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Line Drive hits its way to fall national title
10.18 Line Drive
The Line Drive, based in Liberty County and with several Effingham County residents on the roster, won the Triple Crown Fall Nationals in St. Augustine, Fla., defeating East Cobb in extra innings in the championship round. Players and coaches are, front row: Nate Sisolak (Savannah Christian); Dylan Scott (Effingham County), Justin Eaton (Liberty County), Kyle Jones (SCPS), Chris Arnold (LCHS), John Roberts (SEHS); second row: Coach Davy Vaughn; Coach Freddie Jones, Aaron Hoffer (LCHS), Skyler Hoffer (LCHS), Matt Zettler (SEHS), Colby May (SEHS), Evan Jarman (ECHS); third row: Coach Tommy Gibbs, Jonathan Hester (SCPS), Richie Wasieluski (Frederica Academy) and Stephen Vaughn (SEHS). - photo by Photo submitted

Line Drive, a fall baseball team based in Liberty County with several Effingham County players, won the Triple Crown Fall Nationals in St. Augustine, Fla., held Oct. 12-14.

Line Drive outscored its opponents 43-14 in five games.

In the championship game, South Effingham’s Colby May went 3-for-5 with a triple and three RBIs and Effingham County’s Dylan Scott drove in two runs in a 6-5, 10-inning win over the East Cobb Shamrocks. Chris Arnold of Liberty County was 3-for-5 with an RBI and South Effingham’s John Roberts was 2-for-4.

Matt Zettler of South Effingham got the win.

Line Drive scored three times in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 5-3 lead, but East Cobb tied the game in the top of the sixth.

In the 10th, Roberts was hit by a pitch and an error on Stephen Vaughn’s bunt attempt put runners on second and third. After Aaron Hoffer was walked to load the bases, Arnold singled to right to drive in the winning run.

In the opener, Jonathan Hester of Savannah Christian, Liberty County’s Aaron Hoffer and Vaughn (South Effingham) and Evan Jarman (Effingham County) each had a double, while Hoffer, Vaughn and Jarman each drove in three runs.

Hester went 2-for-3 and Scott was 2-for-4 with a homer in a 9-4 win over the Miami Bombers. Roberts of South Effingham homered and knocked in two runs and Vaughn drove in two runs as winning pitcher Richie Wasieluski of Frederica Academy struck out five.

Jarman went 2-for-3 with a triple while May, Scott, Hester and Arnold each had a double in a 3-2 win over the Goose Creek (S.C.) Diamondbacks. Nate Sisolak, an Effingham resident who plays at Savannah Christian, struck out five.

Wasieluski threw a shutout as the Line Drive then beat the Long Island (N.Y.) Braves 10-0. May was 2-for-4 with a double and drove in four runs. Skyler Hoffer was 3-for-3, Hester was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Kyle Jones knocked in two runs.

Defensive MVPs were Scott and Wasieluski. Arnold was the offensive MVP and Hester, who hit .471, had the highest batting average.