Schufft helps shut down S.C.

Junior Dixie World Series - MUSCLE SHOALS - Kolbe Schufft made sure Louisiana stayed alive in the Junior Dixie Boys World Series.

Schufft had three hits, including a pair of two-run homers to lead Bossier City, La., to a 6-4 victory over previously undefeated Sumter, S.C., on Wednesday night at the Muscle Shoals Sportsplex.

The two teams will meet again today in the championship round at 5 p.m. The winner will advance to play Georgia in the championship game 30 minutes after completion of the first game. Georgia defeated Virginia 13-3 in the early game and then drew the bye for the championship round.

"I've been working hard on my swing in practice," said Schufft, who hit three home runs in a World Series game against South Carolina last year. "I've been trying to get some backspin on the ball to give it some lift. I guess I found it today."

Louisiana wasted no time taking the lead. Stetson Stuteville reached on a fielder's choice and went to third on a bunt single by Schufft. Thomas Stanfield then singled home both runners and Louisiana led 2-0.

Schufft added to the lead in the second, crushing a 3-2 pitch over the right-field fence for a two-run homer that made it 4-0.

South Carolina cut into the lead in the top of the fourth. Jeremy Buckner singled home one run and Tyler Smith doubled home Buckner to trim the Louisiana lead to 4-2.

Louisiana answered in the bottom of the fourth. Stuteville led off with a triple and scored when Schufft lined a homer well over the center-field fence to extend the margin to 6-2.

South Carolina made it 6-3 in the fifth when Blake Graham doubled and later scored on a balk. Graham hit a solo homer with one out in the seventh to cut it to 6-4, but Stanfield struck out the final two hitters to preserve the win.

Stuteville and Stanfield both had two hits for Louisiana. Graham had three hits to lead South Carolina.

Schufft went the first three innings to earn the win for Louisiana. Brady McCoy worked the next three innings and Stanfield pitched the seventh to earn the save.

"I can't wait to play again," Schufft said. "We were runner-up last year and we're determined to win it this time. It will be tough to win two games, but if we all give 110 percent we can do it."

Georgia 13, Virginia 3: Columbia County, Ga. jumped on top early, scoring seven runs in the first inning en route to a six-inning victory over Halifax County, Va. and a berth in the championship game.

After losing a heartbreaker to South Carolina in the winner's bracket final Tuesday night, Virginia was unable to bounce back and was eliminated.

"I told our boys that Virginia was probably a little low after that loss and if we could put some runs up early we might stay ahead," Georgia coach Jamie Dukes said. "I had no idea we would score seven. We knew they had those three outstanding left-hander pitchers, so I had my son, Phillip, our only lefty, throw batting practice this morning and that helped get us ready."

Georgia had its first seven batters reach base in the top of the first. Austin Crown led off with a triple and scored on a single by Jerrick Gibson. Two walks and an error brought home two more runs and Clayton Peoples added a two-run single to help Georgia jump out to the 7-0 lead.

Virginia got two runs back in the bottom of the first on a two-run single by Ryan Puryear and added one in the third to cut the margin to 7-3.

Georgia scored two runs in the fourth and put it away in the sixth. Heath Durand, Tyler Moore and Austin Crown all had a run-scoring single and Jerrick Gibson drove in another run on a fielder's choice to make it 13-3. Virginia went down in order in the bottom of the sixth to end the game via the 10-run mercy rule.

Crown led Georgia with three hits and Peoples was 2-for-2. Dylan Sons and L.J. Barnett had two hits apiece for Virginia.

Peoples pitched the first three innings to earn the win and Crown worked the final three innings.

Jeff McIntyre can be reached at 740-5737 or jeff.mcintyre@timesdaily.com.