Pool play games in the District 9 Little League Baseball Tournament helped the Hancock Black Junior All-Star team grow up together, at least according to head coach Dave Bechtol, and set them on the path to an undefeated run to the championship.

They celebrated their championship with the District 9 banner Thursday night at Fleishman Park after handing Fort Myers American an 11-5 defeat.

“The turning point for us came after pool play ended,” said Bechtol. “They’ve grown up and it changed their attitudes, about themselves and their respect for the game first. We started to play hard baseball.”

As District 9 champions, Hancock Black advances to the Section 6 Tournament that starts next Friday at Fleishman Park. The four-team, round-robin format sectional sends Hancock against championship teams from Districts 16, 18 and 27.

A big five-run inning gave Hancock some breathing room in the middle of the game against Fort Myers American. Pitching and defense carried them the rest of the way, just as it had through pool play.

Quinn Bourque was 3-for-5 at the plate and scored three runs while also pitching a solid 3 1/3 innings. He allowed FMA just one run on three hits while combining with T.J. Morgan and Gavin Paz to complete a four-hitter.

Bourque also struck out five. He left the game with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth. Morgan walked the first batter he faced to force in a run, but worked out of the jam with a strikeout and a groundout.

“Our defense and pitching has carried us through,” said Hancock head coach Dave Bechtol.

Still, Hancock’s pitching was erratic at times, issuing seven walks and plunking three batters. The trio worked out of two bases-loaded jams and stranded a total of 11 baserunners over the final five innings to quell FMA’s scoring chances.

Jesse Ellefson started Hancock’s scoring with a two-out RBI single in the second inning.

Bourque drove in one run in the third with a single. After stealing second and taking third on a throwing error, Bourque scored on Zach Lackman’s sac-fly to center for a 3-0 lead.

Hancock erupted for five runs in the fifth to open an 8-1 cushion. Bourque’s ringing double to left-center got the ball rolling. Lackman and Dustin Elg added back-to-back RBI singles. With the bases loaded and no outs, Trey Cobb’s groundout to first plated the third run.

With the bases loaded again with one out, Lucas Post bounced a two-run single up the middle.

Morgan squeeze-bunted a run home in the sixth as Hancock opened a comfortable 9-1 advantage.

FMA rallied with two outs in the sixth to cut three runs off the deficit. A walk, an RBI double and a throwing error produced two of the runs while the third scored on a passed ball.

Hancock answered with two runs in the seventh, also with two outs. A throwing error, a single and a hit batsman loaded the bases for Elg, who walked to force in a run. Paz capped the rally with an RBI single.

Paz started the seventh inning in relief of Morgan, who tossed 2 2/3 innings in relief of Bourque.

“We had some close games, but we always played hard through to the end,” said Bechtol.

Hancock 012 051 2 – 11 12 3

FM American 000 103 1 – 5 4 4

W – Morgan. L – Shearman.

2B – Bourque (Han), Shearman (FMA).