Latta’s 13- and 14-year-old Dixie Boys defeated Dillon and edged McLeod Park 4-3 on Saturday to claim the district title.

The tournament was held July 8 through July 11 in Dillon.

On Thursday, Latta’s Dylan Brewer opened on the mound against Dillon, striking out two batters. Dillon’s third out came on a slow hopper to the pitcher.

In the bottom of the first, Dillon’s Cole Carrol took the mound, leading off with a hit by pitch that sent Deonte Stanley to base. Brewer followed with a double that scored Stanley to give Latta a 1-0 lead. McLeod Carmichael hit a grounder to second for the first out, and the runner scored for a 2-0 lead. Carrol struck out Trey Anderson and walked Jamison Herring. But Herring was thrown out on the way to third trying to get an extra base on a short hit to left to end the inning.

Dillon lead off the top of the second with an out, and Brewer gave up a walk but Latta picked off the runner at first. Dillon followed up with a grounder to send Latta back up to bat.

Chase Mishue led off the bottom of the inning for Latta but popped up to the short stop for the first out. Russ Rogers reached on a hit by pitch, and Mishue scored on Chandler Nolan’s at bat, but Stanley hit a grounder to end the second with Latta up 3-0.

Brewer struck out three in a row in the top of the third to send Latta back up to bat, and Dillon brought out a new pitcher, Noa Henderson, for the bottom of the inning. Brewer hit a hopper over first for a single and stole second, advancing to third on a passed ball as Carmichael drew a walk. Anderson singled to score two runners for the 5-0 lead. Herring singled and tried to steal second before being thrown out.

Rain delayed the game until Friday, but Latta picked up where the left off, earning an 8-0 win over Dillon.

On Saturday, Latta faced McLeod Park for the district title with McLeod Park taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

With Mishue on the mound in the top of the second, McLeod Park singled on a grounder and stole second. But Mishue struck out the next two batters and the third hit into a grounder to send Latta up to bat. Anderson reached and stole second before scoring on a triple to right from Herring. Hunter Sawyer followed with a sacrifice fly to put Latta up 2-1. Mishue popped one up behind the catcher for the second out, and Rogers struck out to end the second inning.

McLeod Park opened the third with a grounder to the short stop for the first out and followed with a fly to right. Mishue struck out the next batter to end the inning quickly.

Latta led off the bottom of the third with a grounder from Nolan. Stanley followed with a grounder to second but made it safely to first. Brewer hit a grounder to first for the second out, and Carmichael drew a walk. Anderson hit a line drive to the short stop to end the inning.

Mishue got two grounders and a fly out of McLeod Park to end the top of the fourth, and Herring hit a grounder to open the bottom of the inning. Sawyer hit one up the middle for a single, but Mishue popped up another high one to the pitcher for the second out. Rogers followed with a grounder to end the inning with Latta still up 2-1.

In the fifth, McLeod Park opened with a grounder and hit one over second for a single. After a fly to right center, McLeod Park tied the game with a double up the middle and scored again on a hit over second for a 3-2 lead. But the next batter flew out to send Latta back to bat.

Nolan struck out in the bottom of the inning, and Stanley and Brewer hit grounders to third and second to end the inning quickly.

Latta brought in Sawyer to pitch in the top of the sixth, and McLeod Park went up and out quickly with two flies and a grounder. Latta opened the bottom of the inning with a hard grounder by the short stop for a single by Carmichael. Carmichael stole second on a strike for Anderson, who followed up with a grounder for the first out as Carmichael moved to third. Herring hit one to left for an RBI single to score Carmichael and tie the game once again at 3-3. Sawyer flew out, and Herring stole second on Mishue’s at bat before Mishue hit a grounder to the short stop to end the inning.

With the score knotted at 3, McLeod Park opened the seventh with grounders to first and third. A double over center and a walk put runners on first and second with two outs, but a fly out to left ended the threat.

Latta’s Rogers hit a grounder to the short stop to open the bottom of the seventh, and Nolan hit a grounder to first but reached safely on an error before stealing second. Stanley went to bat next and Nolan scored on his at bat to end the game at 4-3.

The Latta Dixie Boys will travel to North Augusta for the state tournament beginning on Saturday, July 18.

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