12U Gibert Runner Up in First Tournament of Season
The EC Sox 12U Gibert team took the field for the first time this Spring in the inaugural tournament at Sports Force Field in Vicksburg. Saturday was interrupted by rain, but the tournament stayed on track and the Sox took a run to the Championship on Sunday night.
The first game against the Terminators was played Saturday night, with the Terminators coming away with a 9-6 victory. The Terminators jumped early with 5 runs in the top of the 1st inning, with 4 hits, 3 walks and a couple of defensive errors. The Sox answered in the bottom of the inning, with 2 runs on 2 hits, as Hayes Boyd earned an RBI with a single and Sam Tuminello added an RBI when he was hit by a pitch. The Sox added 2 more runs in the bottom of the 2nd as Bailey Dukes and Tyler Jackson both reached on errors before Elliott Wiggins drove them home with a double to get within a run. The Terminators answered with 3 runs in the top of the 3rd, on three hits. Hayes Boyd led off the bottom of the 3rd with a hit and later scored on a passed ball as Ethan Birdsong drew a walk. Bailey Dukes recorded the final score for the Sox, scoring on a wild pitch. Pitching - Hannula, Boyd, Birdsong and Wiggins combined to pitch 3 innings, giving up 4 earned runs. Wiggins had 4 strikeouts in the game.
The Sox played three games on Sunday due to weather, finishing up pool play with an impressive 9-2 victory over the MS Astros. They started the scoring in the bottom of the 1st after Tyler Jackson reached on an error, and courtesy runner Thomas Hudson scored with an RBI hit from Elliott Wiggins. The Astros answered in the 2nd with two runs before the Sox exploded in the bottom of the 2nd with 5 runs to put the game away. Caden Hannula earned an RBI was line drive hit that scored Sam Tuminello and Ethan Birdsong; Tyler Jackson drove in Hannula and Thomas Hudson with a line drive double and Bailey Dukes ran for Jackson and scored on a passed ball. The Sox added a couple of runs in the 3rd as Ethan Birdsong scored on a passed ball after earning a walk and Bailey Dukes scored with a passed ball after reaching on a fielder's choice. Tyler Jackson pitched 3 innings, striking out 3, giving up 2 hits and no earned runs.
Facing the MS Red Sox in the first bracket game proved little match for the Sox as they dispatched the Red Sox 11-6 Sunday afternoon. Caden Hannula started the scoring in the top of the 1st as Tyler Jackson batted him in with a single after Hannula walked. After the bases were loaded, Thomas Hudson scored after Hayes Boyd walked, then he scored as Ethan Birdsong drew a free pass. Bailey Dukes drove in Hannula to round out the scoring in the inning with 4 on the board. The Red Sox answered with 4 runs in the bottom of the inning, but the Sox kept their foot on the pedal, adding 4 more in the top of the 2nd. Hudson walked to start the inning and Jackson added a hit before Wade Wilson doubled to drive them both home. Tuminello reached on an error and Ethan Birdsong drove him home with a triple to regain the 4 run lead. The Red Sox added another run in the 2nd to keep it close, but the Sox answered with 3 more runs as Hannula scored on a line drive to right field from Jackson; Thomas Hudson stole home as a courtesy runner for Jackson, scoring again in the inning with an RBI from Hayes Boyd. The Red Sox added a late run but the Sox won 11-6. Wade Wilson, Elliott Wiggins and Thomas Hudson combined for 3 innings pitched, giving up 2 earned runs on six hits. each had a strikeout in the game.
The Championship Game on Sunday night featured the Sox as the visitors against the CBA Reds. Hannula and Hudson started the game by drawing walks before Tyler Jackson drove them home with a hard ground ball to center to get it started with a 2-0 lead in the first. The Reds tied it up in the bottom of the first with 2 runs of their own, and later took the lead in the 2nd inning as they held the Sox scoreless with 2 more runs to take a 4-2 lead into the 3rd inning. Wade Wilson drove in Thomas Hudson in the top of the inning to close it to within a run, but the Red Sox answered with a run in the bottom of the inning, then closed it out in the top of the 4th for a final score of 5-3. Caden Hannula and Bailey Dukes combined for 3 innings pitched, giving up 2 earned runs on 4 hits. Hannula had a strikeout in the game.