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There was a parade Thursday afternoon along Main Street in downtown Bladenboro celebrating an accomplishment that had never been done before.
A bit impromptu, perhaps, and short. It featured Bladen County Sheriff’s Office patrol cars, a Bladenboro Fire Department engine and a bunch of kids piled into the back of a pickup truck. It was those kids who just a few hours earlier at Dunn’s Tyler Park had beaten West Duplin 3-2 to win Dixie Youth Baseball’s Majors Division 2 state championship.
It’s the first time a Bladen County League All-Star team has won a Dixie Youth Baseball state title.
It did so in impressive fashion and left no doubt which team was best. Bladen County was 5-0 in the 10-team double-elimination tournament and outscored its opponents 37-4.
NC DYB Majors Division 2 State Tournament Championship: Bladen County 3, West Duplin 2
Bladen County opened the tournament Saturday with an 11-0 win against Town Creek. Chase Bryan, Luke Bryant, Gauge King and Andrew Wren combined to pitch a no-hitter.
After a second-round bye, Corben Chadwick, Cole Brisson, Ashton Davis and Devan Stanley combined to strike out 14 in a 7-2 victory against Lockwood Folly on Monday.
Tuesday, in the winner’s bracket final, Davis pitched a four-hit shutout and struck out 11 in an 11-0 win against West Duplin.
Wednesday, Bladen County clinched its spot in the World Series with a 5-0 win against Dallas. Chadwick struck out 10 in 5.2 scoreless innings. North Carolina gets two teams in the World Series.
Then came Thursday morning when West Duplin would have to beat Bladen County twice to win the title. Bladen County didn’t let it get to a second game. Bryan delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the fifth and Davis finished off a 15-strikeout performance with three strikeouts in the sixth for a 3-2 win.
And, best of all, there’s more baseball to be played.
By making it to the championship game, Bladen County earned a berth in the Dixie Youth Baseball Majors Division 2 World Series that opens July 29 in Anderson, South Carolina. Bladen County is scheduled to play the Alabama state runner-up at 2:30 p.m. Teams from Virginia, Georgia and host Anderson also will be in the nine-team field.
For now, though, the World Series can wait.
Thursday afternoon was a time to celebrate the historic accomplishment of Chase Bryan, Luke Bryant, Gauge King, Ashton Davis, Corben Chadwick, Sawyer King, Cole Brisson, Drake Gause, Andrew Wren, Devan Stanley, and Gavin Brisson along with coaches Keith Wren, Jason Bryant and Jonathan McMillan.
It was a feat worthy of a downtown parade.
FRIDAY’S PICK TO CLICK
Rory McIlroy looks to have his game in good order with a 6-under 66 in the first round of the British Open. A mid-afternoon tee time Friday in Scotland (9:59 a.m. ET) should help. A second-round 67 seems about right and in the top 5 at the midway point of the tournament.
THURSDAY’S PICK: Kristie Mewis scores for the United States in its semifinal game against Costa Rica in the CONCACAF women’s tournament. RESULTS: Mewis only played the last 10 minutes in the Americans’ 3-0 win and didn’t score. Hey, can’t score if you don’t play. Put her in, coach!
WHAT TO WATCH TODAY/EARLY SATURDAY
• GOLF: LPGA’s The Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational. Pauline Roussin and Dewi Weber tied at 14-under, which is 3 shots ahead of the field after two rounds. GOLF, 1 p.m.
• AUTO RACING: NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying from New Hampshire Motor Speeday. USA, 5 p.m.
• GOLF: British Open. The field is cut after two rounds so you can sleep an extra hour. 5 a.m., Saturday, USA
Sonny Jones can be reached at wibbyj@gmail.com.
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