Photo submitted The Carolina TomCats are, front row, Zach Humphries, Troy Millwood, Jimmy Johnson, Will Palmer, Nick Turner and Dustin West and, back row, Coach Frank Humphries, Aaron Ballenger, Kennedy Beatty, Quay Cooper, Mark Jeter, Charles Johnson, Hubert Martin, Tyler Parker and Coach Ernie West.

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Photo submitted Charles Johnson connects on a fastball.

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Photo submitted Dustin West stretches to assure the out at first base.

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Photo submitted Troy Millwood makes contact for a RBI single.

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SPARTANBURG — The Carolina TomCats lit up the field at Eastside High School this past weekend and the result was a Home Run Furry championship title.

Game one of the tourney pitted the Cats against the Elite Diamond Dawgs from Anderson County in a rivalry match-up. The Dawgs have defeated the TomCats in two previous meetings, but on Saturday the TomCats were ready with bats blazing and topped their foes, 10-4.

In the second game, the TomCats faced off with a Badgers Baseball team that is made up of Riverside, Greer, Byrnes and Broome high schools players. The TomCats once again used hot bats along with some error-free defense to snatch a 5-1 win.

On Sunday, the TomCats met up with a tough Laurens Lightning team whose members are longtime teammates. Coach Frank Humphries had studied up on the teams participating the tournament and knew what to expect from the Lightning.

“It’s plain and simple,” Humphries explained to his players, “if we beat the Laurens Lightning, the trophy is ours.”

That was all the TomCats needed to hear to get the job done. Excited and hungry for a championship, the team defeated the Lightning 17-0 in three innings of shutout baseball to advance to the final game of the tournament.

In the championship game, the Carolina TomCats posted a 6-2 victory over a Dorman/Spartanburg-based CBC team.

“I have never coached a team that has as much confidence and determination as this bunch,” said Coach Ernie West. “Every player from lead-off to the last batter of the order was a threat. Anytime you have 18 hits in one game, you’re tearing it up. I’m excited and the kids are excited too. They’re already asking when and where they will be playing next.”

West doesn’t plan to keep his team off the field for long, stating that his hopes are to enter into another tournament as soon as October.

“When they’re fired up like these boys are, you’ve gotta keep them in the game,” he said.

Sports Editor Tiffany Grady-Hudgins can be reached at 864-427-1234, ext. 17, or by email at thudgins@heartlandpublications.com.