'Betsy 14s secure state reservations   

from staff reports

  The 14-year-old Jr. Babe Ruth All-Star tournament started off on a sour note for the host squad, but things quickly turned for the better.
  Posting their second and third consecutive victories in the losers' bracket on Saturday -- beating Johnson City American 16-5, then Avoca 5-2 -- Elizabethton earned a spot in today's championship round, and more importantly, a berth in the state tournament.
  "We put out both Johnson City teams, and that was big," said 'Betsy manager C.Y. Peters, whose club routed Johnson City National on Friday night.
  Avenging its loss to JC American, Elizabethton erupted for seven runs in the second inning to break a 2-2 tie. Jeff Peters, J.D. Scalf, Wendell Loving, Brandon Cole and Thomas Dearstone each had hits in the inning, with Jonathan Canady, Tyler Blevins and Justin Peters drawing walks.
  The hometown boys banged out 13 hits as a team, with Scalf and Canady both going 3-for-4 and Jeff Peters batting 3-for-5 with a double.
  Dearstone went 2-for-3 and had a sacrifice.
  Jeff Peters pitched the first two innings for the victory, and Blevins provided relief.
  Hunter Deel topped JCA with a 2-for-2 effort. Will Henry followed at 2-for-3.
  Jeff Peters worked five innings on the mound in the Avoca contest, picking up another win. Blevins worked 1 1/3 innings of relief, and Dearstone finished out.
  Canady, turning in another strong game with the bat, and Nick Papantoniou each went 2-for-3 for 'Betsy, which received a triple from Blevins and a double from Jeff Peters. Cole chipped in a base hit.
  Matt Shepherd tagged a double and a single in four at-bats for Avoca. Hunter Bushong had a triple.