MGBA rallies late to win Upperclass championship

EMERSON, Ga.- After scoring seven runs in the top of the seventh inning, MGBA beat the Upstate Mavericks ST in the Labor Day Upperclass Championship by a score of 10-6.

Myles Austin got the offense going for the Upstate Mavericks ST in the first inning with a triple and then scored on a single by Chase Frady. He also plated Johnny Cook on the play who reached on a walk.

MGBA answered back quickly in the top of the second by way of a 2 RBI double by Michael Harris. Scoring on the play was Markell Graham and Joshua Smith who each walked in their respective at-bats.

The Mavericks went scoreless in the bottom of the second, but did threaten leaving two runners on base. MGBA went scoreless in their half inning of the third earning a single by Lyndon Weaver, but could not get him across the plate.

The 2-2 score remained until the Mavericks earned 2 more runs in the bottom of the third by way of an RBI hit by pitch for William Root. Timmy Conway then stole home four pitches later making the score 4-2 through three innings.

That score did not last long as Lawrence Butler tripled followed by an Orlando Adams Jr. ground-rule double that plated Butler to get the game within a run. Chayce Bryant then singled on the next pitch, but Bryant and Adams Jr. were both stranded and the score remained 4-3.

The Mavericks answered with another run of their own in the bottom of the fourth via an Austin Hunter walk and a Jack Alexander single that scored Hunter. In the bottom of the fifth, the Mavericks earned an insurance run after Chase Frady walked and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Tylan Reece.

Each team went scoreless in the sixth before the comeback began. MGBA was down 6-3 going into the seventh before scoring seven runs to break the game open and make it out of reach. Chayce Bryant and Kelvin Smith each homered in the inning. Lyndon Weaver doubled while Markell Graham, Hunter Todd, and Jalyn Hawkins all singled.

The seven runs were more than enough to put the game away for MGBA and earn the Labor Day Classic championship.

I spoke to MGBA Head Coach Antonio Grissom after the game about earning a championship to start the fall. “It feels great. We weren’t expecting this to happen. A lot of guys have had long summers and just getting a chance to get back without many arms, it took a total team effort.”

The MVP of the tournament was Chayce Bryant of MGBA. Including a home run in the seventh inning rally of the championship game, Bryant tallied a .471 batting average with 5 RBI, a triple, four doubles, 2 singles and the aforementioned home run.

The MV-Pitcher of the Labor Day Classic was Joseph Freitas of the Upstate Mavericks ST. Freitas tossed a gem with an excellent final stat line. Freitas threw a seven inning complete game shutout allowing just one hit and striking out nine.

2017 WWBA Upperclass Labor Day Classic at LakePoint runner-up: Upstate Mavericks ST



2017 WWBA Upperclass Labor Day Classic at LakePoint MVP: Chayce Bryant



2017 WWBA Upperclass Labor Day Classic at LakePoint MV-Pitcher: Joseph Freitas

TPL wins Underclass championship in extras

EMERSON, Ga. – TPL National won the Labor Day Classic at Lakepoint in extra innings over Texas Bombers Elite 16u by a score of 8-6.

Nathaniel Larue started the scoring for TPL National in the first inning with an RBI triple to the left-center field gap after Gunnar Henderson drew a two out walk. Preston Jones then followed up with an RBI double of his own that made the score 2-0 TPL National after the top of the first inning.

The score remained the same through the second in part to good starting pitching by both sides, Dylan Carmouche for the Texas Bombers Elite 16U and Preston Jones for TPL National.

Jorge Figueroa led off the bottom of the third inning for the Texas Bombers and sent a 1-1 fastball over the left field fence for a home run to cut the score in half. The Bombers continued to threaten in the third, but never plated another run across.

Preston Jones was at it again in the top of the fourth reaching on a two out triple down the right field line. He was left stranded, however, after Carmouche struck out the next batter to earn the third out of the fourth. The score remained 2-1 through the top half of the fourth, but the Bombers would take the lead in the bottom of the fourth.

Cash McNicholas walked to lead off the inning then stole second base to move into scoring position for Jalon Mack. Mack hit a fly ball double to left field that plated McNicholas for the tying run. Mack would later score the go ahead run on a fortunate bounce that went the Bombers’ way on a drop third strike that got away from the catcher allowing Mack to scamper home.

Each team went away quietly in the fifth inning before TPL took the lead in the top of the sixth. Austin Hollis led off the inning singling to right field followed by a sac bunt by Eli Fizer. The bunt was placed well and led to an error allowing Hollis to score on the play and Fizer to advance to second. Kerrigan Edmonds then doubled in Fizer, Nathaniel Larue tripled in Edmonds, and Jones singled in Larue making the score 6-3.

