After splitting their first two games of pool play on Thursday, the 9u Owensboro Western All-Stars were able to grab their second win of the regional tournament by short-gaming the Sheridan McGuane Generals 11-1.
Owensboro opened up regionals by defeating the JCYB All-Stars 14-6, getting a team-leading four RBIs from Israel Hughes. Their offense prowess didn’t carry over to the second game on Thursday, as they fell to the CP Bulldogs 13-3.
But Western responded well, starting with a quick rally in the bottom of the first that was kicked off by a single and a walk to put runners on first and second with one out for Brantley Stinnett. He went on to single to left, plating two runs to take an early lead before he later scored on a passed ball to make it a 3-0 game going into the second.
After Sheridan was shut down 1-2-3 in the top of the second, Owensboro got going again after a pair of one-out walks. It was Hughes who came through with a two-run single, followed by Landon Drury scoring on a passed ball and an RBI groundout from Talon Goodman to make it a 6-0 ballgame.
Meanwhile Hughes continued to have a strong day on the mound, striking out the side in the third to finish with four strikeouts and no walks or hits allowed in three innings on the mound. Jaxon Morris then returned the favor for Hughes’ consistency in the bottom of the third, getting an RBI single to make it 7-0 with one out.
Hughes then helped himself a few batters later, singling to left to drive in two more runs. Goodman wrapped up the offensive outburst the following at-bat, getting an infield single to make it 10-0 heading into the fourth.
Sheridan did get its first run of the game in the top of the fourth, but it didn’t matter as a single from Stinnett and an RBI single from Tucker Murphy would be the final dagger in an 11-1 win in four innings for Owensboro.
Hughes led Western at the plate going 2-3 with three RBIs on the day, while Goodman and Stinnett had both had a pair of RBIs and Murphy and Morris had one each. Maddox Winstead handled the last inning after Hughes exited, allowing just one unearned run on two hits to close out the game.
The Owensboro Western All-Stars will be right back at it on Saturday, as they are set to take on Elizabethtown at 12 p.m. E.T. in hopes of winning and taking on South Lexington in the semifinals.
