Sebring All-Stars Start Strong

The Sebring All-Stars have made a name for themselves early on at the AAU 14-and-under Division 2 National Tournament at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.

The Streaks defeated the McLean Cobras out of Virginia 10-4 in their opening game on Monday and held strong on Tuesday in a 5-1 defeat to the Hit After Hit All-Stars out of Nashville, Tenn.

In their opener, Dylan Callahan threw 6 1/3 innings and struck out eight to earn the victory. Mark Weir was 2 for 3 and scored a run, while Nathan Greene was 2 for 3 and Corbin Hoffner was 2 for 2 with a run. Johnathan Knight, meanwhile, was 1 for 3 and scored twice.

The game was scoreless for the first three innings until the Cobras jumped ahead 1-0 in the fourth. But the Streaks answered back with five runs in the bottom of the frame to take the lead and never look back.

The Streaks dropped their second game after leading 1-0 on an RBI single by Felix Basulto, who scored Weir. But Hit After Hit - an All-Star team made up of top players from around the state of Tennessee - scored four runs in the fourth to take the lead for good.

Hoffner was 2 for 3 at the plate and had eight strikeouts in four innings on the mound, while Weir was 2 for 3, Knight was 1 for 2 with a stolen base and Seth Abeln had a hit and two stolen bases.

Sebring finished up Pool F play on Tuesday, when they faced the Rhode Island Tides in the complex's main stadium, the same field where the Atlanta Braves their spring training games.

"It's been a good experience for them," said Sebring parent Gene Gauger. "They're learning that a little team from Sebring can hang with some of the best teams from around the country."

The Streaks open double-elimination tournament play today. See Thursday's Highlands Today for results.