A day after Newton County only saw Texas' bullpen for 2/3 of an inning, the home team in the 2012 Dixie Boys World Series took advantage of Mississippi's relief pitchers.
After games were again delayed due to lightning, Newton County took a quick lead in its elimination bracket game thanks to Blake Shope.
Shope led off for Newton County in the bottom of the first inning, before moving to second on a passed ball and then third on Greg Ritchey's strikeout. Nick Womack hit a sacrifice to first base to score Shope and start things off with a 1-0 lead for Newton County.
After a scoreless inning for both teams, which included a bases-loaded situation for Newton County, Mississippi exploded in the top of the third.
Newton County, though, didn't trail for long, taking advantage of Mississippi's tiring starter John Gill, and reliever John C. Landrum.
Marquell Stephens led off the bottom of the fourth inning with Newton County's first home run in the 2012 Dixie Boys World Series to make it a three-run game with Mississippi ahead 5-2. Jake Jones follows the home run with a walk and Shope became the third consecutive Newton County base runner with an RBI double past Mississippi's third baseman.
Landrum then replaced John Gill with two runners on. Nick Womack hits a double to drive in Jones and Shope, pulling Newton County within one 5-4. With Womack, Mike Terry and Austin Taylor all on the bases, Connor Hewell hit a hustling fielder's choice to the shortstop to score Womack from third.
Hunter Phillip ended the inning with a strikeout and two men on but Newton County scored four runs in the frame to tie it at 5-5.
Newton County took the lead for good in the following inning, as Ritchey hit a RBI single to right field to score Jones, who reached on a walk, putting Newton County ahead 6-5 in bottom of fifth inning. Womack followed Ritchey with an RBI double to make it 7-5 and chased Landrum out of the game. Mississippi brought in Taylor Gainey to pitch with one runner on and two outs in fifth but the damage was already done.
While Newton County had success against Mississippi's relief pitcher, Womack excelled in that role for the home team.
Womack allowed three hits and zero runs in five innings of relief, while striking out three, including two in the final inning.
Mississippi made Newton County manager Denny Hewell bring Womack into the game thanks to a third inning, which included four runs, seven hits and two men left on base.
Brent Phillips led off the third inning with a triple to left field. Nigel Moffet drove Phillips home with a double to right field and Aaron White followed with an RBI single to drive home Moffett. After White's single and a walk to Jakob Trest, Taylor Gainey loaded the bases with a single. Jacob Bullok then hit a two-run single to the outfield, bringing home Trest and White. Newton County was able to limit the damage to four runs, thanks in part to throwing two base runners out. The first one was when the right fielder got Gainey out running to third. Mike Terry then saved a run, throwing a ball hit by John Condrum to the catcher, Shope, who tagged out Bullock. Jacob Holifield flew out to right field to end the inning with Mississippi up 4-1.
Mississippi added to its lead on Trest's RBI double in the fourth inning, driving in Moffett, who led off the frame with a single.
Womack not only led Newton County on the mound, but also at the plate with two hits, two RBI and a run. Ritchey added two hits, a run and an RBI and Shope had one hit, one RBI and scored twice.
Newton County will play Virginia today at 10 a.m.
