The Buckingham County Major League All-Star baseball team has recovered from an initial stumble and shown what it is capable of as it represents Virginia at the 2018 Dixie Youth Baseball Majors World Series in Lumberton, North Carolina.

Virginia defeated Lumberton 10-1 Monday afternoon, eliminating the host team from the double-elimination tournament. The win advanced Virginia to a Tuesday 3:30 p.m. showdown with North Carolina.

“We’ve been pretty good,” Virginia Manager John Toney said Monday before his Buckingham squad’s afternoon win. “The first game we just didn’t hit because Louisiana has some really good pitching, and yesterday, we got the bats cranked up.”

In its World Series opener Saturday evening, Virginia fell 4-0 to Louisiana.

Buckingham ace Justin Gunter pitched four-and-a-third innings.

“It was 0-0 going into the top of the fifth, so he threw the ball well,” Toney said.

The manager affirmed that his team was facing pitchers comparable to Gunter.

“Louisiana had about three good pitchers,” Toney said.

Summing up the contest, he noted, “We played good enough to win. We just didn’t hit.”

Sunday featured a different story, as Virginia eliminated Arkansas with a 12-2 mercy rule-shortened victory.

Leading Virginia’s offense was Camden Allen, who went 2-for-2, hitting a two-run home run and a double. Jake Carter, Harrison Mitchell and Gunter each went 2-for-3.

“We all hit the ball pretty well that game,” Toney said.

Daniel Farrish earned the win on the mound, and Toney pulled him before his pitch count would make him ineligible to play Monday. Avery Schaeffer also contributed on the mound Sunday.

Reflecting on Monday’s rout of the host team, Toney said, “Daniel Farrish and Nick Allen threw the ball well, and Justin Gunter hit a two-run homer, and Rocco Raynor hit a solo homer. But overall we hit the ball very well.”

Nick Allen and Mitchell each went 2-for-3.

Toney praised in particular the play of Shawn “Bubba” Garceau Jr. in left field and Mitchell at third base.

“We just played some really good defense behind some great pitching,” the manager said.

Virginia’s games are being broadcast live on Kickin’ Country 92.9 (WVHL-FM) and WVHL.net. Also, all World Series games are being televised live on YouTube.com. Search for “JockJive Sports” on YouTube.com at the appropriate game times.

The tournament is set to conclude Thursday.