Kiwanis, Zaxby’s win big in AAA action

By SHELIA MADER
Published: May 17, 2008

Lopsided victories were the special of the day in Dixie Youth AAA action Thursday night at Optimist Park. 

The experienced Kiwanis dealt the short-handed People’s First a 17-7 loss.

In the second game, the league-leading, undefeated Regions crushed the expansion Zaxby’s 15-5.

In game one, People’s First braved the field one player shy of a baseball team. 

Lawrence Glover started on the mound for People’s First before being relieved by Garrison Melzer. 

Glover gave up five runs on four walks and two hit batters with one error behind him.

Melzer gave up 12 runs on eight walks, four hits and one hit batter with three errors committed behind him.

Kiwanis, Aaron Williams went the distance giving up five runs on three walks, six hits and three errors.

Leading Kiwanis in hitting was Hunter Eddins with two hits and reaching on one error. 

Ethan Strickland and Zac Malone both recorded one hit each with Malone drawing a walk and Strickland taking advantage of an error to reach base safely. 

Brandon Reed led the team in walks with three while Williams, Callen Bozeman, Hampton Jordan, Lance Long, Landon Pippin, Christian Sims, and Brett Crumpler all drew a walk.

For People’s First, it was Melzer with two hits, followed by Kiley Bryan, Antone, Evan Barber and Seth Gilmore all with one hit each.

Lawrence Glover led the team in walks with two while Antone drew a walk and Steven Spence took one for the team.
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In game two, Regions sent Matthew Shouse to the mound with Cade Bonds and Dustin York coming on in relief to close out the game.

Zaxby’s countered with Jack Craven starting and Maxx Harrell coming on in relief.

Zaxby’s picked up two runs in the first inning.

Landon Tharpe led off with a single and moved to second on a single by Ryan Reed. 

With one out, Jack Craven singled home one run, followed by an RBI single by Logan Baxley to score Reed. 

Craven was out stealing third with Austin Collins drawing a two-out walk. 

Regions answered with one run in the bottom of the frame.

Bonds reached on an error but was thrown out trying to steal second.

Following a groundout to the pitcher, Jake Daffin tripled and stole home before a fly out to short ended the inning.

Marquise Patterson and Teyton Howell drew back-to-back walks in the top of the second with Patterson rounding the bases to score.

Howell was thrown out trying to steal second. Hunter Gilbert drew a walk and scored on a throwing error by the catcher before two strikeouts ended the inning. 

The wheels came off in the bottom of the second inning for Zaxby’s with Regions plating 11 runs in the inning to take a 12-4 lead after two.

York, Avery Evans, Bonds, and Quaid VanHuss all had hits with Daffin, Trent Charles, Justin McCallister, Matthew Shouse, VanHuss, Joshua Delgado all taking free passes for their team. 

Zaxby’s added one run in the top of the third inning.

Reed drew a walk and scored on a single by Harrell. A pop up to the pitcher ended the inning.

Regions added three runs in the bottom of the inning before time was called to end the game. Evans singled and scored on a two-run shot by Bonds. York drew a walk and moved to third on a single by Daffin.

Charles reached on an error to score York with McCallister drawing a walk to end the game.

Action will continue on Monday at Optimist Park with games scheduled for 5:30 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.