McKee keys night of pitching

By By Rocky Higginbotham / special to The Star
July 15, 2003
PHILADELPHIA Pitching was the name of the game here Monday night in the opening round of the Dixie Youth District Four Major League Tournament for 11-12-year-olds, and no performance was more impressive than that of Joel McKee.
On a night that produced a pair of rout-shortened, 10-0 contests, Philadelphia National's McKee had the most eye-popping numbers.
McKee hurled a four-inning no-hitter at West Lauderdale, and his teammates backed him with a pair of home runs to lead the host Philadelphia team to a convincing win at Northside Park.
In Monday night's early game, East Mississippi used a two-hit shutout performance from a pair of pitchers to post an identical 10-0 win over Sebastopol.
Today's action in the five-team, double-elimination tournament begins at 6 p.m., when Philadelphia National battles cross-town rival Westside. At 7:30 tonight, West Lauderdale meets Sebastopol in an elimination contest.
The tournament is scheduled to wrap up Saturday, with the winner advancing to the state tournament that begins July 25 in Magee.
Philadelphia National 10
West Lauderdale 0
Joel McKee faced just one batter over the minimum in his four innings of work, striking out nine and tossing a no-hitter to lead the host team to the win.
McKee allowed just one baserunner, issuing a third-inning walk to Mykel Sullivan. In fact, Devin Adams, Michael Early and Dalton Mosley all had groundouts for West, the only time McKee allowed the ball to be put into play.
He got plenty of offensive help, as Philly National scored five times in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back.
Anthony Williams doubled to start the inning, then Tyler Woods reached on an error. Tyler Dove followed with a single, and after one was out, Caleb McKee, Tommy Kirkland and Trey Hughes all had consecutive singles.
In the third inning, Philly scored three more runs in explosive fashion. Dove led off the inning with a solo home run, and one out later, Caleb McKee smashed a solo shot, as well. After two were out, Trey Hughes started a rally with a single, and back-to-back hits by Joel McKee and Kyle Peebles produced another run.
Philly National ended the game by the run-rule in the fourth inning, using two walks, two West Lauderdale errors and a wild pitch to produce a couple of scores.
Philly had nine hits in all, with Dove and Caleb McKee both going 2-for-2 with a homer and two runs. Hughes was 2-for-2 with one run.
Adams was the losing pitcher, going two innings before getting relief help from Cain Mayatt and Dennis Lewis.
East Mississippi 10
Sebastopol 0
Chris Winkleblech and Tyler Hughes combined to throw a two-hit shutout for the East Mississippi Baseball Association All-Stars.
Winkleblech fanned 10 hitters in four innings to get the win, and Hughes struck out the side in the fifth for the EMBA stars, who scored at least once in all five innings.
Lavelle Brown was the losing pitcher for Sebastopol.
East Mississippi only had five hits, but took advantage of five walks, as well.