By By Jimmy Boone/special to The Star
July 13, 2003
Call it an "almost perfect game."
David Zabinski pitched a no-hitter, as Meridian defeated St. Martin 16-0 to advance to the championship game of the 13-year-old Babe Ruth State Baseball Tournament.
In other action Vicksburg eliminated Corinth 3-2, and Long Beach sent Columbus home by virtue of a 5-1 win.
In a late game, Long Beach defeated Vicksburg 12-2.
Zabinski faced only 16 batters in the five innings he pitched and did not give up a single walk or hit. Two batters did reach base because of errors, but the defense seemed determined to make up for the mistake by throwing one of the St. Martin base runners out during a double play.
In the first three innings, Zabinski faced nine batters and struck out five of them. He said he remained calm, even when his defense gave up an error that allowed St. Martin a base runner in the fourth inning.
Zabinski, who attends Northeast, said he started playing baseball when he was five years old.
Meridian used the same formula they have used in all three games of the series, strong pitching, strong defense and good hitting.
In the second inning Junior Timmons, Rock McGowin, D.J. Roberts and Brandon Key each singled in runs. Taylor Covingtin capped the inning with a double to deep left field to score two more runs.
Meridian had quickly jumped out to a 7-0 lead.
In the third inning Meridian added three more runs keyed by a two-run single by Timmons.
Meridian head coach Mike Newell said he is still amazed at the success the Meridian team has found at the plate.
Meridian had a total of 20 hits against St. Martin, and team that had won both of its previous games by the 10-run rule.
Meridian added insurance runs in the fourth inning, as Micheal Mckenzie, Landon Burt, Kameron Heiser and McGowan each hit RBI singles to key a six run burst.
Now, Meridian will wait to see who they will play in the championship game today at 5 p.m.
St. Martin will face Long Beach at 2 p.m., with the winner advancing to face Meridian.
Vicksburg 3, Corinth 2
Vicksburg scored an insurance run in the fifth inning, that proved to be the winning run against Corinth.
Delmon Robinson scored a run in the first inning for Vicksburg, but watched Corinth tie the game in the third when Darnell Williams crossed the plate.
In the fourth inning, Vicksburg went up again as Jonathan Longmire scored and added a run in the fifth as Andrew Holloway scored.
Corinth rallied in the bottom of the fifth inning when Cody Swindle came home, but neither team scored again.
Long Beach 5, Columbus 1
Columbus drew first blood in the game as Drake Gregory scored.
Long Beach pitching then shut down Columbus for the rest of the game while adding two runs in the third inning.
Jacob lacy and Sevalase Townsend each scored in the third inning as Long Beach took the lead.
In the fourth inning, Caleb Boyd and Bradley Jacobs each added a run as Long Beach went up 4-1.
In the fifth inning, Sean Lansdale scored to give Long Beach its final score.