Avon Park Holds Off Clewiston In Dixie Tourney

DIXIE MAJORS DISTRICT 8 TOURNAMENT
Sunday's Games:
If Okeechobee beats Clewiston: Avon Park vs. Okeechobee, 2 p.m.
If Clewiston beats Okeechobee: Avon Park vs. Clewiston/Okeechobee, 2 p.m.
Championship Game, 5 p.m. (if necessary)

AVON PARK - The fastball thrown from Trey Perry's arm mowed down the final batter of Avon Park's 8-4 win over Clewiston just as the darkened heavens' thunderclap signaled the coming rain on Durrah Martin Recreational Complex.

Perry's 11 strikeouts gave Avon Park new life, and his 4-for-4, two RBI performance at the plate put the host team back in the hunt for the district title.

The win guarantees that Avon Park will play Sunday, possibly for the championship. Clewiston was scheduled to face Okeechobee Saturday afternoon.

If Okeechobee defeats Clewiston, Avon Park will play the undefeated Okeechobee in the championship game today at 2 p.m. If Clewiston wins, then all three teams will have one loss and play for the championship.

Avon Park head coach Willie Perry was not shocked at his team's ability to bounce back from their 7-1 loss to Okeechobee on Friday.

"This team came out to play," Coach Perry said. "It's good for them to dig down deep and play themselves back into the championship hunt."

Holding on to a slim 5-4 lead in the bottom of the fourth, Perry showed his determination by striking out the side looking.

"My fastball was really working well today," Perry said. "I relied on that as my out pitch and I'm pretty pleased with the way I pitched today."

Perry was money down the stretch, as the AP hurler had a runner on third with one out and came up to strike out the side just as the thunderstorm covered the ball field to give his team a much-needed win.

Avon Park, who never recovered after falling behind 2-0 to Okeechobee on Friday, was the team playing with a lead from the onset, as Ryan Dick turned a single into a run on heads-up base running: He took second on the initial hit when Clewiston bobbled the ball, stole third and came home on an RBI single by Mark Devlin. Perry drove in Devlin with a hit into left to give AP a 2-0 advantage.

Perry struck out two in the bottom of the first to set the tone for his performance.
"He was pitching really good today," Coach Perry said. "He had his control in check and just kept the hitter's off balance."

Up 2-1 in the third, Dick smacked a double into left and scored moments later on two wild pitches for a two-run lead, but Clewiston stormed back to take the lead when Jude Moss was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score a run and Miguel Perera's double with two outs plated two runs.

It nearly was three runs, but Cody Pearlman guarded the plate to tag out a Clewiston runner for the third out.

Avon Park's defense, which committed six errors against Okeechobee, tallied just one error for the game against Clewiston, a stat Coach Perry said was key to the win.

"We can't give team's runs by making mistakes," he said. "We have to make these teams earn every run against us."

Clewiston wouldn't savor the lead long, as Avon Park's Jose Torres Jr. singled in the third, moved over to second on a walk and stole third on a passed ball before scoring on a wild pitch to tie the game.
Moses Silva gave Avon Park the lead for good on an RBI single up the middle to score Austin Stadie for a 5-4 lead.

FRIDAY: Okeechobee 7, Avon Park 1
Offense didn't seem to be a worry of AP coach Willie Perry heading into Friday's opening game, that is until his Avon Park squad ran into Christian Crews.

Crews held the Avon Park All-Stars to just three hits and didn't give up a run until the final inning, as the Okeechobee All-Stars defeated the host team 7-1 in the opening round of the Dixie Youth Majors (ages 10-12) District 8 tournament at Durrah Martin Recreational Complex on Friday.

Crews' fast ball was the difference, as many of the players said it looked flat, but few were able to catch up to it.

"This was a tough beginning for us. [Crews] is a really good pitcher and that fast ball is very deceptive," Perry said. "We were able to hit the ball well I thought, but we just hit it right at someone."

Avon Park's lone run came courtesy of outfielder Ryan Dick, who belted a 2-2 pitch over the left-center field fence for a solo home run in the sixth inning, but there were no smiles as he rounded the bases and was congratulated at the plate.

"We were all just mad at the hole we dug ourselves in," Perry said.
Avon Park never gave up the big inning, but Okeechobee scored in every inning except the first and sixth.

Branson Butler's single into the gap in center scored Adam Davis from second, while Butler came home moments later on a pair of passed balls and a fielding error on a hard-hit grounder by Otto Ramierez for a 2-0 lead.

Avon Park was missing one of its key components in Tyrone Perry, who was away at a family reunion and will miss the entire tournament. The loss was evident, as Trey Perry was given no good pitches to hit and reached base just once on a fielding error by Okeechobee.

Perry started the game on the mound, but was pulled after the second inning, a move that seemed peculiar to some, but one that Perry justified.

"[Crews] was pitching really solid and it looked like he was going to be tough to beat," Coach Perry said. "Instead of wasting all of Trey's innings, we pulled him so we could use him later in the tournament."