

BARBOURVILLE — One bad inning cost the Harlan All Stars in the District 4 final four tournament on Tuesday at the Knox County Little League Complex.
South Laurel scored all four of its runs in the fifth with the help of four infield hits and an error to wipe out a 1-0 Harlan lead.
Harlan’s Cian Garland had pitched a gem to that point, giving up only one single through four innings. He finished with a six-hitter that included eight strikeouts and one walk.
Jaxon Brown was just as good for South as he gave up three hits with eight strikeouts and two walks over 5 1/3 innings. Lucas McQueen retired the only two batters he faced for a save after Brown reached the pitch limit,.
Deacon Lisenbee, Garland and Lakin Smith each had singles for Harlan.
Harlan took a 1-0 lead in the third as Landon Spurlock walked and moved to third on Lisenbee’s hit before scoring on Smith’s ground out to second.
Wrangler Gay reached on an errors to start the fifth for South. McQueen and Colton Jody followed with hits. Dawson Jones drove in one run with a single and Keeton Lawson brought in two with his single.
“It’s been a great summer so far, and I love these boys with all my heart, and I hated to see it come to an end,” Harlan All Stars coach Verlin Halcomb said. “I’m also looking forward to seeing these boys playing in the future.”
South Laurel advances to play Hazard/Perry on Wednesday after Corbin edged Hazard/Perry 5-4 in nine innings in the winners’ bracket finals on Tuesday. Harlan was eliminated with the loss, the fourth straight year the Harlan 12-year-old fell in the final four.
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South Laurel 000 040 — 4. 6. 0
Harlan 001 000 — 1. 3. 3
Brown, McQueen (6) and Gay; Garland and Combs, Spurlock (4). WP — Brown. LP – Garland. Sv — McQueen.
