Liberty Finance caps season with 11&12 Dog Tag Title

By Brad Greer

After running roughshod over their competition during the regular season, Liberty Finance closed out the 11-and-12-year-old baseball campaign by winning the ‘Battle for the Dog Tag’ tournament Thursday night at a rainy J.P. Hudson Park.

Spurred by a seven-run fifth inning, Liberty Finance took home the championship with a 9-2 victory over Planters Bank in a game that was deadlocked 2-2 after four innings.

Liberty Finance reached the title game with a 7-0 victory over Medstock in the first semi-final contest while Planters Back slipped past The Panolian 5-4 in the opening game.

Planters Bank took a 2-0 lead after two innings in the title game as Brister Robertson scored in the first inning before Avery Jenkins reached on an error and scored in the second.

Liberty Finance tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth when Briar Busby reached on a fielders’ choice and scored while Ameran Kyles reached on an error and plated the tying run.

Nickolas Kyles tripled to lead off the fifth inning for Liberty Finance before scoring on Trace Williams’ single. Jeren Daniel and Ameran Kyles would later single and double to drive in runs. 

Williams registered two singles while Daniel added a double and single to pace Liberty Finance at the plate. John Blackmon also chipped in with a single. 

Ethan Jefcoat, Conner West and Wesley Wilson all singled for Planters Bank. 

Liberty Finance 7,

Medstock-0

Liberty Finance eased past Medstock with two runs in the first and fourth inning and three in the fifth. 

Blackmon led the offensive charge with a double and two singles while Nicklolas Kyles, Ameran Kyles and Daniel chipped in with singles. Dion Stutts and Kainan Pettit both plated a run in the winning effort. 

Tanner Bateman and Hunter Ragon each singled for Medstock.

Planters Bank 5,

The Panolian 4

Planters Bank scored two runs in the bottom half of the fifth to earn a spot in the champion game as Wesley Wilson raced home with the wining run. 

Planters Bank led 3-0 after three innings before The Panolian tied the game with three runs in the fourth before taking the lead in the fifth on Dawson Tutor’s RBI single. 

Mitch Mitchell and Levi Gee each recorded two singles while Jace Andrews provided a single.

Jefcoat and West led Planters with two singles with Mac Boyett, Avery Jenkins and Robertson providing singles.