Evan Smith's 2-run Home Run Sunday vs Frozen Ropes Coggan got the Rebels on the board.

The FW Rebels went 1-2 in the Baseball Nation Fall Championship tournament in Mesquite, TX.  They definitely got off to a rough start in Saturday pool play and had to battle some difficult elements.  Baseball is not an easy sport and it becomes even more hard without practice.  The Rebels only had a quick work out once in two weeks leading up to this tournament and the rust showed.  However, they battled back with an impressive win Saturday, and then a thrilling comeback Sunday.  Here are the recaps:

TEXAS TERROR 15         FW REBELS  3

The Rebels committed 11 errors in the game.  That's the equivalent to the other team getting to hit for an extra 3 2/3 innings.  Anytime a team finds themselves in a situation like that, they are in trouble.  The 8am game in 43 degree weather was hard to overcome but probably not as difficult as lack of practice.  Jackson Jordan started on the hill for the Rebels and with runners on 2nd and 3rd and none out, proceeded to strike out the 3 & 4 hole hitters.  4 errors later, Texas Terror was ahead 3-0.  In the bottom half of the first, Jack Dalton walked with 1 out and went to third when Evan Smith hit a ground ball that went through the legs of the Terror thirdbaseman.  Quinton Enos singled in Dalton to make it 3-1. Jackson Jordan crushed a ball to deep right field that scored Smith but was thrown out on a controversial call at 2nd base.  The Rebels defense fell apart with Coleman Peck pitching in the top of the 2nd and Terror scored 8 runs to go up 11-2.  Later, Christopher Calabrese scored on a balk but that was all the Rebels would do at the plate.  Drew Horstman pitched a very effective 2 1/3 innings of relief to slow down the Terror attack.

FW REBELS 10         PRO SOURCE HOLCOMBE 2

 Coleman Peck's 2-run 2-out single blew the game wide open vs Pro Source.  Peck had 4 RBI in the game.

Brady Franz & Jack Dalton combined to pitched 4 innings and allowed just 1 earned run on 2 hits to lead the Rebels to an easy victory over Pro Source.  The Rebels poor defensive effort was much better as they went from 11 errors in game 1, to just 1 error in this contest. 

In the 2nd inning with a 1-0 lead, Drew Horstman doubled to left center with 1 out.  Brady Franz singled in Horstman to make it 2-0. Evan Swindell walked and then stole second.  With 2 outs, Coleman Peck singled to right center scoring Franz & Swindell to make it 4-0.

The Rebels broke it wide open with a 6-run 3rd inning.  Evan Smith walked and Quentin Enos was hit by a pitch.  Jackson Jordan doubled in Smith to make it 5-0. Karson Symonds knocked in Enos and reached on an error.  Drew Horstman lined one sharply to right field to score Jordan but was thrown out at 1st.  Brady Franz singled and Christopher Calabrese walked setting the stage for Coleman Peck again who lined another 2-run single making it 10-0.  Brady Franz was the winning pitcher for the Rebels, his 1st in a Rebel uniform.

FROZEN ROPES COGGAN 10    FW REBELS 9

 The FW Rebels prepare to congratulate slugger Evan Smith on his Home Run vs Frozen Ropes.

The Rebels dug themselves into quite a hole in Sunday bracket play falling behind to Frozen Ropes Coggan 7-0 after 3 innings.  Many teams would have folded up shop at that point but that's not in the Rebels DNA.  Instead, they choose to fight. 

In the top of the 4th, Jack Dalton opened the inning by reaching on an error by the Frozen Ropes left fielder.  Evan Smith followed and wasted little time waking the Rebel bats up by crushing a 2-run bomb deep to right center to make it 7-2.  Frozen Ropes added another run in the bottom of the 5th to make it 8-2 and things looked bleak for the Rebs.

Jon Doko's double off of the left field wall was one of the big hits in the furious 7-run Rebel rally.

In the top of the 6th with time running out, the Rebels fought back.  Jack Dalton singled off of the pitcher's glove to open the inning.  Evan Smith followed with a double to left sending Dalton to 3rd.  Quentin Enos was hit by a pitch to fill the bases.  Jackson Jordan crushed a 2-2 curve ball deep over the center fielder's head to score Dalton & Smith to make it 8-4. Brady Franz hit an RBI ground out to second to score Enos to make it 8-5.  Drew Horstman bounced a singled to center to score Jordan and it was now 8-6.  Jon Doko crushed a towering fly to left that hit off the wall sending Horstman sliding into 3rd.  Karson Symonds grounded to the thirdbaseman who threw low to 1st and reached on the error that scored Horstman to make it 8-7.  With two outs, Christopher Calabrese stepped to the plate and got the count in his favor at 3-1.  He aggressively went after the 3-1 pitched and hit it over the right fielders head to score Doko & Symonds giving the Rebels an improbable 9-8 lead.

Credit to Frozen Ropes as well.  A leadoff walk and a 2-run home run ended the day and the tournament for the Rebels in the bottom of the 6th but the Rebels left feeling good with their stunning rally to even reach that point.

With one Fall Tournament remaining, the Rebels are 8-3 at 13U AAA.