PEMBROKE — Strong fundamentals are a key to success at any level of baseball but can especially be helpful at the middle-school level, and that proved true in Tuesday’s Robeson County middle school championship in Pembroke.

It was a sequence of small ball that got Pembroke Middle School the lead in a 7-1 win over Prospect for the title.

“It was definitely important for us to jump out front; that was actually one of the last things I said to them was try to jump out front and take a lead,” Pembroke coach Jarrett Graham said. “We had to play small ball to make it happen, and they were able to make it happen as far as being smart on the base paths, taking advantage of stolen-base opportunities, dropping down a bunt, executing when I asked them to. And I think that played a big part in to boosting their confidence, and actually swinging the bat better for the rest of the game, even though we had to play small ball to start off.”

Pembroke (13-0) scored three runs in the third, two in the fifth and two in the sixth. Prospect (11-2) scored one run in the seventh.

Aaron Locklear was the winning pitcher for the Warriors, allowing just three hits and striking out 12. He was also 3-for-4 at the plate with two bunt singles and a double.

“Aaron’s been reliable all season,” Graham said. “He’s without a doubt been our ace. These kids, it seems like their confidence level goes up anytime he’s on the mound, so he’s basically stepped up as our leader, and without a doubt our ace.”

Hudson Locklear and Conley Jacobs each had two hits for Pembroke.

The Warriors were the regular-season county champions before solidifying that title with the tournament championship.

“These kids, they try to surround themselves with baseball year round, so they’re a fundamentally-sound baseball team, they’re eager, they’re the type of kids that they want to improve in practice, they want to practice, they want to come to practice to work,” Graham said. “Just staying consistent and working towards our goal played a part, but also just having a group of kids that loves the game of baseball.”