By Robert Hudson

The Selma Times-Journal

It took them a little while to get going, but once the Auburn All-Stars found their stroke they didn’t look back as they defeated Thomasville 14-3, finishing the game with a grand slam in the fifth inning.

Auburn defeated Thomasville in its first game of the Dixie Majors 17-18-19 year-olds double elimination state tournament at Bloch Park.

After a scoreless first for both teams, Auburn drew first blood with an RBI triple in the bottom of the second.

Auburn would score four more runs in the inning including one on a wild pitch. Auburn relied on solid pitching and good defense to shutout Thomasville in three of the five innings.

The win advances Auburn in the winner’s bracket where they will face Selma at 5:30 tonight at Bloch Park.

“It took us a while to get started,” said Auburn coach Kennon Whaley. “The pitcher was an off-speed pitcher. He wasn’t bringing the heat and we were chasing the ball and hitting under it. Overall, we finally got started. When we get the bats going we generally do alright.”

Thomasville coach Tanner Williams said his team has to play better defense if it wants to stave off elimination today versus Oxford at 3 p.m.

“We’re going to have to play some defense and hit the ball,” Williams said.  “We just got to play baseball and we didn’t do that tonight.”