DIXIE YOUTH: Auburn eliminates Opelika

DOTHAN — With his pitching rotation burned because of pitch-count rules, Auburn coach Brad Smithart was searching for a hidden gem in Sunday’s elimination game with rival Opelika.

He found it in Cooper Flanagan.

Flanagan, who Smithart said hadn’t pitched in All-Star competition this summer, shut out Opelika through five innings in Auburn’s 3-0 win in the Jr. Dixie Boys (13) State Tournament at the Miracle Field Complex at Westgate Park. The win put Auburn in today’s 9 a.m. elimination game against Troy. Opelika, which received the tournament’s sportsmanship award, was eliminated in two games.

It was the third time the two teams had played, with Auburn winning two. The two teams were in the same Sub-District and District tournaments.

“All these kids know each other,” Smithart said. “They grew up together and go to school together.”

Flanagan was masterful in his 50-pitch appearance and could have gone longer, but Smithart went with John Alan Grubbs, his ace in the pen. Grubbs shut the door in the final two innings.

“We’ve got John Alan Grubbs, who is good,” Smithart said about his decision to take Flanagan out. “Cooper’s got a winning mentality. He goes in there and competes. That’s why he pitched so well.”

Flanagan gave up just one hit and struck out two. Grubbs struck out two. Opelika didn’t have a runner reach from the second until the seventh inning.

In the seventh, Grubbs got Jordan Brown to line out to shortstop DeMykle Holmes. Nick Constan then singled and Sawyer Stephens reached when he hit a pop fly to left that Holmes couldn’t track down as it went off his glove.

But Grubbs struck out Zack Wood and got Casey Senn to ground out back to the mound to end the game.

Auburn broke the scoreless tie in the fifth when Michael Lee hit an RBI single. Auburn got two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Bo Arnold scored on an error and Holmes scored on a wild pitch.

Auburn will have to win four straight games to win the state tournament, but Smithart said after Sunday night’s win all pitchers are now eligible to throw today except Flanagan.