Florida shuts down Enterprise

ENTERPRISE — The scoreboard says Florida eliminated Enterprise 8-0 Sunday night.

It was much closer than that. Florida scored an unearned run in the first and two disputed runs in the fifth before breaking the game open and eliminating the host team in the Junior Dixie Boys World Series.

Florida’s Frankie Martello pitched a three-hitter and worked all seven innings. He also scored a run in the fifth and had an RBI single in a five-run Florida sixth inning.

“I thought it was a very good baseball game,” Enterprise coach Jim Thompson said. “The bottom line is we didn’t get enough hits. Florida is a good team, fundamentally sound, a lot like us.”

Enterprise fell 16-6 to Texas late Saturday night in its rain-delayed Series opener. Florida lost 1-0 to South Carolina.

Weather again caused havoc with Sunday’s schedule. The elimination games, scheduled for 4 p.m., didn’t start until after 6:30. The late games didn’t begin until after 9 p.m.

The grounds crew at the Enterprise Recreational Complex has gone through nearly 200 bags of Diamond Dry in two days. But they did an excellent job getting all three fields ready.

Florida scored an unearned run off Enterprise starter Ryan Brunson. Troy Turner got a two-out single, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on an infield error.

Enterprise was poised to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth. Sid Thompson was hit by a pitch and Sam Blackburn walked to start the inning. But Martello got out of the jam with a foul pop-up. Thompson was called out at third trying to steal a base. A strikeout ended the threat and shifted momentum back to Florida.

“That was the turning point in the game,” Jim Thompson said. “I thought he was safe at third.”

Instead, Florida’s David Manley drew a leadoff walk to open the fifth inning. Tommy Heller bunted him to second. He moved to third on a wild pitch. After a strikeout, Brunson hit Martello with a pitch to set up runners on first-and-third.

Umpires called a balk when Martello broke for second base, allowing Manley to score and Martello to reach second. He scored on Turner’s clutch base hit that made it 3-0.

Enterprise got a first-inning single from Sam Stempinski and a third-inning base hit from Seth McWaters. That was it until the seventh inning. Martello retired nine in a row at one point.

Keenan Rachel reached on an error in the seventh for Enterprise. He went to second on a passed ball and to third on a fielder’s choice. Jackson Hanson drove in Enterprise’s only run with a single to left field.

“Both teams got good pitching tonight,” Thompson said. “Ryan Brunson pitched great for us and Sam Stempinski did a good job when he came in. Their guy was tough. He pitched a complete game. Again, we just didn’t hit the ball.”

Thompson said he enjoyed the World Series experience, even if not playing a tournament game all summer probably created some problems for his team in this tournament.

“I wish we could have played more than two games, but like I told our guys, it’s an honor to represent this city,” Thompson said. “It’s something our kids will remember for the rest of their lives.”

Mississippi 5, Arkansas 2: Mississippi’s Kelton Grice hit a two-run double and a scored on Eric Surrett’s base hit in a three-run sixth inning that eliminated Arkansas.

Arkansas two both of its runs in the top of the first. Austin Calhound hit an RBI triple and scored on Brady Anderson’s sacrifice fly.

Mississippi scored a run in the second and tied the game in the bottom of the fourth before rallying in the sixth.

Mississippi plays the loser of the South Carolina vs. Texas game today at 10 a.m. in an elimination game.

North Carolina 19, Tennessee 3: North Carolina scored 10 runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back.

Andre Starks had two hits and scored two runs in the first inning. Rhett Smith hit a pair of three-run doubles for six RBIs in the game.
North Carolina plays Florida today at 10 a.m. in another elimination game.

Georgia 13, Virginia 3: Georgia scored three in the first, two in the second and kept swinging to take charge of its game en route to beating Virginia.