Royals rally to win Legion tournament championship
Published 12:00 am Friday, June 17, 2016
The A’s were the regular season American Legion Champions with an 8-5 record but had to settle for third place in the tournament. Players and coaches in random order include Drew Dunlap, Dawson Griffin, Max Dunlap, Docota Perry, Tanner Jaudon, Forrest Pierce, Gavin Towles, Cameron Burns and coaches Larry Dunlap and Billy Gillentine. The Panolian photo by Glennie Pou
The Royals battled from a losing season to take the American Legion tournament championship Monday. Team members and coaches in random order include Patrick Oramo, Keyshun Lantern, Dalton Barefoot, Brandon Phelps, Dre Moore, Brent Goss, Caleb Lantern, Josh Johnson, Hunter Sowell and coaches Reginald Lantern, B. J. Sewell and Calvius Moore. The Panolian photo by Glennie Pou
By Brad Greer
The familiar phrase its not where you start but where you finish could not have been more true for the Batesville Royals.
Entering the American Legion 13-15 year-old post season tournament with a 4-7 record, the Royals edged regular season champion A’s 8-7 in the semi-final round before routing the Yankees 15-3 in the championship game Monday at American Legion Field.
The Royals batted around in both the third and fourth innings, scoring six runs in each of the frames to break open a 3-3 contest. Dalton Barefoot paced the Royals at the dish with a double and two singles while Brandon Phelps and Dre Moore added two singles each. Barefoot and Phelps both drove in two runs apiece while Keyshun Lantern and Josh Johnston supplied RBI singles. Phelps and Barefoot each struck out three batters over two innings on the mound with Moore closing out the game in the fifth with two strikeouts.
The Yankees trailed 3-0 after one inning of play before tying the game at 3-3 in the third on consecutive singles by Ray Willis and Gage Heath before Drake Barton unloaded a two-run double that knotted the score. Peyton Cook chipped in with a single. Barton, Hunter West and Caleb West pitched for the Yankees.
A’s-9 Red Sox-5
Forest Pierce drove in three runs with a double and two singles as the A’s held off the Red Sox to capture third place.
The A’s led 9-2 in the sixth before the Sox plated three runs without a hit to close the margin to 9-5 but left the bases loaded as A’s reliever Max Dunlap struck out the final batter of the game.
Dawson Griffin sparked a five- run fourth inning with a two run single with Dakota Perry adding a single to lead off the frame. Max Dunlap also singled in the victory. Perry got the start on the mound and fanned six batters over two innings before Griffin struck out four also in two innings.
Luke Weldon paced the Red Sox with a double and single while Brady Darby garnered a single. Shawn Payne, Ian Cole, Nathan Walls and Matt Burchfield pitched for the Sox.
See page A12 for more coverage.
