Sox 12U Lewis Takes Snowball Classic in Magee
Coach Brooks Lewis opened the 2020 Spring season with his 12U team with a Championship, winning the Grand Slam 5th Annual Snowball Classic.
The tournament kicked off Saturday morning in Magee with Sox taking on the Golden Spikes 12U Teer. Sox, the home team, started off the scoring in the first inning when Jacarius Wilson drew a walk and Ben Hughes hit a single to get on base with no outs. Cam Walker added a hit with two outs to plate the 2 runners and give the Sox the lead. The runs held up until the top of the 3rd, when two walks and two hits produced 3 runs for the Golden Spikes, and a one run lead. They added an insurance run in the 4th before the Sox answered. In the bottom of the 4th, Hayden Hunt and Nathaniel Moore opened with back to back hits, and Cam Walker picked up an RBI with a ground ball to first, scoring Hunt. Moore scored on a passed ball to tie the game and Pierce Anderson added a base hit to keep the inning going with one out. Alex Lambert reached on a dropped fly ball from third and Will Atwood added an RBI with a base hit to center, scoring two runs to recapture the lead 6-4. After Michael Schmidt reached on a dropped fly from second, Lester Martin singled in Atwood. Schmidt scored when Wilson reached base on an error at third. Ben Hughes added another hit to third, and Moore walked to load the bases. With Cam Walker at bat, Hughes and Hunt both scored on passed balls before Moore was thrown out at the plate trying to score. Walker ended the inning with a groundball to to short. The Golden Spikes added a score in the last inning, with Sox prevailing 12-6. Ben Hughes and Hayden Hunt both had 2 hits in the game and both scored twice. Cam Walker tossed 4 innings, striking out 4 and giving up 3 earned runs on 3 hits. Alex Lambert threw an inning, striking out three.
The Sox could not overcome a 4 run first inning by the Screamin Woodies, falling 10-7 in the game. They got down 10 runs and entered the last inning down 10-2, coming up short in the last inning comeback attempt. Nathaniel Moore put one over the fence in center field to add three runs after hits from Wilson and Hughes. A Will Atwood double added runs from Atwood and Lambert to end the scoring. The Sox ended pool play with 1-1 record.
Earning a first game bye in the Medal Bracket, the Sox faced the Outlaws from Collinsville to decide the champion. Coach Lewis started with Cam Walker on the mound, finishing off the first inning with a couple of strikeouts and a line out. The Sox used the bottom of the 1st to take control of the game, plating 6 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks. Jacarius Wilson, Hayden Hunt, Alex Lambert, Will Atwood and Lester Martin all had a hit in the inning. Nathaniel Moore started the second inning on the mound, promptly striking every batter he faced on 14 pitches.
The Sox added another 6 runs in their half of the second, as Jacarius Wilson and Cam Walker led the way with home runs, putting the score out of reach at 11-0. Michael Schmidt picked up an RBI in the inning as well, scoring Pierce Anderson who had reached on a hit by pitch.
Nathaniel Moore came back to the mound for the final inning and it was de ja vu for the Outlaws as he struck out all three batters again on 14 pitches, delivering the run rule shutout and opening weekend championship for the Sox.
Notes: Ben Hughes was 5-7, scoring all five times; Hayden Hunt went 4-7, scoring 4 runs with 4 RBI; Cam Walker, Nathaniel Moore and Jacarius Wilson hit HR, with Walker picking up 5 RBI for the tournament. Nathaniel Moore pitches 3 innings, striking out 8 hitters with no hits, walks or runs.