Sampson’s Henry Pope fires toward home plate during Sunday’s game against North Duplin.

Sampson’s Henry Pope fires toward home plate during Sunday’s game against North Duplin.

<p>Sampson’s Lincoln Neal studies home plate before releasing a pitch.</p>

Sampson’s Lincoln Neal studies home plate before releasing a pitch.

<p>Clinton’s Porter Best scoops up a ground ball at third base and tosses the runner out at first.</p>

Clinton’s Porter Best scoops up a ground ball at third base and tosses the runner out at first.

<p>Sampson’s Juan Melchor sends a strike toward the awaiting batter.</p>

Sampson’s Juan Melchor sends a strike toward the awaiting batter.

The 2021 Dixie Youth AAA (Minor League) District 7 All-Star tournament got underway over the weekend and so far the action has been pretty exciting. Having kicked off on Friday, the tournament saw just one of two contests actually played Friday night before a heavy downpour fell just after Game 1 concluded, prompting Game 2 to be moved to Saturday morning and Game 3 to Saturday afternoon. After that, all other games were pushed back by one day.

As of Monday morning, the Clinton All-Stars were holding steady in the winners bracket at 2-0 and were slated for a game against 1-0 East Duplin on Monday evening. Clinton was victorious over Wallace on Saturday morning, winning convincingly with a score of 21-4.

Then on Sunday evening, Clinton took on North Duplin in the winners bracket in a game that proved to be an exciting duel. After the score rested scoreless for several innings, the hometown team finally got the win in the seventh inning – one more than the typical six innings usually played – with a 2-1 win to remain in the winners bracket.

The Sampson All-Stars fell in Game 1 on Friday night, absorbing an 8-7 extra-innings defeat to North Duplin. They bounced back in Sunday’s elimination game, though, defeating Wallace 17-5 to stay alive in the tournament. Sampson was slated to take on Burgaw on Monday night, who lost Saturday to East Duplin in Game 3.

Thus far, Wallace is the only team to be eliminated from the tournament. The loser between Sampson and Burgaw on Monday will be the second team to be eliminated, leaving just four for Tuesday nights round of action.

Game times on Tuesday are 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Reach Sports Editor Daron Barefoot at [email protected].