Starkville teams capture Dizzy Dean South State titles
WEST POINT – Coach Steve McKee has spent many years coaching his sons in little league baseball only to see them come up short of hanging a banner and holding the first place trophy.
On Sunday in West Point, one of McKee's teams were finally able to come through with the help of his son Tanner. The Starkville 10-year-olds used three innings pitching by Tanner McKee in relief and his 3-for-4 day at the plate to knock off Pontotoc 5-3 for the Dizzy Dean South State championship.
Coach McKee said that the pitching of his group was the difference in the game.
Luke McKenzie started the game and threw three innings with three hits, two runs and four strikeouts. Tanner McKee
answered with three strikeouts of his own and only two hits surrendered.
“They were outstanding," coach McKee said. "Luke McKenzie did a great job throwing strikes for us and then Tanner came out there and did what he did. It was a pretty tight game. We did very well. They all did an outstanding job all the way through it. I'm very proud of these young men.”
Neither team was going to flinch early in the game as the two pitchers carried a 0-0 deadlock to the third inning. Starkville was finally able to break through with a hit from Tanner McKee followed by an RBI triple from Cameron Sherman and a single by Major Smith for the 2-0 lead.
Pontotoc was able to tie it up in the bottom of the inning, but it could have been much worse. Starkville's defense saved itself starting with a perfect throw from centerfield by Conner Lewis to third base for the second out and a beautiful diving catch in left by Jonas Coleman to end the inning.
Starkville took control of the game in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and two outs as Bailey Kosko wore a pitch on the back to score a run. In the sixth, a big two-out hit finally broke the game open when McKenzie smashed a two-run double on a full count to center field to make it 5-2.
“That was huge to give us a little separation with Tanner on the bump,” coach McKee said of the big hit.
McKee gave up his only run of the game in the bottom of the sixth as Pontotoc was able to scratch across one but a groundout ended the game and Starkville was crowned champs.
Outside of Tanner McKee's big day at the plate, Starkville also saw McKenzie have a productive afternoon going 2-for-4 with two RBI. Sherman finished 1-for-3 but his triple was big and he added two walks in the game.
Starkville now has the opportunity to host the overall state championship on Saturday at McKee Park as they welcome the top 10-year-old team from the North, East and West. Starkville plays Marshall County National on Saturday at 10 a.m. with the championship game at 2 p.m.
Though Starkville would much rather be on their home turf, coach McKee praised the work that West Point's tournament director Jerrod McDaniel and his staff did hosting the tournament. Most notably, the staff kept the field playable during heavy rains on Friday and there were no delays.