From staff reports

Well that was easy.

The Troup County 13-14-year-old all-stars played two games over the weekend in the Dixie Boys Baseball state tournament in Covington, and they won them both by a combined score of 38-1.

After blasting Pike County 24-0 in the opening round on Saturday, Troup overwhelmed Duluth 14-1 on Sunday to move to 2-0.

Troup will try to keep the good times going today when it faces Thomaston at 8 p.m. in the double-elimination tournament.

Sunday’s game was tied 1-1 after the first inning, but Troup scored seven runs in the second inning and three more in the third to pull away.

Dustin Vaught had three hits and three RBIs, and Chas Pardue had a couple of doubles and three RBIs.

Pardue, one of 11 players on the team who helped lead the 13-year-old all-star team to a state title a year ago, had eight RBIs in the first two games.

Caleb Buchanan and Jaylen Colton each had two hits, and Clayton Vaught had two RBIs.

Matt Morton walked twice and drove in a run.

Troup finished with 11 hits.

Morton and Pardue each pitched two innings, and Buchanan went the final inning of a game shortened to five innings because of the mercy rule.

Against Pike County, Troup took charge early with eight runs in the first inning, and it kept pouring it on until the game mercifully ended after five innings.

Troup finished with 18 hits, and three pitchers combined to allow just three Pike County hits.

Pardue had a huge day for Troup with four hits and five RBIs, and Dre Leonard had a triple with four RBIs.

Drew Elliston had two hits and four RBIs, and Morton, Colton and Carson Aldridge each had two hits.

Buchanan, Dustin Vaught, Jake Norton, Hayden Olive and John Patterson each had hits to contribute to the onslaught.

Norton and Elliston each pitched two innings, and C.J. Tatum threw the final inning.