Sports Editor

FAIRHOPE – Daryl Norris launched a three-run homer in the first inning of play as Fairhope handed Troy National a 13-1 loss in the opening round of the Dixie Minor State Tournament.

Norris’s homer came off Troy opening pitcher Jake Smith. In the top of the second, and with Fairhope up 6-0 courtesy of a three-run rip by Taylor Bradley, Smith took a hit in the knee off of a linedrive by Gavin Willison and faced three more batters before being replaced by Will Starling.

Starling came to the mound after a Joshua Dees’ double drove two more runners home and built the Fairhope lead to 9-0. Another two Fairhope runners scored off of Troy errors before Starling recorded the last out himself, hauling in a straight shot off of Hunter Gunninson’s bat.

Troy’s bats were silent for much of the four inning contest. William Teal was able to reach base to lead-off the bottom of the first inning, but grounders by Starling, Smith and Alex Adams failed to get by the Fairhope infield resulting in three straight outs.

Wesley Taylor started the bottom of the second with a basehit and a single RBI by Clay Massey scored Taylor for Troy’s only run of the game. However, a ground out by Cory Goodson ended the inning and left three Troy runners stranded on base. David Fleming and Anthony McBryde were also hitless in the inning.

Starling struck out two batters for Troy in the third, but Fairhope’s Ryan Day reached and scored on an error and Roger Schonemann came home on a sacrifice hit by Michael Ulmer.

McBryde pitched for Troy to start the fourth. Troy allowed no runs in the inning as Goodson and Lloyd Shillabeer combined for put outs in the Troy outfield, while McBryde and the first baseman Fleming recorded the other out off a ground ball.

Norris closed out the game for Fairhope in the fourth by retiring the first three Troy National batters.

Troy played Oxford in the Loser’s Bracket on Tuesday night.