DIXIE ALL-STARS: Blue’s Storm clutch in relief, helps even series

Chase Storm rained on any chance Auburn Orange had to clinch the Dixie Youth Major (11-12) All-Star district championship series Tuesday night.

In Game 4 of the best-of-five series to determine which Auburn team will represent District 10 in the O-Zone State Championship, the Auburn Blue pitcher made sure there’d be a Game 5, leading his team to a 12-5 victory over Auburn Orange, which evened the series at two games apiece.

Storm entered the game in the bottom of the third with his team clinging to a 5-4 lead. The right-hander then proceeded to give up just one run on three hits over the next four innings, while striking out six and walking none.

“It’s been a tournament of attrition for us,” Auburn Blue head coach Chris O’Neal El said. “Our pitchers have been battling all series, and Chase did that for us tonight.”

And while Storm had things in control on the mound, his team was helping him out at the plate, scoring four runs in the fifth and another three in the sixth to take a 12-4 advantage going into the bottom of the final inning.

Auburn Orange, however, didn’t roll over, as it put its first two runners on base with no outs in the sixth.

Bradley Northcutt started out the frame for the Orange with a single to center and Connor Nesmith reached base on an error.

Austin Triplett then plated Northcutt with a one-out single to right field to make it 12-5. But that would be as close as the Orange would get, as the Blue defense tightened up to record the final two outs and force the deciding game, which will be played at 6 p.m. today at Duck Samford Park.

“We knew the Orange team would never give up,” O’Neal El said. “We’ve been up on them, I think, every game and they’ve fought back. They’ve got a hard-fighting team.”

Tyus O’Neal El led the game off for Auburn Blue with a solo home run to right field, sparking a four-run first inning.

Andrew White singled in Hunter Roland, who reached on an error, for the second run. Shelby Gulledge scored on a wild pitch two batters later, and then White came across when Storm was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give the Blue a 4-0 lead after just half an inning.

Orange came back with a run in its half of the first when Northcutt singled in Jackson Speaks, who reached on a walk.

Blue added a run in the second when Will Eiland hit a sacrifice fly to score Keegan Fairley.

Orange then scored three in its next at-bat with Triplett and Haven Barnes both scoring on a throwing error. Zack Pope then crossed the plate on a bases-loaded walk to Jonathan Smith before the end of the inning.

Storm then entered the game on the mound and put the clamps on for Auburn Blue.

“I’m proud of our kids,” O’Neal El said. “We got the hits, walks and outs when we needed them and it was enough for the win.”

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