Sox 9U Team Celebrates First Tournament Win
EC Sox 9U McCullough traveled to Sports Force Park in Vicksburg and came home with the Championship on April 7.
The Sox started the weekend with a 17-10 win over the Madison Mets, with an offensive explosion led by Peyton Smith - 3 hits and 3 RBI. Riels Holder and Pearce Marquerdt combined for 8 strikeouts on the mound in 3.2 innings of work.
Saturday afternoon featured a nail biter as the Sox took the field against the Cleveland Gators. Both teams scored 2 runs in the first two innings, with the Gators adding 6 in the bottom of third after the Sox had scored 5, giving the Gators the walk off win, 8-7. But the Sox got their chance to even the score with the Gators, facing them Sunday afternoon in bracket play.
The Sox scored 4 runs in the top of the 1st as they started the game with three straight hits - a double from Banks Nixon, followed by singles from Kadence Kyles and Riels Holder. Chris Melton added and RBI single with one out, and scored by stealing home to give the Sox their 4 run lead. The Gators answered in the bottom of the 2nd inning, scoring two runs on one hit and a couple of walks. The Sox answered with 5 runs in the top of the 3rd to put the game away as Kyles, Holder, Joe Nicholson, Melton and Peyton Smith all scored in the inning. Riels Holder pitched 2.2 Innings, striking out 4 and Logan Lepard closed it out with a strikeout to win 9-4 and earn a spot in the Championship game.
The Championship saw the Madison Mets get the opportunity to avenge the 17-10 drumming at the hands of the Sox in the first Pool game, but the Sox kept pouring it on. Sox started the game with a 1-2-3 inning with Chris Melton on the mound, and gave their pitcher a 9-run cushion in the bottom of the first. Ten players reached base in the inning, including a double by Riels Holder and hits by Logan Lepard Banks Nixon as 9 runners scored. The Mets answered with 4 runs in the top of the 2nd, and held the Sox scoreless in their half of the inning as they attempted to mount a comeback. The Mets added add 2 more runs in the top of the 3rd to close the score to 9-6, but came up short as the Sox added a run in the bottom of the inning to finish the game, and win the Championship, 10-4.