Valdosta wins Dixie Series opener

COVINGTON -- Spent casings littered the field yesterday afternoon as Team Georgia (Valdosta) undressed its first opponent in the Dixie Boys(13-year-olds) World Series.

Tuzer Chism delivered three hits, a two-run homer included, and drove in three runs as Georgia (1-0) leveled Virginia 17-7 at City Pond Parks in the opening round of the 12-team, double-elimination tournament.

The victory advances Georgia into a second-round showdown with Mississippi at 5 p.m. today.

Roaring out of the gates, Georgia sent 11 men to the plate in the first inning, seizing a commanding 7-0 lead in an ambush highlighted by a two-run single from Eric Givens and an RBI single from Adam Spires.

Georgia raked the Virginia pitching staff for 18 hits, seven of which came with runners in scoring position.

Jarrod Pass and Michael Clayton each struck solo homers in the top of the fourth as the Valdosta all-stars scored five times and extended their advantage to 14-2.

From there, the outcome was never in question, as nine different players drove in runs for Georgia.

Finishing off the massacre, the Valdosta all-stars tacked on two runs in the sixth on Josh Reeves' RBI triple and Scott Wilson's run-scoring single, and added another in the seventh to put mortally-wounded Virginia down for good.

Chizm recorded the win, surrendering two hits and two earned runs in two innings of work. Spires came on to close it out with three scoreless innings of relief, as Georgia put Virginia on the brink of elimination.

Virginia made its only offensive move in the bottom of the fifth, plating five runs to pull to within 14-7 after opening the frame with five consecutive singles.

Georgia then called Spires to the hill, and the right-hander slammed the door on the inning and Virginia's hopes for a comeback.