BRIDGEWATER, Va. — The Martinsburg Junior League All-Stars ended their season Sunday morning with a disappointing loss in the elimination game of the Southeastern Regional.
After suffering a merci rules defeat in Saturday's final game, Martinsburg had to play its first match on Sunday.
It was as if a giant oak tree had fallen on the team wearing the blue and gold of West Virginia.
Instead, North Carolina Dilsworth suffered a 10-4 defeat at Oakdale Park, ending Martinsburg's season.
Martinsburg scored four straight runs to break a 3-3 tie, and then things looked like they were going from bad to worse as the game went back and forth throughout the fourth inning.
However, Martinsburg had a runner tagged out at third base on a failed bunt, and then a runner was put out at home after the ball escaped the catcher's hand.
From there, North Carolina took a lead into the top of the fifth, then in the seventh, starting pitcher Braylon Cole ran out of balls and Dillsworth allowed five runs in relief to put the game in motion.
In the crucial fifth inning, Dilsworth led off with a single by Ben Weil and scored on a single by JoJo Jackson. Jackson and Justin Dunlap also singled and scored the winning run on a double steal to give North Carolina a 5-4 lead.
North Carolina then scored five runs in the seventh inning to win the game.
Jason Zientek walked to start the inning, removing Cole from the batter's field, and then after a popout to the pitcher, Weil, Noah Webdale and Dunlap all singled to score the first run and extend Dilsworth's lead to 6-4.
Jack Johnson's third hit of the morning scored Dunlap, a wild pitch scored Johnson, and then a misplayed grounder by shortstop Dylan Casgunty scored the final run.
It was one of eight errors made by Martinsburg.
Martinsburg tried to fight back in the bottom of the seventh with one out and the bases loaded.
But a fly ball by Mason Brauch resulted in a double play to end the game.
North Carolina advanced to a second consolation match later Sunday.
Dillsworth scored the first run in the top of the first inning, but Martinsburg got one back in the bottom of the inning on singles from Hudson Smith, Dion Fisher and Coe.
But Dilsworth got the first of three double plays with the first two outs before flying out.
In the second inning, Martinsburg's Braylon Cole reached base on a walk and then misplayed a pickoff throw to second base with the bases loaded, scoring to take the lead.
However, Martinsburg was intercepted at third base for a stolen base thief to end the inning.
In the third inning, Martinsburg extended its lead to 3-1 when Smith walked, stole second base and scored on a single by Fisher.
In the fourth inning, Hudson Rowe hit a double to tie the game at 3-3.
Martinsburg then found itself in a dire situation in the fourth inning with two runners on base and out, putting Dillsworth in control.
