Cleary wins Dixie Youth Majors North Regional title

Cleary won two games Wednesday to claim the Louisiana Dixie Youth Majors North Regional championship at the Bayou Vista Community Center.
After defeating the Vernon Nationals, 14-4, earlier in the day, Cleary advanced to the championship game where it faced Sabine. Cleary won the game, 5-4, on a walk-off home run in the eighth inning.
Cleary finished the tournament with a 5-1 mark, while Sabine was 3-2.
Cleary’s tournament title capped a comeback for the New Orleans area squad after falling in its tournament opener to Sabine, 10-0, Friday.
After dropping its first game, Cleary won five straight games, including knocking off the tournament’s previously undefeated squad, Sabine, 5-2, Tuesday to leave the tournament with three teams with a loss apiece.
Sabine won a draw for a bye to the championship game Wednesday, while beforehand, Cleary and Vernon met for the right to face Sabine for the title.
Cleary’s run to the title also included an 11-1 win against Union Parish, a 23-2 victory against Monroe, and a 5-2 win against Sabine before its two wins Wednesday.
In all, Cleary outscored opponents 58-24, while Sabine outscored opponents, 38-21.
Cleary will advance to this weekend’s best two-out-of-three state championship series against Ville Platte in Alexandria. Ville Platte won the South Regional title in Bayou Vista Tuesday, knocking off St. Mary Central, 7-1.
In 10-year-old action, Franklin, 7-6 winners against Mamou for the South Regional title Tuesday at Cypress Park in Morgan City, will face West Carroll, the North Regional champion, this weekend in Alexandria in a best two-out-of-three series. That series also will begin Friday.