Local team one win

away from advancing

Watauga County’s 13-14 year-old Junior League baseball team needs to only win one more game to grab the District 7 championship and advance to the state tournament in Lewisville.

The 2-0 Watauga team will face the winner of the Wilkes National/Wilkes American Monday match on Tuesday night at Boone’s Optimist Park.

The Wilkes winner will have to beat Watauga twice to claim the title and Watauga can lose once and still have a chance.

The state tournament begins Saturday.

The local Junior League softball team (13-14) travels to Freedom Monday to face the Wilkes National with the winner advancing to face home-team Morganton on Tuesday.

Season ends for 11-12s
The Watauga National 11/12 year old All-Star team lost to Wilkes American 7-4 in an elimination game in the International Little League Tournament.

Watauga struck first when an RBI single by Clay Mizner drove in Andy Gilliam, who had walked. Wilkes countered quickly in the bottom of the first with a two run home run by Austin Owen. In the top of the second, Watauga came back strong. Adam Greene reached base on an error, and Stedman Sauls and Colby Illich loaded the bases on consecutive walks.

Jacob Soule then ripped a double to the fence in left field, clearing the bases and putting Watauga up 4-2. TJ Jordan of Wilkes hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second to trim the lead to 4-3.

Wilkes then retook the lead for good in the fourth inning with a two-run home run by Jordan, a triple by Owens, and an RBI single by Devan Shell. Wilkes added one more run in the fifth inning with an RBI single by Bradley Lewis. Watauga pitchers for the game were Adam Greene and Clay Mizner.