GREENSBORO–The 7-and-8-year old Greensboro “AA” All-Star team put together an electric opening inning but couldn’t hang on as the visitors from “Chiltauga” eventually recorded a 20-10 win in a District Tournament game which saw plenty of great hitting from both teams.

Greensboro took a 7-0 lead in the first inning after connecting for seven consecutive two-out hits. Juan Williams got the game started on the right foot for Greensboro with a lead-off single. But it looked as if Williams might have been stranded as Chiltauga retired the next two Greensboro batters.

Melvin Rox drove Williams in with a single, though, before John Michael Richey drove in Rox with a hard single and came all the way around to score on the play, giving Greensboro a 3-0 lead.

But even with the bases emptied, Greensboro wasn’t done. Walter Jones and Derrick Chavers singled before a Tommy Woods triple drove both in. Woods scored on a Sedrick King single, who scored himself on a Jacob Jones triple, much to the delight of the energized home crowd.

But Greensboro’s 7-0 lead wouldn’t last long. Chiltauga–reportedly representing a Dixie Youth league covering both Chilton County and Sylacauga–responded with 11 in the bottom half of the inning, a total that might have been higher if not for a quick tag at the plate by catcher Chavers to nab a Chiltauaga baserunner and record the second out.

Brilliant defense ruled the second inning as the score remained 11-7 after two. For Greensboro, a Gavin Nichols single brought Williams to the plate with one out. Williams drove a sharp line drive towards the middle for what appeared to be a certain single and possibly more given the power of the shot. But the Chiltauga shortstop dove to his left to make a remarkable catch and double off a shocked Nichols at first.

Nichols would have his revenge in the bottom half, though, as he made two excellent stops to keep the Chiltauag lead at 4. First Nichols snagged a bouncing ball to his left and threw to first for out number two, then moved to his left again, sliding to his knees to scoop a soft liner out of the air to record the third out of the inning.

Greensboro got two back in the third as Herbert Jones and Tyshawn Jackson singled and came around to score, trimming the Chiltauga lead to 11-9. But that was as close as Greensboro would get as Chiltauga scored four in the bottom of the inning to push the lead back to six at 15-9. Justin Cole would score on a Nichols base hit to bring Greensboro within 17-10 in the top of the fifth, but Chiltauga plated three in the inning’s bottom half to activate the 10-run rule and take the win. Chiltauga advances to face Thomasville in the double-elimination tourney’s second round. Greensboro takes on Sumter County in an elimination game Friday night.

Greensboro’s 7-and-8 year-old All-Stars are Juan Williams, Herbert Jones, Tyshawn Jackson, Melvin Rox, John Michael Richey, Walter Jones, Derrick Chavers, Tommy Woods, Sedrick King, Jacob Jones, Zach Culpepper, Justin Cole, and Gavin Nichols.