DIXIE YOUTH: Arnold leads Opelika National to Sub-District title

Forget the three batters he just walked in the final inning, Doss Arnold wasn’t coming off the mound.

His head coach already made up his mind.

“I was going to let him finish,” Opelika National manager Mark Christian said of his right-handed starter.

And Arnold didn’t disappoint, as the 12-year-old bowed his neck in bottom of the sixth inning to get the final two outs and give his Opelika National Dixie Youth Majors (11-12) All-Star team a 5-2 win over Beauregard and the District 10 Sub-District 1 championship Wednesday at West Ridge Park.

“I think he got a little tired there at the end,” Christian said. “But he did a great job for us all night and battled back. He did a great job. A great job.”

Arnold came into the final inning leading by three runs, giving up just two hits and two runs, striking out five and walking none.

But then the first two Beauregard batters — Gabe Morgan and Cullen Senn — drew one-out walks. They then advanced to second and third on a wild pitch to put the tying run at the plate. After a strikeout, Arnold walked Heath Senn to load the bases with two outs.

But that was all he was going to give up. Arnold then got the next batter to ground out, giving Opelika National a hard-fought victory and a No. 1 seed in next week’s District 10 tournament in Smiths Station.

It was the third time Opelika National and Beauregard played in the last five days. Opelika won the first game Saturday, 3-0. Beauregard won the second game, 4-2, on Tuesday night to force the sub-district “if necessary” game Wednesday.

“These are two very good teams,” Christian said. “We’ve been battling each other for several years. It was good to see us come out on top this time.”

All-Stars playing the way an all-star game should be played. 

Opelika made all the difference in the top of the third inning, scoring four runs to put the game out of reach.

Gage Young and B.J. White started off the inning with back-to-back walks. Then, an error at second put Bennett Whitman on first with bases loaded and no outs. A fielder’s choice by Brandon Waido scored Young, while a single by Chase Hegwood plated White for a 2-1 Opelika lead and runners on second and third.

Matthew Christian, the next batter, cleared the bases with a single to centerfield, making it 4-1.

“We’ve been struggling hitting the ball all tournament,” Christian said. “But we had that one good inning. That was a big change getting those hits with runners in scoring position.”

Opelika added another run in the fourth on a one-out single by Tanner Blatt, who scored Barry Dudley to make it 5-1.

Beauregard opened the scoring in the second inning when a single by Gabe Morgan scored Kane Garner with two outs. Garner reached on a fielder’s choice.

Hunter Hillyer hit a solo home run in the fifth to deep centerfield for Beauregard’s first hit since the second inning — and the third of the game.

Opelika will play Dadeville at 6 p.m. next Wednesday in Smiths Station in the first round of the District 10 double-elimination tournament. Beauregard will play Beulah, the Sub-District 3 champions, also at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Also, Tallassee will play Valley at 7:30 in the first round, with the winner playing Smiths Station at 6 p.m. Thursday in the second round.

The winner of the district tournament will head to the state championship tournament in Lincoln on July 24.

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