The bats quieted Saturday afternoon, but the defense turned it up as the McComb 8-year-old All-Stars earned their second consecutive state title with a 6-4 win over Indianola in the round robin Dixie Youth Baseball state tournament in Hattiesburg.
It was a repeat championship for this team that also won the state crown last season as 7-year-olds.
“This is a special group of kids,” McComb manager Tim Leonard said. “To win one championship is great. To win two is amazing.”
Although McComb scored 38 runs in its first two games of the tournament, the defense played a key role. In fact, McComb allowed an average of just four runs in the coach-pitch tournament.
Still, the bats needed to come alive in a five-run second inning that helped McComb overcome a 3-1 deficit.
Dawson Flowers led the way at the plate for McComb. He went 3-for-3 with three singles, two runs batted in and a run scored. Austin Fortinberry, Ian Stephens and Parker Phillips each added two hits and a run scored.
Eric Strong also went 2-for-2 with a pair of singles, an RBI and run scored.
The McComb All-Stars opened the state tournament in comfortable fashion, winning their first two games via the four-inning, 15-run mercy rule.
On Friday, McComb pounded Cleveland West 19-2, then routed Lawrence County 19-4 on Saturday.
McComb opened a 6-2 lead in the first inning and coasted to the win. The All-Stars added five runs in the third inning and finished with an eight-run fourth.
Austin Fortinberry was one of five McComb players to collect three hits in the game. He went 3-for-3 with two singles, a double, four RBIs and two runs scored.
Parker Phillips also went 3-for-3, with two doubles, a triple, three RBIs and two runs scored. Adam Leonard chipped in with a 3-for-3 effort that included two singles, a ground-rule double, two RBIs and three runs scored.
Kran Howell and Kole Alford also each went 3-for-3. Howell drove in a run and scored two with three doubles. Alford had a pair of singles, a double, three runs scored and an RBI.
On Saturday morning, McComb trailed Lawrence County 4-3 after the first inning, then exploded for seven runs in the second inning — all with two out — in the easy win. A nine-run third inning put the game away.
Alford was the top hitter for McComb, going 3-for-3 with a two-run double in the second inning and a run-scoring double in the third to highlight a five-RBI game. He also tripled and scored two runs.
Dalton East contributed two hits, including a two-run double in McComb’s big second inning. He finished with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Bo Gatlin chipped in a single and two doubles. He scored three runs and drove in two. Eric Cothern was 2-for-2 with a single, double, one RBI and two runs scored. Ian Phillips ignited the second-inning rally for McComb with an RBI double. He also scored a run.
