By Derek Thompson
The Selma Times-Journal

A walk-off home run in extra innings launched  the 11-and-12-year-old Selma Red All-Star team to a 7-6 victory over Monroe Monday night at the Dallas County Sportsplex.

The home run hero was Selma Red’s catcher George Turner.

Selma Red head coach Nathan Ellis said Turner spent most of the season batting third in the lineup, but wasn’t being productive in that spot.

The catcher was moved to the eighth spot by his head coach after the regular season, and it ended up working out for the whole team Monday night.

“It was his time to show up and hit that home run,” Ellis said. “The way we set our lineup, everybody can hit the ball. It was his time.”

The game went to extra innings after Monroe scored on a wild pitch to take a 5-4 lead in the sixth.

Selma’s relief pitcher Osegia Aghedo tied it up in the bottom of the inning with a sac groundout that plated Selma’s starting pitcher Tyreshon Freeman.

In the top of the seventh Monroe scored off another wild pitch from Aghedo and took a 6-5 lead.

Selma answered back in the bottom of the seventh as Turner smacked the walk-off -two-run homerun over the center-field fence.

“It was a hard fought game,” said Monroe head coach Ricky Powell. “Selma is a great team and it was just their night. If we are going to go out and end the tournament I would rather go out like that.”

Freeman picked up the win after recording seven strikeouts, two walks and allowing three runs on five hits through five innings.

Osegia Aghedo got the save after striking out five, walking three and allowing two runs on five hits.

“The guys did what I asked them to do,” Ellis said.

“They stayed disciplined at the plate and disciplined on the mound. We just played a complete game this evening. I’m very pleased with the outcome.”

Selma Red will play Thomasville Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Dallas County Sportsplex in another district tournament game.