Local Sports

East National will have to wait until today to learn whether it will continue its summer on the diamond.

East National was on the witnessing end of a furious First Colony comeback in the championship of the 9-10 division at the Texas East State Little League Tournament. East National led 8-1 midway through, but First Colony rallied to win 11-10 in walk-off fashion Tuesday night at Faulkner Park.

The outcome kept First Colony’s hopes alive and forced a winner-takes-all game today (10 a.m.) at Faulkner. East National would have captured the championship and advanced to regionals by winning Tuesday.

First Colony’s Jacob Piper recorded a game-winning RBI double with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. The hit came after First Colony scored nine runs over the fourth and fifth innings, only to see East National rally to tie the game in the top of the sixth.

East National was led at the plate by Parker Bramlett (double, single, RBI), Ty Miller (three singles), Clayton Engel (single, double, four RBIs), Mason House (single, RBI) and Campbell Miller (single, two RBIs).

First Colony was led by Brandon Triggs (single, RBI), Casey Kral (double), Sammy Pleug (home run, single), Koby Collins (two singles, double, RBI), Zach Short (three singles, double, RBI), Chris Okeke (two-run homer) and Jacob Riper (two singles, two RBIs).

East National defeated First Colony, 13-11, on Monday.

— Shane Stark


First Colony 11, East National 10

East National 305 002 10 14 1

First Colony 100 451 11 18 4

Tanner Batten, Parker Bramlett (5), Tully Greer (5) and Ty Miller; Sam Pleus, Jacob Piper and Koby Collins, Ethan Strain; W – Piper; L – Greer. 2B – EN: Bramlett, Clayton Engel. FC: Casey Kral, Koby Collins, Zach Short. HR – FC: Pleus (first inning, solo), Chris Okeke (fourth inning, one on).

NEXT UP – East National vs. First Colony, 10 a.m. today.

LITTLE LEAGUE ACTION: Tyler East National All-Stars’ Clayton Engel (7) slides safely into second base ahead of the tag of First Colony’s Zach Short during a 9-10 Year-Old Division game Tuesday at Faulkner Park.
((Staff Photo By Herb Nygren Jr.))