Georgia vs. Florida, 2007 Dixie Boys Baseball World Series- Day 4

It's hot! So hot, in fact, that the Dixie officials moved this game, originally scheduled for 5 p.m., back to 8 p.m. tonight to avoid the heat. It may have shaved a few degrees off the temperature gauge, but there's not much difference between 105 degrees Fahrenheit and 101 degrees Fahrenheit.

In this muggy heat, don't expect any one pitcher to last too long tonight. My pregame prediction for this one goes to the team with the most depth on the mound. Which team is that? We'll find out seven innings from now.

Wow. What a way to start a game. Florida's Jeffrey Pitts led off with a long drive down the left field line. The shot had stand-up double all over it, but Pitts tried to stretch it into a triple. Georgia left-fielder Taylor Camp relayed to shortstop Jake Sandlin who gunned down Pitts with a strike to Zach McIntire at third. That's probably the longest out of the tournament. 

A strike out and a fly out to center-field ended the inning.

Bottom of the first: Georgia 0, Florida 0

Georgia pitcher Michael Taylor got the start for the home team. Florida starter Travis Register is on the mound now. Just like everyone else at the ballpark, both pitchers are already drenched in sweat.

It didn't take Georgia long to find the scoreboard. Leadoff man Kody Belcher walked, stole second, took third on a wild pitch, then came home on an RBI single off the bat of Jake Sandlin. Georgia is the most aggressive base-running team that I've seen this tournament. They stole 10 bases in Monday night's win. A stolen base and a wild pitch put them in position for their first run tonight.

Brian Smith grounded into an inning-ending double play. The first inning is over with Georgia in the lead.

Top of the second: Georgia 1, Florida 0

The championship game of the winners' bracket is going on just to the left of this game. South Carolina leads Mississippi 1-0 in the first inning in that one. Mississippi has to be tired. They're 8 p.m. game last night went until 12:30 a.m. Mississippi won that one 25-13. Yes, 25-13.

Kevin Husum led off the inning for Florida with a single through the left side of the infield. He's on third base now thanks to a pair of sacrifice ground outs. Calvin Cox walked to put runners at the corners with two outs.

Florida pitcher Travis Register helped himself with a hard-hit single right back at the pitcher. THe ball took Georgia pitcher Michael Taylor's hat off on its way to center-field. Husum scored to tie the game.

A single from Florida's No. 9 hitter A.J. Howland loaded the bases with two outs. An inside pitch to Jeffrey Pitts nicked his arm and everyone advanced 80 feet including Calvin Cox who scored Florida's second run of the game.

There's a not-so-well-known fact here at the Dixie Boys World Series. These 14-year olds are playing on a diamond with the bases 80-feet apart. It's only 56 feet from the pitcher's mound to home plate. Boys at the high school level and up typically play on 90-foot base paths with 60-feet-6-inches from the rubber to the plate.

Florida's Tyler Helms came up big with a two-RBI single to right field. Florida holds a 4-1 lead, and Jake Sandlin has replaced Michael Taylor on the mound.

Sandlin ended the two-out rallying on the first batter he faced... well, almost. The inning seemed over when Florida's Brandon Mayhan flied out to right field, but just as Georgia was trotting off the field the umpire spoke up and said Sandlin committed a balk just before the pitch. Play continued, Sandlin walked Mayhan and Husum got his second hit of the inning with an RBI double to left field. The inning continues...

A deep single to center-field off the bat of Trevin Hall plated another run. Florida has scored eight runs and sent nine batters to the plate... all with two outs.

A grounder to third base finally ended the inning. The hole has been dug. Let's see what Georgia does while they're down there.

Bottom of the second: Florida 8, Georgia 1

South Carolina has doubled its lead over Mississippi. It's now 2-0 in the second inning. Mississippi's batting with a runner on second and no outs.

Georgia's Michael Taylor reached base with two outs when his arm got in the way of a fastball. This time Georgia's aggressive base-running didn't help. Taylor, who hesitated on a steal attempt between first and second, was gunned down by catcher Brandon Mayhan for the third out.

Top of the third: Florida 8, Georgia 1

Mississippi has tied the score with South Carolina at 2-2 still in the second inning.

Jake Sandlin walked the first batter he faced in the third, and that was enough to get him pulled. Georgia's Cade Hardin is on the mound.

Hardin has a nice come-back story working for him this tournament. He's a little guy, and he entered the tournament wrapping up a month-long break from pitching due to an arm injury. He gave up only one hit in two innings in last night's win. Georgia needs another performance like that tonight if they want to stay alive.

Here comes South Carolina. After giving up a two-run lead in the second inning, they got it back in the third. South Carolina leads Mississippi now 4-2.

Hardin struck out two batters, got another to fly out and left the lead off man stranded at second base.

Bottom of the third: Florida 8, Georgia 1

After last night's win, Georgia coach John Sandlin told me he wasn't at all happy with the way his team hit the ball in the first two games (they won the first one 5-1 and lost the second one 5-4). In the third game (played last night), Sandlin said he was much more pleased with the way his team hit the ball (10 runs on 10 hits). So far, this game looks more like the first two than last night's contest. When will the bats wake up for Georgia?

