By By Tim Cottrell
The Atmore Cal Ripken 12-year-old All-Stars kicked off their quest for the World Series Thursday night in Grand Bay, and despite a rough patch managed to come away unscathed against Satsuma by a score of 7-6.
Things started out quite well for Atmore, with Brett Wilkins driving a two-run double in the top half of the first inning to give Atmore a 2-0 lead. One more run would score in the inning to give Atmore an early 3-0 lead.
Satsuma would not go away quietly, however, as they scored four runs in their half of the first inning and then two more in the second to take a 6-3 lead.
Atmore came back to score four runs in the top of the fourth inning to provide the final score. Marshall Rolin turned a key double-play to end the game in the bottom of the sixth.
Christian Swartzendruber pitched all six innings for Atmore.
Wilkins batted 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI; Levi Gideons also added two RBI, and C.J. Pierce managed a base-hit.
Matthews 12
Atmore 4
The earlier game at Grand Bay saw a less satisfying outcome for the Atmore 8-year-old All-Star faithful, as a late Atmore rally was stamped out by six Matthews runs in the top of the sixth inning giving them a 12-4 win.
A poor inning defensively by Atmore spotted Matthews a 5-0 lead in the first. Atmore would slowly chip away at the lead, pulling as close as 6-4 in the fifth before Matthews exploded in the sixth.
Coby Smith and Perry Metzler led Atmore on the day, both netting a run, an RBI, and a triple. Tanner Smith and J.P. Sawyer also added RBI on the day, and Scott Brantley and Tristan Brown added the other Atmore runs.
Theodore 13
Atmore 12
Fifteen miles down the road in Mobile County, the Atmore 9-year-old All-Stars were also beginning play at Boykin Park in Theodore.
Atmore suffered a heartbreaking loss, giving up six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to lose 13-12.
Malcolm Black pitched five full innings. He faced four batters in the sixth inning, but did not record an out. Dustin Lindsey and Casey Jackson came on in relief, but neither could stem the tide.
Brett Helton and David Johnson led Atmore on the day. Helton scored four times and Johnson would score three more Atmore runs. Dustin Lindsey added two runs of his own; and Tristan McAnally, Jackson, and D'man McCarthy also scored on the night. Wesley Jefferson batted 3-for-4, but did not score a run.
Information was not available at press-time as to who all the Atmore teams were facing Friday night, but full coverage will be provided in Wednesday's Advance.