By Kevin Eckleberry

kevin.eckleberry@lagrangenews.com

LAGRANGE – A day off didn’t slow the Troup National all-stars.

After opening play in the Dixie Youth Baseball 11-12-year-old district tournament with a 9-1 victory over Taylor County on Friday, Troup National didn’t play on Saturday because of rain.

Troup National was back at it on Sunday, and it overwhelmed Thomaston 18-3 to move to 2-0 in the tournament that is being contested at the Harris Baseball Complex.

Troup National will play Manchester at 6:30 p.m. today, and it would earn a spot in Wednesday’s championship game with a victory.

For the second straight game, Troup National’s Colton Esposito and Trevor Booton delivered back-to-back home runs.

They did it in the first inning in Friday’s win, and their home runs came in the second inning on Sunday in a game shortened to three innings because of the run rule.

While Troup National didn’t play on Saturday, the team didn’t take the day off.

“The guys went over to LaGrange High, and were able to get in their facility and utilize it so we could stay hot,” Troup National head coach Curt Longshore said.

Troup National didn’t waste any time getting to work with seven runs in the first inning.

The first four hitters, Preston Pressley, Esposito, Booton and Blake Sheppard all had singles.

Avery Hewell added a double later in the inning, and Rocky Pemberton capped the rally with a base hit.

In the second inning, Lane Christie reached on an error leading off and Pressley followed with a double.

Esposito then came to the plate and launched the ball over the fence for his second home run of the tournament.

In a repeat of Friday’s game, Booton followed with a solo home run, and Troup National had a 10-0 lead.

Bryson Monteith also had a double in the inning, and Hewell and Dallas Pearson each had base hits.

Troup National capped its scoring with four runs in the third inning.

Booton had a double in the inning, and Pressley and Blake each had base hits.

Pressley and Booton each finished the game with three hits. Hewell, Sheppard and Esposito had two hits apiece.

On the pitcher’s mound, Pemberton started and pitched two innings, and Monteith threw the third inning.

With such a comfortable lead, Longshore was able to put some players in different spots.

“I was able to move some people around, and put people at different positions and let them get some experience in case we needed them down the road,” Longshore said.

Next up for Troup National is a Manchester team that won easily on Friday and has had two days off.

“We’ll keep doing what we can do, and try to win every inning, and every at-bat and that sort of thing, and keep the train rolling,” Longshore said.