BY CLIFF SMELLEY
After an 0-2 start, the Melrose 14U All-Stars baseball team won two of three games to reach the semifinal round before being eliminated in the Southeast Region Tournament in Tallahassee.
Melrose was held to just one hit in its first game, a 3-0 loss to Tallahassee on July 16.
The team got solid outings from its pitchers, with starter Gavin Eubanks giving up five hits in four innings and Riley Nugent allowing one hit in two innings.
Next up was a 14-5 loss to Augusta on July 16. Melrose got RBI singles from Brayden Martin, who was 2 for 3, and Chase Kirk, who was 2 for 4.
Baylon Lott also had multiple hits, going 2 for 2.
Melrose played Auburndale on July 17, building a 5-0 lead before winning 5-4.
The top of the third saw Melrose with no one on with two outs, but the team managed to push three runs across. Cason Burton singled, while Kirk and Nugent both walked. Hunter Thomas hit a single into right field that plated two runs. Melrose loaded the bases again when Martin walked. Nugent scored on a steal of home to put his team up 3-0.
Melrose scored its final runs in the fifth. Burton and Kirk both singled before Nugent hit into a fielder’s choice that resulted in Burton being put out. Thomas hit into a fielder’s choice, with an error on the play allowing Nugent to score. Martin then hit an RBI single to make it 5-0.
Auburndale scored all of its runs in the sixth off two two-run singles. After a baserunner was caught stealing third, Colin Phillips entered to pitch. He faced three batters, striking out the third to get out of the inning.
Phillips would take the mound in the seventh, too, to close it out. He gave up three hits and struck out two.
Starting pitcher Martin allowed no runs and not hits in three innings, striking out four.
Kirk batted 2 for 3, while Burton went 2 for 4.
Melrose faced Greenville on July 18, with Greenville scoring eight runs in the first four innings en route to handing Melrose a 9-0 loss.
It was 4-0 in favor of Greenville when Melrose loaded the bases in the bottom of the second. Thomas drew a leadoff walk, while Kase Sanders was hit by a pitch with one out. After Aden Tyre walked, Greenville turned a double play to get out of the inning.
Melrose didn’t get its first hit until Thomas hit a two-out single in the fourth and finished the game with five.
Three pitchers combined to give up three hits in a 5-0 win over Augusta on July 18 that put Melrose into the semifinals.
Starter Kirk threw 3.2 innings, allowing two hits and striking out two. Eubanks gave up one hit and struck out four in three innings, while Phillips retired the game’s final batter.
Melrose scored all the runs it’d need in a two-run first. Burton reached on an error, while Kirk singled. Nugent drove in a run on a ground out, followed by Thomas hitting a run-scoring single.
Burton walked in the third, stealing second and advancing to third on a passed ball before scoring on another passed ball.
A two-run sixth ended the scoring. Kirk and Evan Screen hit back-to-back singles, with Kirk scoring on Screen’s hit. Martin drove in the final run on a one-out double into left field.
Kirk and Thomas each finished 2 for 3.
Melrose’s tournament came to an end with a 10-0 loss to Tallahassee on July 19.
It was only a 2-0 game when Tallahassee scored eight in the bottom of the fifth. Seven of those runs were scored on six singles.
Melrose was held to four hits, one of which was a double by Screen.
