SOUTH HILL – Making its second appearance in a row in the Dixie Youth Baseball AAA State Tournament, the Prince Edward Farmville Youth Association Minor League All-Stars went 1-2 over the weekend at the tournament played at Parker Park in South Hill.

Things didn't go as smoothly for the PEFYA All-Stars in the state tournament as they did when they plowed through the District V Tournament earlier this month. Then again, not much could have.

“We struggled a little bit to hit some of the slower pitching,” said PE Farmville manager David Williams. “It came down to a few plays here and there that we couldn't get to go our way, and that's baseball.

“You can't take anything away from these 12 kids and the effort they gave. I think we proved that we can hang with anybody in the state. Now, we have to work on that next step.”

PE Farmville 12, Powhatan American 8

The PE Farmville Minor League All-Stars found themselves in unfamiliar territory in Friday's DYB AAA opener – 12-8 victory over District IV champion Powhatan American. The fifth inning.

PEFYA didn't play into the fifth in any of its District V contests. The PEFYA All-Stars also trailed their opponents 5-3 in the fourth inning before exploding for nine runs to take control of the game.

Christian Wiliams got things started for PE Farmville, and scored on a double by Isaiah Dailey, who tied the game on a triple by Devon Vaughan.

Prince Edward Farmville then allowed Powhatan to help in its offensive effort by taking advantage of walks, errors and passed balls. Matt Kinne reached base to score Vaughan, and eventually scored on a wild pitch. By the time Vaughan struck out to end the inning on his second trip to the plate in the fifth, the PEFYA All-Stars had a comfortable lead.

Powhatan American scored three runs in the top of the fifth to cut PE Farmville's lead to 12-8, and looked to be back in the game after PEFYA stranded two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the fifth.

Vaughan, who earned the victory in relief, quickly got two outs on a pop up to the mound and a strikeout, before he walked the third batter in the inning. That walk didn't hurt, as Vaughan ended the game with a little help from center fielder Harry Rust, whose diving catch in the left-center gap saved a potential run-scoring triple and ended the game.

Brunswick 8, PE Farmville 3

Prince Edward Farmville's six game win streak came to an end on Saturday with an 8-3 loss to District II champ Brunswick.

The PEFYA All-Stars were unable to get much going in the contest offensively, while Brunswick took advantage of some PE Farmville mistakes that were rather uncharacteristic to that point.

Brunswick's off-speed pitching kept PE's speedy hitters off the basepads. It wasn't until the sixth inning before PEFYA scored its three runs. Cal Smith walked and scored on a Brunswick error, before Colton Copley and Dailey reached base to set up DJ Williams, whose double pulled PE back to within five runs.

That was as close as PE Farmville could get, as Brunswick was able to end the game on a fly ball to center field and a grounder back to the mound.

Salem 6, PE Farmville 4

Matt Kinne singled to lead off the game, and later scored, but PE was unable to further capitalize on the inning.

Offensively, PE Farmville was unable to string anything together, and left runners stranded in scoring position all six innings.

Salem scored four runs in the bottom of the second and two more in the bottom of the third to take a 6-1 lead, before PE Farmville attempted another late rally.

Dailey drew a one-out walk, and Williams doubled to set up Vaughan, who belted a three-run home run to pull PE Farmville back to within two runs with just one out. Jordan Smith drew a two-out walk, and advanced to second, but with the tying run at the plate, Salem was able to escape further damage, and possible elimination, with a strikeout.

“We didn't get where we would've liked,” said Williams, “but I like that I didn't see them quit. They were still scratching for runs up until the final out.”

Nine of the 12 players off this team will move up to the Majors next year. Williams sees bright things for them, as PE Farmville hosts both the Majors and AAA State Tournaments in 2013.

“Many of these kids will be in their third straight state tournament. We have some good kids coming up from Coach Pitch as well, so the Minors should be good.

“I think we've managed to change the culture of District V. For a long time, all you heard was Charlotte and the Dinwiddie teams, and now, we're in that conversation at all three levels. We are in a good position. We've got to make it tough when they come to our house next year.”