NATCHEZ — As if being a part of the Natchez Cobras All-Star team wasn’t a fun enough experience for 9-year-old Mason Moore, Moore made his All-Star trip to Dallas even more special by winning the home run derby portion of the skills competition on July 9.

Before the Cobras played in the World Series, Moore won a Home Run Derby event that featured 52 players of 26 different teams.

The experience gave Moore an adrenaline rush combined with a “weird feeling.”

“It’s just I don’t usually hit a lot of home runs,” Mason said. “So when I hit them I was surprised.”

Clare Moore watched nervously as her son belted two home runs over the cones. In a field surrounded by a 250-foot fence, cones were set up in the outfield to mark the home run boundary. With only three outs, every swing counted for all 52 kids competing, and Mason was the only participant to hit two home runs.

Mason was as motivated as ever, though, with an appropriate incentive on the line.

“We told him that we would get him an XBOX game and XBOX Live if he won the event, and that made him work even harder,” Clare said, laughing.

Mason didn’t deny the effect of his parent’s motivational tool.

“It was so cool because I got an XBOX copy of MLB 2K14 from my dad,” Mason said. “It made me want to win it harder.”

Only eight other players hit at least one home run in the event. Once Mason’s victory was announced he was greeted with a trophy followed by applause from those in attendance.

“(The trophy) was cool,” Mason said. “It’s the first trophy I ever had that was made of glass.”

Competing against others his age at a World Series event was a memory Mason said he wouldn’t soon forget. Winning the home run competition and representing Natchez in the process made it all the more special for him.