Searcy defeats Ashdown for Dixie 12U Ozone title

Searcy came the farthest away (about 45 miles northeast of Little Rock) but went home a very happy bunch after capturing the title of the Arkansas Dixie 12U Ozone state tournament Sunday evening at Ed Worrell Park.

Searcy defeated Ashdown in the championship game, 2-0.

The winners combined excellent pitching, a solid defense and some clutch hitting throughout the tournament.

In semifinal games, Searcy downed Lafayette County, 4-2, and Ashdown outscored Texarkana, 12-7.

CHAMPIONSHIP Searcy 2, Ashdown 0

Searcy scored both its runs in the first inning.

Houston Behel led off with a single, and later scored on a single by Landon Koch, who later scored on a foul pop fly to the catcher.

Koch went the distance on the mound, allowing just two hits, striking out five, and four walks in 78 pitches.

Ashdown’s only hits were singles by Dylan Rose in the fourth and Kase Davis in the sixth.

Searcy collected only five hits, led by Behel two singles.

Grayson Porter and Caleb Blankenship pitched for Ashdown. Ashdown 000 000 — 0 2 1 Searcy 200 00x — 2 5 0

Grayson Porter, Caleb Blankenship (4) and Marty Lansdell. Landon Koch and

Colton Smith. WP-Koch. LP-Porter.

Searcy 4, Lafayette County 2

Searcy scored all its runs in the fourth inning.

L-C’s Landon Beshea was breezing along, retiring the first 10 batters.

Jack-Henry Wise drew a walk and Will Grady had an infield hit.

Behel reached on a fielder’s choice, and Grady was safe at second when the throw was dropped.

After the second out, Koch and Reid Miles followed with RBI singles.

Colton Smith came within one out of a complete game, having to leave after throwing the maximum pitches. He allowed just three hits.

Ashdown 12, Texarkana 7

Ashdown held a 3-1 lead before Texarkana scored five runs in the top of the third inning.

Texarkana banged out four hits with Mike Lambert’s two-run double leading the way.

Ashdown came right back with seven runs on six hits in the bottom half of the third.

The No. 11 and No. 12 hitters in the batting order, Adrian Salazar and Hunter Mize, started the rally with singles.

Later in the inning, Hunter Fowler blasted a three-run homer over the left field fence.

Hunter Carrell, Derek Hilton and Fowler had two hts each to pace a 12-hit attack. Grayson Porter and Blankenship had a double each.