HOUSTON -- By this point, Abbey Smith is used to this.
Smith, a 14-year-old from Austin, Tex., has won her softball age division championship for the past five years. On Sunday, when Scotts MLB Pitch Hit & Run made its first stop before hitting the other 29 MLB ballparks, nothing was out of the ordinary for Smith.
Smith claimed the 13-14 age softball division crown again, like she's done since she began participating in the competition that will eventually send select ballpark champions to compete on All-Star Weekend at Marlins Park before the All-Star Game on July 11. Qualifying winners will be announced June 25 on MLB Network.
Smith believes it was one of the larger groupings of competitors Pitch, Hit and Run has hosted at Minute Maid Park in recent years, with 23 registered participants.
"I've been in it five years, and I've won it all five years," she said.
Smith says her favorite part of the three-skill competition is hitting. Younger competitors in the ages 7-8 softball division preferred running, they said.
Morgan Regner of Friendswood, Tex., won the 7-8 softball division. Giovanni DeLossantos of Corpus Christi won the 9-10 softball division and Maya Chokski of Austin won the 11-12 softball division.
For the baseball division, Carlos Thachar of Pearland, Tex., claimed the 7-8 division title. Zachary Wright of Alice won the 9-10 baseball title; Mark Martinez, from Corpus Christi, placed first for 11-12-year-olda and Houston's Tregan Hyder won the eldest baseball pairing, the 13-14 age division.
The top scorers from the Astros' championships will be compared to other champions at each MLB ballpark after they're awarded. Those placing within the overall Top 3 of their respective division will advance to compete during All-Star Weekend.