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Tournaments  | Story | 7/6/2023

Firecracker Finale Crowns Champs

Olivia Bontempo
Jacorey Boudreaux
Photo: East Cobb Astros (Perfect Game)
18U


The Georgia Liberty 18u Scout and East Cobb Astros 17u Orange game yesterday was a bit crazy and it became an incredible contest that drew spectators from the first pitch to the final out. Let's talk about it.   



After being hit by a pitch with one out, Andrew Carter caused trouble on the base paths, helping the Astros gain an early advantage. He would steal third after moving up to second on a ground out, putting the Astros within 90 feet of taking the lead right away. Bryce Adams then ripped a chopper through the left side for an RBI single to put the Astros ahead 1-0 with two on and two outs. 

After a leadoff walk, Joseph Caleb handled it well, working through a scoreless first. In the top of the second, the Astros tried to score additional runs.  

Elias Hanna began the top half of the inning by striking out swinging, but when the catcher let the ball get away, Hanna was able to advance safely to first on a dropped third strike. Hanna showed off his quickness and successfully swiped third after a sacrifice bunt got him to second. Hanna would score to make it 2-0 with two outs when Andrew Carter kept his hands inside the pitch and poked one through left field.  

For The East Cobb Astros' Joseph Caleb did a great job; his final line; 2.0 innings, two hits, and no runs.  

The Astros wanted to add additional insurance runs for their pitching staff after a scoreless third. Kyle Crisp hit a leadoff single and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch. 

With two outs, Joseph Cable hit a line drive back up the middle to extend the Astros' lead. He then went to third after stealing second and got there thanks to another wild pitch. With an RBI single back up the middle, Andy Watters made it 4-0.  

Georgia Liberty really needed to get going after falling behind by four, and guess what? They did. Braden Simmons doubled with two on after being hit by a pitch and Camden Laney crushed one back up the middle to cut the deficit to three. Eli McElwaney hit a flare into center field as the next batter came up to add another run. They weren't done either, as Caleb Fleitz followed him with another single, cutting the deficit to one run. Sebastian Hernandez would score a run to tie the game after reading a wild pitch.  

However, the Astros answered right away in the top of the fifth after Georgia Liberty tied the game back up. With back-to-back singles, Bryce Adams and Noah Johnson got the party started. Elias Hanna comes through with an opposite field single to score Adams with one out, regaining the lead 5-4. The hottest hitter in the park was up next with the score at 6-4 following a bunt single and an intentional walk. And Andrew Carter delivered, as he blasted a booming double to left field that torched the fielder and scored two more, extending the advantage to 8-4.  

Jake Bailey demonstrated the qualities of a warrior today. Came in and collected the crucial outs to end this game. Final stats: 1.2 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs allowed in outstanding effort to help The East Cobb Astros 17u Orange win the 2023 18u PG Firecracker Finale.   
 

17U

Service Baseball 17u-The 82nd and 643 DP 17u Cougars-Praigo battled it out in the championship game. Let's talk about it.  

Carter Barth pitched a scoreless top of the first after giving up a single to Krish Gandhi. In the bottom half, the same could not be said.  

Aiden Petrocco and Owen Anchors both hit singles for 643 in the bottom of the first inning with one out. Jacob Bohacek would come through with another single to load the bases and put the pressure on early. With bases loaded and two out, William Rubenstein would walk on a 3-2 count to score the game's first run after winning a quality six-pitch at-bat.  

But Service Baseball was not about to surrender easily. Rhett Howard singled, and on a hit-and-run single by Lucas Kniola, he moved up to third. After a wild pitch, Service would score this run back to tie the game at one.  

However, this score would not last for long as in the bottom of the frame after back to back pitches and a balk, 643 looked to take the lead again. After a sacrifice bunt moved runners to second and third, a perfectly executed squeeze bunt by Michael McCavitt allowed Jake Zehner to score, making it 2-1. Aiden Petrocco's clutch two out RBI single to the opposite field would help 643 extend their lead. 

With a leadoff single in the bottom of the third, Caden Tuck sparked the scoring. Within the first three pitches of the next at-bat, he had advanced to second base after stealing a base. 643 would add another on a ground ball double play after another single by Anchors got him to third.  

Carter Barth pitched 3.0 innings, allowing three hits, one run, and three strikeouts to give 643 the start they needed.  

When the bats refused to slow down in the bottom of the fifth, this situation unfolded. Cooper Davis and Joey Bloomberg both hit singles before Parker Ladd sent a clutch hit back up the middle for a two RBI single. The second hit of the day for Caden Tuck was a single down the right field line that scored three runs to bring up Owen Anchors, whose two-run home run stretched their lead to ten.  

In relief,  Tuck would enter the game and take over. Closed the door by securing 643 an 11-1 victory to raise the 17u PG Firecracker Finale trophy. He pitched two scoreless innings of no-hit baseball with three strikeouts.  


