Vinemont's Toby Hill (4) drives in a run with a base hit against Jasper. / Johnny Thornton
HOLLY POND – Vinemont took third place in the Dizzy Dean 12U Area 1 tournament Wednesday at Lion's Club Park.
Jasper posted a 15-1 victory, moving on to the finals against Rock Creek. Vinemont now looks to the state tournament in Scottsboro, beginning July 7. Pairings will be announced by the weekend.
Jasper scored seven in the top of the first, then scored three times during the second, third and fourth to take control of Vinemont.
Vinemont avoided a shut out when they scored against Jasper hurler Luke Clark in the fourth.
Colby Miller led off with a triple and came home on a single to left by Toby Hill. Miller collected two hits as Clark threw a complete game with four strikeouts.
Jasper produced 13 hits against three Vinemont pitchers, Isaac Moody, Chayce Sandlin and Rush Sandlin.
Dray Willingham was3-for-3 with a single, double, triple and three runs batted in to lead Jasper. Logan Naramore, Sam Holland, Clark and Spencer Rosenfield had two hits each.
Jasper batted. 520 for the game with 15 hits in 29 at bats, collecting five extra base hits, with four consecutive doubles in the third.
Jasper matched its run total of 15 they had Tuesday in a win against Winston County to get them to the final round Wednesday.
Rock Creek claims the Area 1 championship:
Rock Creek and Jasper knew each other from last week, playing in the District 8 Tournament with Jasper grabbing the championship, beating Rock Creek along the way.
But it changed for both visiting Cullman County this week with Rock Creek earning a 14-4 victory, scoring 10 runs in the bottom of the fifth to break a tie.
Jasper got behind 3-0 after an inning and trailed 4-1 when they stepped to the plate in the top of the fourth.
There were singles by Jamie Burnam, Naramore and Willingham, reaching safely on error that scored Burnam and Naramore, Jasper had a rally en route. Ayden Payne singled and got Willingham in with the tying run as pitcher Hank Elliott tried to pick him off at second. The ball sailed into center field and the game was locked in a 4-4 battle.
Elliott came back and kept Jasper off the scoreboard in the fifth, with Rock Creek going batty at the plate, producing six hits in the inning, taking advantage of three Jasper errors, getting the game over with a 10-run outbreak for a 14-4 finale.
Elliott singled off the pitcher's glove, producing a run, a fielder's choice by Riley Harmon scored a run, Austin Echols doubled home a pair, and the game-winner came on a solid single to right field by Tristan Rhodes. Jared Hyde got two singles in the inning with Rock Creek finishing the game producing 10 hits against three Jasper pitchers: Clark, Payne and Burnam.
Elliott went the distance for Rock Creek, scattering five hits with four strikeouts.
Rock Creek went 4-0 for the four-day tournament, hosted by Holly Pond's Dizzy Dean program. Nine teams were involved in Area 1, with three from District 8 and six coming from District 5.
Rock Creek is out of the Oak Grove area in Jefferson County.
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