Florida's glovework is smooth. The third inning ended with Florida's second double play of the game. This one was a 1-6-3 that looked routine.

Top of the fourth: Florida 8, Georgia 1

Here are a few updates from the other 8 p.m. games:

South Carolina 6, Mississippi 2, third inning.

Alabama 4, North Carolina 2, fourth inning.

Kody Belcher has taken over the pitching duties for Georgia. He's in trouble at the moment with runners on second and third with no outs.

Although this one is very much in doubt, the Columbia County boys can do no worse than sixth place in this World Series. Their younger neighbors, the Columbia County 13-year old all-stars, are in Muscle Shoals, Ala. for the Junior Dixie Boys World Series.

That team Georgia went 1-1 in winners' bracket play and have worked their way up to become one of the last four teams remaining in the losers' bracket. They're facing Tennessee tonight in an elimination game.

Belcher got two outs on a strike out and a grounder then walked Ben Devall to load the bases. Georgia got out of the jam when Belcher put a fastball on the outside corner to strike out Calvin Cox and get out of the inning without giving up a run.

Bottom of the fourth: Florida 8, Georgia 1

Georgia's Glenn Cassedy and Brian Smith hit back-to-back doubles in almost exactly the same spot. Both bounced to the fence in left-centerfield, and Georgia's run total doubled. Taylor Camp tacked on another run when his grounder to short ended with the ball on the fence behind first base as Smith crossed home plate.

The inning ended on a strike out and a grounder back to the pitcher, but there's new life in the Georgia crowd.

Top of the fifth: Florida 8, Georgia 3

Let's update those scores from around Citizens Park:

South Carolina 10, Mississippi 3, fourth inning.

Alabama 7, North Carolina 3, fourth inning.

Florida's Tyler Helms connected on a long single to left field that scored A.J. Howland from second base. That's one more run for Florida, and one less inning for Georgia to catch up.

Bottom of the fifth: Florida 9, Georgia 3

Good news from Muscle Shoals, Ala. The Columbia County boys participating in the Junior Dixie Boys World Series won their game today 10-0 in five innings over Tennessee. That win guarantees the boys at least fourth place in the tournament. The 13-year olds will play again Wednesday at 4 p.m.

Florida starter Travis Register is done for the night, and Kevin Husum is in. Register went four innings and gave up three runs on four hits with two strike outs.

The bottom of the fifth appeared just another scoreless affair after Georgia's Zach McIntire got picked off at first and Kody Belcher struck out to start the inning. But Jake Sandlin doubled to left-centerfield. Glenn Cassedy followed with an RBI-single to score Sandlin. Cassedy stole second base, but he paid for it when the throw hit him somewhere above the chest. He appeared fine and stayed in the game but was left stranded when Brian Smith struck out.

Top of the sixth: Florida 9, Georgia 4 

Time for another round of updates:

South Carolina 14, Mississippi 3, fifth inning.

Alabama 7, North Carolina 5, sixth inning.

In Major League Baseball news, Barry* Bonds* is still sitting on 755* home runs and needs only one more to break* Hank Aaron's all-time home run record. Bonds* could break* the record by hitting home run No. 756* when the Giants play the Nationals tonight at 10 p.m. History* could be made tonight.

Georgia gave up a run. Trevin Hall reached first on an error, took second on a stolen base, moved to third on a sacrifice grounder and crossed home plate thanks to a wild pitch. No hits, but one run in the inning for Florida.

Bottom of the sixth: Florida 10, Georgia 4

After a leadoff ground out, two Georgia batters have been hit by pitches. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch during Justin Cofer's at bat. Cofer struck out for the second out, and pinch hitter Josh McElhiney did the same. Two more runners standed for Georgia. That makes five on the night.

Top of the seventh: Florida 10, Georgia 4

South Carolina leads Mississippi 14-6 in the sixth inning.

Alabama's holding on with a 7-6 lead over North Carolina in the seventh inning.

Barry* Bonds* is... well... *

Hunter Hamilton is on to pitch for Georgia. Belcher's night is over after giving up two runs on three hits in three innings with three strike outs.

Tyler Helms nearly had the first home run of the game. His double hit the center-field fence one foot from the top. The long shot still managed to score Ean Phillips from first to give Florida an insurance run.

Another infield error allowed Kevin Husum to reach first and Helms to score. Florida leads 12-4.

Finally a fly out to end the inning. Georgia needs eight runs before they get three outs.

Bottom of the seventh: Florida 12, Georgia 4

Alabama 11, North Carolina 6 in the seventh.

South Carolina 14, Mississippi 6 in the seventh.

A strike out, a walk and a pair of fielders' choices ended this ball game. Georgia made a nice run and finished in a tie for fifth place in the tournament.

Final score: Florida 12, Georgia 4

The loss eliminates Georgia while South Carolina will move on to face Alabama on Wednesday at 8 p.m.