Munford moving on
- Updated: July 6, 2015
Big bats, combined no-hitter propel Munford All-Stars past Oxford for DYB O-Zone district title
Pitchers Ontarius Toyer (3) and Cody Smith (2) join Munford teammates in raising the trophy after winning the District 2 Dixie Youth O-Zone title Monday night.
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
JACKSONVILLE – The Munford Dixie Youth O-Zone All-Stars put on a pretty good show this week in the District 2 Tournament, but the scary part about it is their manager and players all say they can do even more.
The Little Lions, who manager Greg Parton called the best all-star team he’s managed in 13 years across two Talladega County communities, put together another dominating pitching and hitting performance Monday in beating Oxford 12-0 at Germania Springs Park.
Ontarius Toyer and Cody Smith combined for a five-inning no-hitter and Smith got it started with a three-run homer in the first off Oxford starter Tanner Brasher, his best friend.
Munford advances to the State O-Zone Tournament in Centreville July 18. Oxford is still alive in postseason play, but its road to Centreville has to go through the Sub-State Tournament in Priceville later this week.
Monday’s performance marked the third time in five tournament games Munford scored 10 runs or more and was its pitching staff’s second shutout. It scored 38 runs in the tournament and allowed only seven.
Munford banged out seven hits against three Oxford pitchers, three for extra bases. Only three hitters in its 12-man lineup failed to reach base. Leadoff man Warren Britt scored three runs, catcher Lake Presley had two hits and second baseman Collin Sirmon had two RBIs.
“I do have a good offensive team, but they can even be better if they put their mind to it,” Parton said. “I really think if they play ball like they’re capable of playing ball, they’ve got a shot to win the state.
“We have a pretty good rotation of pitching, too, and it’s really held up for us. I told somebody the other day this is the best all-star team I’ve ever had from top to bottom. I don’t have a player that I’m scared to stick out there anywhere. I feel confident with everybody out there.”
The scariest part about it for future opponents is for all his team did in the championship game, Parton placed Monday’s performance at about 80 percent of its capability.
Smith got it going with a first-inning homer to left off Brasher and Munford added two unearned runs in the third and seven in the fifth. Brasher held Munford to one run over three innings in his last start to set up the winner-take-all game but could pitch only one inning Monday under DYB pitching rules.
“That home run was off my best friend and I was kind of swinging for it because he is my best friend,” Smith said. “He ain’t my friend right now though because he’s on the other team. Honestly, I didn’t know it was going over. My coaches told me to touch them all, so I went ahead and touched them all.”
Smith then pitched two perfect innings behind Toyer, a big right-hander who was untouchable until his final available inning of work. Oxford hit only three balls to the outfield.
J.T. Hampton broke up the perfect game when he reached on an infield error leading off the third and Nathan Carr and Kevin Titi drew the walks to load the bases with two outs. But Toyer ended the threat with his second strikeout on a payoff pitch.
“I thought we had a good chance,” Oxford manager Chad Barnett said. “We had six innings of our two big (pitchers) and they threw well for the most part. Munford was able to slide in a couple key hits and I don’t think we played very well compared to what we did the last couple games to get here.
“Great run on a three-game winning streak (after dropping their opener) to even get to this point, but they did not come ready tonight to play. Munford’s a very good team and they showed it. One inning, one swing got us in a 3-0 hole and I think the guys never really recovered from it.”
DYB O-Zone District 2 Championship
Munford 12, Oxford 0
Munford 302 07 – 12 7 1
Oxford 000 00 – 0 0 3
Ontarius Toyer, Cody Smith (4) and Lake Presley; Tanner Brasher, Duke Barnett (2), Jordan Dobbins (5) and J.T. Hampton. WP: Toyer. LP: Brasher. 2B: Justin Moore (M), Tymon Johnson (M). HR: Cody Smith (M).
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