Members of the Laurinburg Optimist 11-and-under All-Star team are: Front: Barry Campbell, Bryan Baines, McKenzie White, Jacob Norris, Jacob Young, Seth Hatchell Middle: Austin Taylor, Austin Clark, Donta Green, Josh Outlaw, Cody Yarborough, Harrison Hartwell. Top: Coaches Greg Baines, Gary Hatchell, Ken Yarborough, Joel Hartwell.
Only thing that stood between them and that opportunity was a team from neighboring Richmond County.
The 11-and-under squad finished second in the district championship tournament that took place last weekend.
In the first game of the tournament, Laurinburg got a stellar pitching performance from Austin Clark to come away with an 11-3 victory.
Donta Green was the offensive catalyst, finishing with a double and a single. Harrison Hartwell, Austin Taylor, Cody Yarborough, Bryan Baines, Seth Hatchell, McKenzie White and Barry Campbell all had hits as well.
Yarborough smashed a three-run homer in the next game but in the end it was not enough as Laurinburg dropped an 11-8 decision to Hamlet.
Clark had three singles while Yarborough finished with a pair hits.
Laurinburg brought the aluminum in the semifinals, pounding out 17 hits, including four long balls in a 15-7 win over East Chatham, advancing to the championship game.
Green went yard twice in the win while Yarborough and Campbell each had a round-tripper.
Clark, along with Hatchell and Taylor, combined for the win on the mound.
Needing to beat Hamlet twice to claim the district championship, Laurinburg fought hard but ended up on the losing side of a 14-10 slugfest.
Leading hitter for the tournament was Campbell, who batted .714 in the four games. Yarborough (.571) and Green (.545) each had averages over the .500 mark. Taylor and Clark batted .438 and .429 respectively.
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