolina 15, Arkansas 6
Texas 8, South Carolina 7
Louisiana 10, Mississippi 8
Alabama 3, Virginia 1
Georgia 10, Newton County, Ga. 3

08-03:
Spring Hill 12, North Carolina 5
Louisiana 11, Texas 7
Georgia 11, Alabama 6
Tennessee 19, Arkansas 6
South Carolina 16, Mississippi 6
Virginia 3, Newton County, Ga. 2

08-04:
Louisiana 10, Spring Hill 4
Alabama 7, Tennessee 6
South Carolina 9, Virginia 6
North Carolina 10, Texas 8

08-05:
Spring Hill 7, Alabama 3
Georgia 16, Louisiana 3
South Carolina 11, North Carolina 1

08-06:
Spring Hill 14, Georgia 6
South Carolina 7, Louisiana 3

08-07:
South Carolina 12, Georgia 11
(Championship)
South Carolina 12, Spring Hill 8