GAME 1: 7:40pm, APDB - Andy Partin's Dirtbags 9, Dirtbags 14U 6 (at Appalachian St. Uuiv)

Headline: Dirtbags rally to cut lead to 9-6 in the bottom of the 6th, but thats as close as we could get. Dirtbags hit 6 doubles for the game including Jack Poirier's moster shot to center field which 1 hopped the fence marked 405 ft for a ground rule double!!

The Dirtbags drew a very tough opening game. The 14U Dirtbags (us) would play Andy Partin's 15U Dirtbags, an All-Star collection of the best of all the Dirtbags 15U teams.  Andy's Dirtbag team (APDB) would go on to win the tournament, beating GBC in the championship. 

The 14U Dirtbags hung tough in the game and trailed only 4-2 thru the end of 4 innings.

The Dirtbags first run scored in the 2nd inning when Jack Poirier scored on a wild pitch to Demarco Reaves.

The Dirtbags cut the APDB lead to 4-2 in the 3rd when Cameron Smetak's double to left field scored Jacob Brown.

APDB jumped out to a 8-2 lead in the 4th with 4 runs. APDB then increased the lead to 9-2 heading into the bottom of the 6th inning, and with time limit quickly approaching, the Dirtbags would need a miracle comback to win.

The Dirtbags started the 6th with the top of the order coming to the plate.  5 consecutive hits by Brown: double, Bailey: single, Smetak: single, Burleson: double, Poirier: ground rule double of the 405 ft. fence, brought 4 runs across the plate and cut the APDB lead to 9-6 and still NO outs!   APDB then made a pitching change and brought in one of their top relief pitchers and the game ended with a walk, a strikeout and a double play groundout.

Leading hitters for the Dirtbags included: Jack Poirier (2-3 with 2 double's and 1 RBI), Cameron Smetak (2-3 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI's), Daniel Wilkerson (1-2 with a double), Alec Burleson (1-3 with a double and 2 RBI's), Jacob Brown (1-3 with a double) and Brandon Bailey (1-3). 

Teams       1   2   3   4   5   6  7          FINAL
APDB        0   3   1   0   4   1               9  
Dirtbags    0   1   1   0   0   4               6

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Saturday, August 4th

GAME 2: 12:40pm, FBI Fungo 3, Dirtbags 1

Headline: Fungo hold Dirtbags to 1 run on 6 hits and send 'Bags into 0-2 hole in pool play.

The Dirtbags faced another really tough team and the game was scoreless thru 3 1/2 innings.

Fungo got on the board first with 2 runs in the bottom of the 4th inning. The game stayed at 2-0 Fungos until the bottom of the 6th when Fungo bumped the lead to 3-0.

The Dirtbags tried to rally to victory in the top 7th, but could only get 1 run in.  Davis O'Brien's blooper over a charging shortstop and left fielder could not be caught and Josh Hollifield scored the Dirtbag's lone run of the game.  The Dirtbags had the tying run on 1B, but Fungo came up with 2 flyball outs to end the game.

Leading hitters for the Dirtbags:  Jacob Brown (2-3), Drew Tiano (1-1), Davis O'Brien (1-2 with 1 RBI), Demarco Reaves (1-3) and Josh Hollifield (1-3).

Teams       1   2   3   4   5   6   7          FINAL
Dirtbags    0   0   0   0   0   0   1            1  
FBI Fungo   0   0   0   2   0   1   x            3
 
GAME 3: 3:00pm, Dirtbags 8, Carolina Stars 3

Headline: Dirtbags finally get in the victory column with a win over the Stars.  Josh Hollified (2-2, double, RBI) and Jacob Brown (1-3, double and 2 RBI's) lead the offense. Brandon Bailey and Demarcus Reaves split the pitching duties and hold the Stars to only 5 hits.

The Dirtbags came into this game 0-2.  This was the first time the Dirtbags had ever opened a season 0-2 and their previous worst start was the Fall 2006 season, when they started the season 0-1.  Every other season in their history started with a victory.

The Stars jumped on the board first with a top 1st run.

The Dirtbags took the lead with 2 runs in the bottom of the 1st. Cam Smetak's sac fly scored Jacob Brown to tie the game at 1-1. Drew Tiano's single scored Josh Hollifield for the 2-1 lead.

After the Stars tied the game in the top of the 4th at 2-2, the Dirtbags took command of the game with a 6-run bottom 4th. Davis O'Brien drew a bases loaded walk for a 3-2 lead. River Ryan scored on a wild pitch to Demarco Reaves.  Jacob Brown came up with the bases loaded and Tyler Dombek scored on a wild pitch. Brown then delivered a 2-run double to up the lead to 7-2.  The final run scored when Josh Hollifield singled to score Brown.

Dirtbag pitching: Brandon Bailey started the game and threw 2 1/3 innings. Bailey gave up 2 hits and 0 earned runs. He walked 3 and struck out 1.  Demarco Reaves threw the final 2 2/3 innings.  Reaves allowed 3 hits, 1 earned run, walked 1 and struck out 3.  Nice job Dirtbag pitchers!

Leading hitters for the Dirtbags included: Josh Hollified (2-2 with a double and 1 RBI), Drew Tiano (1-2 with 1 RBI) and Jacob Brown (1-3 with a double and 2 RBI's).

Teams       1   2   3   4   5   6  7          FINAL
Stars       1   0   0   1   1                   3  
Dirtbags    2   0   0   6   x                   8

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POOL PLAY SUMMARY:  The Dirtbags went 1-2 in pool play and allowed 15 runs. 

The way the top 9 was determined is that after all 18 teams had played 3 pool play games, .... the top 2 teams from each pool (with the exception of the 6 team pool where 3 teams advanced) advanced to the Final 9. 

Had all 18 teams been seeded together, regardless of pool assigned to, the Dirtbags would have been the #9 seed and would have been playing on Sunday.