DIXIE YOUTH: Auburn Blue rolls to win

Auburn Blue struck early and often to coast into the second round of the Dixie AAA (9-10) District 10 Sub-District 3 double-elimination tournament at the Valley Sportsplex.

Blue scored eight runs in the first inning on its way to a 22-0 victory over Ladonia in the first-round matchup.

Ladonia conceded the game with Auburn batting in the top of the third inning.

Auburn will face Smiths Station in the second round of the winners’ bracket today at 7:30 p.m. at the Sportsplex. Ladonia gets a day off before it faces the winner of today’s elimination game between Beulah and the Dadeville All-Stars on Monday.

Auburn held a 3-0 lead before the first out was recorded. Blue sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning, which was highlighted by Noah Barnes’ two-RBI single and Drew Williams’ two-RBI triple to left-center.

Harrison Speaks led off the second inning with an inside-the-park home run to left-center field. Blue added four more runs in the inning, three coming from Clay Kiteley’s bases-loaded triple.

Brooks Fuller and Bailey Cone each hit two-RBI doubles in Auburn’s nine-run third inning.

Barnes got the start for Auburn on the mound and didn’t allow a hit over two innings. He struck out three Ladonia batters.

Speaks and Williams each had two hits. Every Auburn batter reached base at least once.

Auburn’s 1-4 hitters — Speaks, Bryan Carter, Harris White and Fuller — all scored at least three runs apiece. Mic Roof, Kiteley, Barnes and Cone added two runs apiece.

Ladonia’s Brandon Morgan struck out three batters.

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