Eric Lusk
Sports Editor
elusk@elkintribune.com

CHARLOTTE — Sometimes it can be cliché when coaches refer to wins as a “total team effort.”

Not so for Elkin’s 12-year-old baseball all-stars in this past weekend’s Statewide Athletics Committee (SWAC) Western sectional tournament in Charlotte.

All 14 of Elkin’s players got at least one hit, helping the local standouts to a comfortable three-game sweep.

All told, the team posted a .419 batting average (31-for-74) en route to claiming the Western championship and earning a berth in the upcoming SWAC state tournament.

“The team is looking forward to the state championship this weekend in Lillington, hoping to pick up where they left off in Charlotte hitting the ball often and hard,” coach Brad Edwards said.

Elkin got its bats rolling from the start in Charlotte, scoring its first three batters in the bottom of the first inning of game one against Davidson- Hasty.

In the third frame, Elkin sent nine players to the plate, scoring six to build a 9-0 lead. The highlight was a grand slam by Zach West.

Elkin invoked the mercy rule on its first opponent in the bottom of the fourth inning. Drew Shinkle singled to left field with one out, then Adam Caudill roped a two-out hit. That set the stage for Will Altemueller, who drove both of his teammates home with a single up the middle.

Houston Reynolds pitched the first three innings for Elkin, allowing only one hit. West struck out the side in the fourth to preserve the 11-0 shutout.

Elkin topped Davidson-Friendship 7-2 in its second game. Carson Mounce got the start from the mound, holding Friendship to only one hit and one unearned run through three innings. West closed things out, surrendering just two hits and a run in the final three frames.

The local all-stars turned 10 hits into seven runs to advance to Sunday’s championship game.

Davidson-Hasty rebounded from its earlier loss to Elkin to make it to the title game. But the championship contest likely felt like deja vu from the teams’ first meeting, with Elkin again scoring an 11-0 mercy rule victory in four innings.

Once again, Elkin seized control quickly. Daniel Brinegar led off the first inning with a single. Then Mounce followed with a two-run homer that sailed over the center field fence.

In all, Elkin brought 10 players to the plate in the opening inning, scoring five.

Houston Reynolds proved masterful from the mound throughout, throwing four innings of no-hit ball.

Elkin put the game away in the bottom of the fourth. With his team leading 9-0, Tanner Edwards doubled with one out. Then Jay Steiner singled to left, moving Edwards to third. After a Steiner steal, Matthew Collins worked the count to full, then blasted a single to the gap in right center to score both of his teammates.

The rest of the Elkin roster includes Cory Anderson, Tyler Barker, Josiah Blevins and Clay Mounce. Neil Mounce and Brad Edwards coach the squad.

Many of Elkin’s players also suited up for the Surry West 12-year-old all-stars in the recent Western North Carolina Cal Ripken tournament in Mount Airy. That group went 3-2, finishing in the top six.

The Elkin all-star team is asking for donations to help send them to Lillington this weekend.

“All Star baseball is a fun time for the kids but it can be an expensive time as well,” coach Edwards said. “We would like to ask any local businesses for sponsorships if at all possible. We are less then half way to our goal of $70 per player to cover the expense of equipment and uniforms for this team.”

For more information, contact the Elkin Recreation and Parks Department at 835-9814.