Published: July 01, 2009 03:50 pm      

Smith powers J’ville past Overton

By Jay Neal

sports@jacksonvilleprogress.com

Sydney Smith probably slept like a baby Monday night.

Smith played a huge part in the Jacksonville Dixie girls 9-10-year-old all-stars’ 12-1 win Monday over Overton at the Jacksonville Baseball/Softball Complex.

For starters, she pitched three no-hit innings, collecting 8-of-9 outs by way of strikeouts to garner the district-tournament win for Jacksonville.

Offensively, Smith went 2-for-2 — she drew a walk in her other plate appearance — with a triple and three RBI to pace her squad at the plate.

Not a bad night’s work at all.

The local all-stars are now one win away from earning a trip to the state tournament which begins July 10 in Sulphur Springs.

Jacksonville was scheduled to meet Chapel Hill on Tuesday night. A victory in that game would secure the team a spot in the state tourney, and a loss would force a decisive game to be played Thursday night.

Breezey Robinson got the action started early for the Blue-and-Gold by getting an infield single to start off the game. Robinson scored on a single by Kenzee Rawlinson as Jacksonville got on the board first. Smith and Maggie Lucky then drew back-to-back walks to fill the bases.

With one out, Hannah Holcomb kept things going for Jacksonville by singling to the left side of the infield, driving in Gould from third.

Chelsea Robinson and Layne Hawkins followed by displaying discipline at the plate and in turn drawing RBI-producing free passes.

Capri Gould closed out the segment by also drawing a walk as Jacksonville, which led 5-0 after one complete, sent the maximum number of batters —10 — to the dish in the inning.

Jacksonville sealed the deal in the following frame, scoring six times as 10 batters again made their way to the plate.

Smith lashed a triple up the middle, plating a pair of Jacksonville runners to highlight things for Jacksonville. Chelsea Robinson also forged out a base hit in the segment.

The game was called in the fourth inning when a free pass to Hawkins forced the game-ending run, in the person of Whitney Robinson, to plate for the home-town all-stars.

Whitney Robinson led off the frame with a single, with Smith following with a base hit. Whitney Robinson also pitched the final inning for Jacksonville, striking out one batter.

The 9-10 girls are coached by head coach Bobby Robinson and assistant coaches Craig Lucky and Brandon Smith.