Latta shuts out Fort Cobb-Broxton
Aug. 12—DALE — The Latta High School baseball team got five strong innings from senior hurler Carson Abbott in a 6-0 win over perennial powerhouse Fort Cobb-Broxton Thursday afternoon in the first round of the Dale Invitational Tournament.
Latta improved to 2-0 on the young season and was scheduled to face Oktaha later Thursday. Results of that contest were not available as of press time. The 10-team tournament continues today and is scheduled to finish up on Saturday.
Carson kept the talented Mustangs off the scoreboard with five shutout frames. He struck out seven, walked three and allowed just two hits. Darien Miller tossed the final two innings for Latta. He allowed just one hit with no walks.
Latta got started in the top of the first inning when Gavin Mullins walked and Jackson Presley followed with a one-out, two-run homer that put the Panthers ahead early at 2-0.
Mullins hit into a fielder's choice to drive in a run in the second inning and push the LHS advantage to 3-0.
Presley — who finished a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, a walk, three RBIs and two runs scored — came up with a run-scoring single in the top of the fourth inning to give Latta a 4-0 lead.
Latta added another run in the fifth frame on an RBI single by Kaleb Goodwin that made it 5-0. Goodwin finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in a 10-hit LHS offense.
The Panthers' final run of the game came in the sixth inning when Presley and Hunter Price hit back-to-back doubles.
Fort Cobb managed just three hits in the contest, singles by Eli Willits, Brody DeVaughan and Brodie Smith.
Mason Leucht was the losing pitcher for the Mustangs. He struck out four, walked four and allowed three earned runs in four innings of work. Fort Cobb was also charged with five errors.
It could have been worse for the Mustangs as Latta stranded 10 base runners.
Coach Dillion Atikinson's crew stays busy next week with a game at Turner on Monday and a home contest against Asher on Tuesday.
