Special to the Reporter

Team Shelby, which won the Alabama state title in Hanceville, traveled to South Haven, Miss., and claimed the Senior Division Dizzy Dean World Series Championship.

Shelby defeated Maryland, 3-2, in the first game. Bradley Ray hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to lead Shelby to victory. Stephen Barrow and Scott Dickey also had hits in the game for Shelby.

Grant Allbrooke started the game and went four-plus innings on the mound, giving up only one hit and striking out six Maryland batters. With Shelby trailing 1-0 in the top of the fifith, Dusty Downs came in on relief and picked up the win.

Corey Turnbloom finished the game, picking up a couple of strikeouts and the save for the Shelby team.

Shelby beat Georgia, 10-0, in game two. Downs went five innings on the mound, giving up only two hits and striking out nine batters. Shelby had a seven-run first inning outburst which saw hits by Dickey, Jon Sanford, Ritchie Franklin, Micha Harris and a grand slam by Ray. Harris, Barrow and Jake Garzarek also had RBI singles in the third inning.

Game three saw Shelby defeat Louisiana, 6-4. Micha Harrris went the distance for Shelby scattering six hits and striking nine Louisiana batters, allowing only three earned runs. Harris also had two RBIs, and Ray went 3-for-4 to put Shelby into the finals and into the driver’s seat for the tournament.

Game four, however, saw Louisiana battle back for a 10-4 win, although Shelby got off to a 3-0 start, thanks to a leadoff homer by Garzarek followed by hits from Reid Owens and Sanford. Hot Louisiana hitting coupled with numerous Shelby errors forced an additional game.

Allbrooke was outstanding on the mound in the final game, allowing only two hits and striking out four hitters. Shelby backed him with good defense.

Owens provided an RBI-double and then scored on a Louisiana error in the first, and Sanford hit a solo homer later in the game to seal a 3-0 victory and a championship for Shelby. Ray earned tournament MVP honors for Shelby, going 9-for-13 with nine RBIs in five games. Shelby coaches included Shane Morris, Randy Lewis and Jonathan Twilly