Dixie Youth Baseball Opens Season With Exciting Action

By Lonnie Turner

The first game of the 2013 Dixie Youth Baseball season was as exciting as any this writer has seen through all the years dating back to 1965.

With one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, Pepsi-Cola Blue Jay BoBo McKinnon collected the first hit off Physicians Healthcare Pirate hurler Noah Carter, who was breezing along with a 1-0 no-hit shutout. The hit ball sailed over the outstretched glove hand of the right fielder and rolled to the fence. Kyle Rowell, who had just walked scored easily to tie the game and McKinnon, never hesitating, circled the bases for an inside the park home run for the 2-1 Minor League win. Carter, who struck out 13, had only allowed two base runners before walking Rowell to suffer the loss and Chris Hunt took the win, allowing three hits while striking out a total of 14 and walking four. Justice Ladson led the Pirates with two hits in as many times at bat, including the first triple of the season and Carter beat out an infield single in the first inning and walked twice in his other two at-bats.

The second game of the evening was a Major League contest that featured another close event between Dillon Family Giants and Internal Medicine Hurricanes. The Giants scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning before the 80-minute time-limit went into effect to win, 3-0. The Giants had taken an early 1-0 lead in the first inning without the benefit of a base hit when lead-off hitter Daiquan “Dai-Dai” Blakely opened the game with a walk and scored when an errant throw went into the outfield on a stolen base attempt. The only hit for the winners was a leadoff single by Scotty Sweat in the fourth. He and Hunter Lane, who had followed with a walk, both scored on an error before the game was called because of the time limit. Neither starting pitcher allowed a hit through their three-inning stints on the mound. Ryan Stephens beat out an infield hit off reliever Nick Evans to account for the only hit for the ‘Canes and Sweat’s hit came off Jared Darmon. In a losing effort, Jackson struck out nine, walked five and hit a batter. In picking up the win, Sweat got six on strikes, walked four and like Jackson, hit one batter.

Cars were all over the neighborhood at and near the old area of town, which was known early in the 50s as McLaurin Park, Monday evening for the opening ceremonies of Dillon Kiwanis Dixie Youth Baseball. Any place within a three-block area large enough to accommodate a vehicle was taken, as close to 300 youngsters were featured in the annual April event. There was a sea of colors as each participant ran out onto Ray Wilson Field when their names were announced on the public address system. A total of 25 teams, with ages ranging from just four years of age to twelve, make up the program.

The facility, which saw baseball action for the first time in 1959, was an early dream of a handful of men of the Dillon Kiwanis Club who had been coaching Little Boy’s Baseball at the playground of East Elementary School. If they could only see it now that it has grown from four teams to what it is today. The park was named after former educator and Principal of Dillon High School Michael Lecholop, who was one of the men instrumental in purchasing the land from Mr. Jewell Mclaurin, Jr. for the construction of the baseball field. Before the passing of Mr. Ray Wilson, another of the pioneers of the program, the Kiwanis Club honored him by naming the playing field in his honor.

On behalf of the 26-member Kiwanis Club, we wish to thank all the parents and volunteers who help with the program. The donation at the gate, which is one of our major fund raisers, is always appreciated.

In Tuesday’s action, the Pepsi-Cola Blue Jays defeated the True Value Tigers, 6-5, to take over sole possession of first place with a 2-0 record. The Jays took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning when Khris Hunt doubled to lead off the inning and scored on a ground-out RBI by Charlie Collins. Two more runs in the third, sparked by John Michael Davis’ perfect bunt single and BoBo McKinnon’s triple, gave the Pepsi team a 3-0 lead, but back stormed the Tigers with three runs to tie in the bottom of the third. Ahmari Huggins-Bruce singled, went to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored the first run for the Tigers on another wild pitch. With two out, Zach Davis hit a pitch that fell between the second baseman and the right fielder for a base hit and later scored when Patrick Christian hit a two-run single driving Davis and Dylan Windham home to tie the game. Khris Hunt’s infield hit to start the fourth and an error led to a 4-3 lead for the Jays. Two insurance runs were scored in the top of the fifth by McKinnon and Nigel George to take a 6-3 lead into the final at-bat for the Tigers. Masen Furr singled and was followed by a walk to Christian and both scored on passed balls to pull to within a run before time ran out on the 80-minute time limit rule. Caleb Boykin also added a base hit for the victorious Blue Jays and McKinnon added and infield hit to start the game to finish 2 for 2 at the plate. Andrew Bryant had two of the six hits for the Tigers, tripling in the first and getting a single in the fourth.

In Thursday’s two games, the Tigers were scheduled to be the visiting team against the Burger King Braves in the Minor League game at 5:15 and the Dillon Meat Center Reds were scheduled to do battle with the James Lockemy Justice Rangers in the Major League night-cap at 6:45. Three game are scheduled for Friday with Burger King taking on McLeod in the Minors at 5:15 and a twin-bill for the Majors with the Rangers and Giants playing at 6:45 and the Hurricanes and Reds facing off at 8:15.

Photos by Johnnie Daniels/THE DILLON HERALD. Click images below to view at full size!