Shallotte right-hander Cody Thomas delivers a pitch Wednesday.
(Shallotte Area Sports Photo/W.A. Myatt)
They say it’s better to be lucky than good. Shallotte’s AAA (10-and-under) baseball all-stars were both on Wednesday and will play for the Diamond Youth Baseball Division 2 state championship at Ocean Isle Beach Park on Thursday as a result.
Shallotte used solid pitching from Cody Thomas, a supportive defense which had a pair of double plays, timely hitting and aggressive baserunning to down previously unbeaten Bessemer City, 9-1, on Field 2.
“That’s about as well as we can play,” said Shallotte coach Sam Hickman. “Hopefully, we have another one left in us.”
Coach Sam Hickman addresses players before their final at bats against Bessemer City.
(Shallotte Area Sports Photo/ W.A. Myatt)
Coach Hickman’s good fortune put his club in the advantage position with a bye to the championship game.
Bessemer City and Whiteville will play at noon for the opposite berth in the title game. The AAA final will follow a 2 p.m. game between Whiteville and South Brunswick for the Majors (12-and-under) state crown. All of the games Thursday will be on Field 1.
Hickman joined representatives from Bessemer City and Whiteville at the mound on Field 1 for a drawing conducted by DYB national director Jay Hardison to determine the bye late Wednesday. All three teams have one loss in the double-elimination format.
Hardison put three coins (quarters) in a hat and had each rep draw one. Hickman drew last for the lone remaining quarter.
Hardison said the team holding the oldest quarter would get the bye. Bessemer City had 2014. Whiteville had 2013.
“I looked down and I had 2007,” Hickman said.
Thomas pitched all six innings to help set up the 3-way drawing. He allowed five hits, one run (earned) and struck out five.
Shallotte second baseman Kason Fulford throws to first for an out against Bessemer City.
(Shallotte Area Sports Photo/W.A. Myatt)
“Most importantly,” Hickman said. “No walks.”
Thomas helped his own cause with two hits and three RBIs. Stevie Johnson had two hits with a double.
Huck Hickman, Preston Lowe, Holden Garrett and Hudson Shaw each drove in runs.
Joel Reeves had a 2-run single in the top of the first and Shallotte led the rest of the way. The host team for the event began to pull away with three runs in the second.
Shallotte has been the visiting team for four straight games. A coin flip will determine home team for the championship.
