UPDATED: Auburn 14s win South state championship

By OANow Staff

Published: July 22, 2008

THOMASVILLE — It wasn’t the best start, but that didn’t matter. The finish was perfect.

After losing the opening game of the Dixie Boys 14-year-old South State All-Star tournament, Auburn came back to win five in a row, including a 4-1 victory over Montgomery American on Tuesday, to capture the South State title.

After beating Selma, 12-8, in the play-in game Tuesday morning, the Auburn All-Stars faced Montgomery American in the championship game less than an hour later.

The win puts Auburn in the state title best-of-three series, beginning next Friday in Selma against the North State champion.

Pate Howard threw a complete game to earn the win for Auburn, giving up just six hits and one run.

At the Plate, Tracy Brooks was 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, Mitchell Roland was 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI, while Chase Edwards was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Kyler Deese was also 1-for-2 in the win, while Brandon Key was 1-for-3.

“I’m really proud of the team,” Auburn head coach Allen Deese said. “We came in and lost the first game, but came through the losers’ bracket to win it all. We finally came together.”

In Tuesday’s first game, Deese picked up the win for Auburn in relief. Deese also contributed at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Jack Folmar had three RBI, while Brooks was 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBI.

Landon Sessions was 2-for-3 and Kyle Coker, who started the game on the mound, had two hits and the go-ahead RBI.