County AAA teams get wins

Three Jackson County Dixie Youth AAA All-Star teams advanced to the second game of district competition with wins Friday night.

Graceville defeated Holmes County, Cottondale came from nine runs behind to win 19-18 over Chipley, and Marianna defeated South Walton 13-3. 

Stats from the Graceville-Holmes County and Cottondale Chipley game were not available at press time.

Marianna started Maxx Harrell on the mound and he pitched a scoreless top of the first before his teammates added a run in the bottom of the frame.

Seth Gilmore ground out to third to start the inning before Cody Gwin tripled and stole home. Landon Tharpe flied to center field with Harrell following with a walk. 

Ryan Reed ground out to the short stop to end the inning with Marianna leading 1-0.

Harrell retired the first batter on a ground out to first before issuing two walks to put runners at first and second. 

An error at short plated two runs and put a runner on second. Following a strikeout, a single scored the third run of the inning before Harrell retired the final batter on strikes. 

Marianna answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning to make it a 4-3 game. 

Cameron Gray reached on an error at first, stole second and third to set up an RBI sacrifice bunt by Dalton Smith. 

Will Nance then drew a walk, stole second and third, and scored when Kiley Bryan sacrificed him home.  Will Johnson drew a walk, stole around to third and scored when Hunter Mitchell reached on a fielder’s choice. 

Cameron Gray came to the mound in the third inning for Marianna, going two innings and giving up no runs. 

In the third, a strikeout started the inning before a catch by Tharpe at third accounted for the second out. 

In the bottom of the third, Gilmore flied out to the catcher before Gwin bounced one over the fence for a ground-rule double. Tharpe doubled home Gwin with
Harrell following with the third double of the inning to score Tharpe.

Reed got in on the scoring frenzy with a single to score Harrell. Gray singled, but strikeouts to Smith and Nance ended the inning with the score 7-3.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Bryan and Gilmore led off with consecutive singles before Gwin walked with Tharpe being issued a walk that scored Bryan. 

Tharpe singled to score Gilmore with Harrell’s single scoring another.  Reed sent a fly ball to deep center field that scored another. 

Gray helped himself out with an RBI single but it was Smith’s bunt who plated the sixth run of the inning to end the game on the 10-run mercy rule.

Marianna was scheduled to face Cottondale Saturday night with Graceville taking on Vernon. 

Results of those games were not available at press time.