16U

Home Plate Chili Dogs 16u West and Service Baseball 16- Grunt Squad played one of the best games of the summer, with the winner being named the 16u PG Firecracker Finale champion for this year. Let's talk about it. 

The ball would be given to Devin Elsenpeter after Ty Womack completed the first inning without allowing a run by striking out one. To end a scoreless first, he would go out and force all three batters to fly out.  

And that was the game's storyline. Both teams' batters had little chance against these two really strong arms.  

On the other hand, nothing had changed. A double play ball stopped the threat after allowing a leadoff hit by pitch in the top of the second inning and a single by Mark Ryan Melton. Besides that, Womack handled things from this point on, allowing just one hit in his first four innings.  

With a loud one out double to left field in the bottom of the frame, Mason Schrieber got things started. Service Baseball was one play away from taking the lead after an out and two walks. To keep the score knotted at zero, Devin Elsenpeter made a crucial pitch by forcing a groundout for the third out.  

Home Plate got off to a fantastic start thanks to Devin Elsenpeter's zone control and their solid defense. Three innings, one hit, no walks, and no runs were allowed.  

Service made an effort to give Womack some run support after the third inning ended without a score. Jake Stuetzer would draw a leadoff walk, and Jordan Cox would sacrifice bunt to put him in scoring position. This would not last for long as he would try to steal third with a 2-2 count but would be caught on a bang bang play.  

As reliever Benjamin Edge entered the game and kept adding zeros to the scoreboard, the pitching duel only continued. Service was in a position to score again after Edge gave up two consecutive walks and a sacrifice bunt. Edge would prevent this from happening by forcing the following batter to strike out and a ground out to end the frame.  

For the following two innings, Womack would keep cruising. His final stats were as follows: 5.0 innings, two hits, zero runs, and three strikeouts.  

Nathan Wyatt Barden would enter the game in the top of the sixth and continue where Womack left off. He would induce a double play to halt Home Plate's momentum after allowing a leadoff walk. 

After the 7th inning ended without any runs being scored, we would proceed to extra innings, where the bats would begin to warm up as both teams could see the finish line.  

In the top of the eighth inning, Devin Elsenpeter singled, putting the winning run on with no outs. After a flyout and a fielder's choice, Kristopher Colton would come up and rope a double down the right field line. One more hit would put Home Plate in the lead for the first time in this game. Nathan Wyatt Braden delivered a massive strikeout to end the threat. This time, Service had a chance to walk it off.  

After legging out a grounder to third, Zach Aschoff was on as the winning run. Mason Schreiber would sacrifice bunt the winning run to third after Nathan Wyatt Braden drew a walk. The 16u 2023 PG Firecracker Finale needed one run to be scored in order to be won, and Owen McGee would hit a fly ball deep enough for Aschoff to tag on and score it. In an immediate thriller, Service Baseball wins 1-0.  
 

15U
 
In a 10-4 win over the Georgia Academy Athletics 15u on Wednesday, the Dingers Athletics Scout team walked away with the 15u Firecracker Finale tournament title.  

The Academy was able to get on the board first, posting a pair of runs immediately. The catcher, Sawyer Andrews, stepped up to the plate, batting cleanup, and sent a line drive single to center field, scoring Evan Stacey and Andre Sweet.   

The Dingers were able to answer back, scoring one run, in the bottom of the first, on an error to the middle infield. After an explosive sixth inning, scoring five runs, the Dingers were able to solidify their win.  

After a series of singles in the sixth, William Hawkins was able to lay down a bunt, scoring Nick Felix and Riley Bourrie. Bourrie continued to lead the Dingers offensively, going 2-for-3 on the afternoon, posting one RBI to the board. 

As far as Dinger’s pitching goes, Alex Morales and Hawkins split the game, combining for six strikeouts, holding the Academy to their four runs.  


14U

On July 1 the East Cobb Baseball Complex welcomed 22 14u teams to go head-to-head for the Firecracker Finale tournament title. On Monday, The East Side Aces walked away with a 9-0, run-rule victory over the Game On Futures and the Firecracker title.  

Dylan Walls got the start on the mound for the Aces and through five innings pitched, struck out six of the Futures batters, limiting the squad to three hits and zero runs. For a 14u arm, Walls showed impressive arm strength topping out his fastball at 81 mph alongside a 62 mph curveball, shutting out the offense.  

Offensively for the Aces, Joshua Alequin got things rolling, singling on a grounder to left field, scoring teammate Jensen Morneau for the Aces' first run of the game. From there, the Aces attacked at the plate in the top of the third and fourth, scoring eight of their nine runs on the evening. Alequin continued to lead the Aces' offense going 3-for-3 on the evening, combining for 4 RBI.  
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