Dino's sweeps tee-ball finals

By Marvin Birchfield
STAR STAFF
mbirchfield@starhq.com

   The season ended for both boys and girls in Carter County tee-ball action Saturday as each of the Dino's Restaurant teams were crowned champions in close finals.
   In the boys division it was Dino's edging past David's Trophies in an 11-10 final, which wasn't decided until the final inning of play.
   "This is the most I've screamed and yelled all year long, and those boys from David's Trophies have improved all year long," said Dino's coach Terry Barker. "They gave us all we wanted, but we were able to come back and it was a good game."
   David's Trophies captured two runs in the top of the first when a base hit from Matt Guy brought home Abrahm Hill, and a ground out from Issac Hill scored Michael Nave.
   Dino's responded with three runs, as a double up the middle from Matthew Peters scored Wade Tanner and Caleb Buckles.
   A hit toward the third-baseman by Eli Rasnick drove home Brad Barker to give Dino's the one-run advantage.
   David's Trophies came back to regain the lead when a hit from Jordan Simerly brought in Matt Hill and a shot from Nave bounced off the glove of the Dino's shortstop to score Max Timbs.
   It was Dino's coming back once again in the bottom of the frame, when Barker smacked a single to shallow center field to drive in Tanner and Buckles.
   The game continued to go through the same trend in each of the first three frames, as David's Trophies tied the contest with a hit to center field from Jason Hill to score Tyler Nichols, but it was Dino's still clinging to a one-run lead after the third frame.
   A base hit by Jacob Street scored Preston Davis to give Dino's a 6-5 advantage, but a strong top of the fourth inning from David's Trophies witnessed the team taking a four-run lead.
   "We hit the ball well and played good defense, and you can't ask for a better group of kids," said David's Trophies coach Marty Hill. "As well as we played I don't mind losing them like that, and I'd just like to thank all the parents for bringing them to practice and letting them play for me."
   After a fly-out to third base and tag on the bag for a double play, it seemed as if Dino's might be forced to trail after the fourth frame, but RBIs from Rasnick, Issac Sturgill and Davis tied the contest at 10-10 heading into the last inning.
   "We had one play that cost us, but they've made a good team in being so young," said Hill. "I'll have a good little team come next year."
   David's Trophies lacked coming up with a hit in the top of the fifth, as three straight groundouts give Dino's, needing just one run for the win, and excellent opportunity.
   "Going three up and three down really helped us -- it could have been a horse of a different color," said Barker. "I'm just real proud of them. I've been with them the last three years, and Preston Davis, Brad Barker and Eli Rasnick and those three have been with me all three years, so I've been blessed for having them to coach."
   The victory was sealed after a rip up the middle from Buckles brought home Street for the Boys Tee-Ball championship.
   "Preston Davis got us a big hit in that third inning when we needed it, and then when Caleb Buckles got the hit at the end, it sealed the deal," said Barker. "Even Jacob Street, four years old, got on base and if he wouldn't have, then we might not even win. It wasn't just one kid -- they all made big plays."
   Girls
   Dino's Restaurant 11
   Allstate Barbara Kimbrel 10
   It was the play of Dino's Restaurant which attracted a lot of attention in the girls tee-ball championship, as it slipped past Allstate Barbara Kimbrel.
   "We squeezed that one out and the girls played their hearts out, and I'm proud of all my older girls and the young ones hit the ball very well today," said Dino's coach Chad Tipton.
   Dino's started by capturing four runs in the top of the first, with the first score coming off a hit from Kayla Davenport to short-shot, bringing home Madison Campbell.
   Hits from Megan Bowers and Macie Herrmann scored Sarah Tipton and Davenport, and the last run crossed when Danielle Combs knocked a hit down the third-base line to drive in Bowers.
   Allstate scored two runs in the bottom of the frame, when Kallee Walker smacked a hit to right field to bring home Peyton Whitehead, and a base hit to the mound from Abby Pansock scored Tina Fitzsimmons.
   Dino's extended its lead in the second frame. A hit down the third-base line from Campbell drove in Olivia Shoun, and a hit to left field from Sarah Tipton brought home Melinda Perry.
   The last run for Dino's crossed when Herrmann knocked a single toward third to bring in Tipton.
   A hit by Kelly Hilton and throw away to first base enabled Hollie Poarch to score for Allstate as it trailed 8-3 after the second frame.
   "If you can get up on them a couple of runs in the first inning, then you can do well because they're a better defensive team than anybody," said Tipton.
   Three more runs crossed for Dino's in the last frame, with the first one coming on a double to left-center field from Shoun, knocking in Combs.
   A hit to the mound by Carolyne Miller brought home Makayla Shell, and the last run was scored when a fielder's choice from Campbell drove in Shoun.
   After trailing by eight runs, Allstate made a tremendous rally to come up just shy of forcing the game into an extra inning.
   "They came back hard and we're not much of a morning team, but we won the regular season by playing hard, so I'm proud of every one of them," said Allstate coach Mark Simmons. "We just couldn't get into the flow, but I'm still proud of them. It's a great group of girls."
   Allstate's late surge started off with a hit from Brooke Simmons toward first base, which brought home Fitzsimmons.
   Abby Pansock and Sydney Puckett both drove in runs with Walker and Simmons crossing home plate, and then a shot from Miranda Buck brought in Pansock to trim the lead to four.
   A single from Brianda Buck scored Sydney Puckett, and then a groundout by Luexy Buck brought home Brianda Buck.
   Allstate cut the deficit down to one run when a hit to third and throwaway to first base scored Autumn Walker.
   With two out and bases loaded, a hit to the mound and field by Davenport with a force at home plate created the final out, enabling Dino's to hold off the late-charging Allstate team.
   "My big girls fielded very well, and my oldest one, Kayla Davenport, got the last out for us, and I'm also proud of Hannah Tipton, too," said Tipton. "I just want to congratulate my team. They were the youngest team down here and they came out on top."
   It was Campbell's Guttering finishing third in the boys consolation game, beating Advance in a 14-1 final, and Lawn Ranger defeated Stoney's Pizza in the girls consolation game.