The scoring kept on going in the bottom of the sixth as Jalon Mack walked and Jorge Figueroa tripled Mack in on the very next pitch edging the Bombers closer at 6-4. Alberson Mogollon then walked which led to Alex (Tito) Garcia singling in Figueroa to cut the score within one. 

The game entered the seventh inning with the Bombers down a run. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh Luis Espinal tied the game to force extra innings with a clutch single to center.

TPL, however, wasted no time getting the run back as Eli Fizer drew a walk before Brayton Brown doubled him in for the go ahead run that turned out to be the difference in the ball game. Brown scored as well when Nathaniel Larue drove him in later with an RBI single.

TPL National Head Coach, Travis Coleman told me after the win, “It’s outstanding for the guys to come out here and compete and take home the hardware and take home the championship, it’s just outstanding.”

“Winning is about a mentality,” Coleman went on to say. “To watch them develop, excel and achieve is what’s really special about what we did this weekend against terrific competition.”

Nathaniel Larue contributed to the win in a big way going 3-4 with 3 RBI and 2 triples. Larue would earn the MVP award for the tournament batting 9-17 equaling a .529 batting average. The primary catcher also tallied 6 stolen bases in the tournament as well.

The MV-Pitcher was Francisco Hernandez of Texas Bombers Elite 16U who tossed 7 innings, earning 2 wins, striking out 14 and allowing only one hit.

2017 WWBA Underclass Labor Day Classic at LakePoint champions: TPL National



2017 WWBA Underclass Labor Day Classic at LakePoint runner-up: Texas Bombers 



2017 WWBA Underclass Labor Day Classic at LakePoint MVP: Nathaniel LaRue



2017 WWBA Underclass Labor Day Classic at LakePoint MV-Pitcher: Francisco Hernandez





Organizational depth shows for eXposure freshmen

EMERSON, Ga. - The end result of the Freshman division of the 2017 Labor Day Classic at LP was never in doubt as eXposure would come out on top, the question was which team would win? The answer was that eXposure 15U White Fall would defeat eXposure North Prime 15U by a score of 9-0 to secure the championship.

The eXposure White Fall team was downright dominant over the course of the event as they went undefeated and only allowed six runs in five victories. The championship game was no different as excellent pitching led the way for a complete game shutout.

Starting pitcher Jake Poindexter was excellent as he was able to induce a lot of weak contact and let his defense work. The 2021 graduate was up to 83 mph early on and attacked opposing hitters with his fastball which was very effective for him on the afternoon. Poindexter allowed only two hits during the shutout.

The bulk of the offense for eXposure White Fall came during the fourth inning as, again, Jake Poindexter led the way. He started the inning off with a triple to get things going and Keaton Ray came through later on in the inning with a two-run double to really break the game open and he finished with three RBI.

Manager Brandon Turner was not only proud of the eXposure White Fall team but the organization as a whole, as it is rare to see an organization send multiple teams to the playoffs much less the title game of the entire event.

“It means a lot to us,” said Turner. “To have both teams from out organization is just a testament to the work these guys put in. All the support we get from the parents and these guys is great.”

Getting fall ball started on the right foot is an important factor for any team and eXposure is no different in that regard. Following the beginning of school for a lot of these players, most of it not all of the players in this event are just entering high school this fall, it is important for the team to get a hot start into the season.

“Last week our 14U came down and won the One Day Showdown, to go along with our 15U-17U who don’t come down as much in the fall,” said Turner. “Honestly, it’s “Perfect Game”, and the kids don’t get up for other tournaments like they do for these ones and I think  that a good representation of you guys (Perfect Game).”

 The MVP of the event was Christopher Robertson of the eXposure White Fall team. Robertson put together a .529 on-base percentage to go along with three stolen bases and a dearth of hits including a double and a triple. The MV-Pitcher was the previously mentioned Poindexter whose outing in the championship was extremely impressive as he struck out three during a complete game shutout.

2017 WWBA Freshman Labor Day Classic at LakePoint champions: eXposure 15u White Fall



2017 WWBA Freshman Labor Day Classic at LakePoint runner-up: eXposure North Prime 15u



2017 WWBA Freshman Labor Day Classic at LakePoint MVP: Christopher Robertson



2017 WWBA Freshman Labor Day Classic at LakePoint MV-Pitcher: Jake Poindexter