Colquitt County Gold defeated Colquitt County Black 13-1 on Tuesday in Thomasville to claim the GRPA District III championship. Gold will represent the District in the stat tournament, to be held July 7-11 in Augusta. The team includes, front, from left, Coach Trey Eakins, Callon Kubiak, Jaycee Harden, Alex Bledsoe, Jacob Walden, Turner Sircy; and back, Coach Paul Bledsoe, Chance Sealy, Reese Bledsoe, Will Rykard, Carter Boatwright, Trace Eakins, Henry Daniels and Coach Michael Boatwright.

MOULTRIE — The GRPA District III Junior championship game between the two Colquitt County teams in Thomasville on Tuesday was close for three innings.

Then Colquitt County Gold erupted for 12 runs in the fourth inning to win 13-1 over Colquitt County Black and claim the championship and a berth in the state tournament, which will begin on July 7 in Augusta.

Pitchers Callon Kubiak and Carter Boatwright combined to strike out 10 Black batters and allow just two hits.

The Gold team had little trouble in its three District tournament victories, outscoring its opponents by a combined 47-2.

Gold blanked Thomasville YMCA 16-0 and pounded Bainbridge 18-1 before dispatching the Black tam.

Colquitt County Black won its tournament opener 12-0 over Tift County, but then was sent to the losers bracket after 13-7 loss to Bainbridge.

In the losers bracket, Black edged Thomasville 4-3 on a sixth-inning, pinch-hit single by Casey Vinson and then avenged its loss to Bainbridge, winning 12-4 on Monday.

But on Tuesday, Black managed just two hits, singles by Nate Creech and Blake Tillery.

Creech drove in the only run.

Meanwhile, Colquitt County Gold had nine hits in the four-inning game, including two each by Boatwright and Turner Sircy.

Kubiak, Reese Bledsoe, Henry Daniels, Trace Eakins and Will Rykard each had one hit for Colquitt County Gold.

FLEA TOURNAMENT

The Colquitt County Gold Flea all-stars had just started their District III championship game against Thomasville on Wednesday at the Magnolia Sports Complex when lightning was detected and the game was called off.

The game will resume today at 5:30 p.m. and the “if” game would be played right after.

Colquitt County Gold won its third straight game of the tournament earlier on Wednesday, edging Grady County 10-9.

Colquitt had already defeated Bainbridge and Sumter County in the tournament.

Thomasville lost its first game of the tournament on Saturday against Crisp County, but has won five straight losers bracket games to reach the championship game.

In the losers bracket, Thomasville has eliminated Bainbridge, Mitchell County, Crisp County, Sumter County and, also on Wednesday, Grady County 8-0.

MIDGET TOURNAMENT

In Americus, Colquitt County Gold dropped its losers bracket game 4-3 to Sumter County on Wednesday and was eliminated from the Midget District tournament.

Sumter County advanced to meet Mitchell County for the championship.

Colquitt County Gold remained afloat in the GRPA District III Midget tournament on Monday, edging Colquitt County Black in a losers bracket game.

Both Colquitt County teams lost their tournament openers on Saturday. Gold fell to Sumter County 7-6 and Black lost to Mitchell County 8-2.

When the two met in the losers bracket game, Colquitt County Gold jumped out to a 6-0 and held off the Black team 6-5.

Black scored five runs in the fifth inning, but was unable to get any closer.

Gold pitcher Chance Caulder allowed no earned runs over 3.2 innings  and also stroked a three-run home run in a four-run fourth inning.

Will Snipes gave Gold the lead for good when he tripled home two runs in the second inning.

Cole Whatley had doubles in the first and fourth innings.

Dalton Fillyaw drove in one Black team run on a ground out and Chase Niezek singled in two other.

Colquitt County Gold won the District III Mite championship on Saturday at the Magnolia Sports Complex.