PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla.- A three-run sixth inning for the East Cobb Astros pushed them passed X Team on Wednesday 6-2, at the 14U National Team Championships in Florida.
It was a scoreless start for both teams until East Cob struck first in the bottom of the fourth inning. After a pair of two-out singles by Daegan Strickland and Preston Murphy, an error on the left fielder allowed for the first run of the game to come across the plate.
X Team would bounce back and even it up in the fifth. A double by Evan Souffer lead off the inning, and two outs later, a single by Gavin Pomper would bring the score to 1-1.
East Cobb put up a two-spot up in the bottom of the fifth frame that was sparked by a sacrifice bunt moving the lead-off batter from first to third. A sacrifice fly would score the first run of the inning for the Astros, while back-to back- singles plated the second, making the score 3-1.
In the top of the sixth inning, X Team scored a run to bring the deficit to one. A trio of walks followed by a wild pitch scored their second run of the game.
The Astros added three insurance runs in the sixth to increase the lead. A lead-off triple by Jackson McKenzie got things started and he then stole home for the innings first run. After a pair of walks and an out later, a double by Zach Zorbo brought home two more runs making the score 6-2, the eventual final.
Zorbo highlighted the offense for East Cobb today going 1-for-2 with two runs batted in. For X Team, Soffer and Pomper both went 1-for-3 t the plate.
Jackson McKenzie earned the win throwing three and two thirds innings while allowing no runs on no hits with four strikeouts. Matthew Manuel was given the loss, hurling five innings and allowing three runs on five hits.
Both teams will head to Roger Dean complex tomorrow to compete in the second round of the National Team Championships in Florida.