2004 WWBA 05 Grads/17U National Championship

Championship Game Summary

Houston Kyle Chapman won the 2004 WWBA 17U National Championship Sunday, defeating another talented Texas team, the South Texas Sliders (Navy) 10-4.

Houston Kyle Chapman jumped out to an 8-0 lead after three innings over the pitching depleted Sliders team and coasted to the victory.  They were within one out of ending the game by mercy rule in the 5^th inning before the Sliders’ Kyle Thebeau hit a two-out, two-run home run to extend the game.

RHP Luis Flores (Moody HS, Corpus Christi), who had earned a save in the quarterfinal game, pitched 6 innings, striking out eight, to get the victory.  CF Kyle Colligan (Dulles HS, Meadows Place, TX) led the Houston Kyle Chapman offense, going 3-4 with three Rbi’s.  Nine different Kyle Chapman players scored runs and seven collected hits in the balanced offense.

Houston Kyle Chapman went 7-0-1 during the six day tournament, which featured 68 teams from across the United States.  They entered the 12-team championship round after pool play as the #3 seed and defeated Austin Baseball Club 4-2 and the East Cobb Titans 8-0 to reach the championship game.

The South Texas Sliders finished the tournament with a 6-1-1 record.  They entered the championship round as the #4 seed .  The San Antonio based club defeated the defending champion East Cobb Braves 4-0 Saturday night in the quarterfinals, then rallied in the bottom of the 7^th inning to defeat the East Cobb Astros 6-5 in the semi-finals.

South Texas Sliders RHP/SS Brad Suttle was named the Most Valuable Player for the Tournament.  Suttle, a rising senior at Boerne (TX) HS, had two complete game victories as a pitcher, including a masterful 1 hit, 12 strikeout complete game win over the East Cobb Braves in the quarterfinals.  He also hit .364 for the tournament with 6 walks and played outstanding defense in the field.

Houston Kyle Chapman LHP Aaron Thompson (Second Baptist HS, Houston) was named the Most Valuable Pitcher.  Thompson, a 6-3 southpaw in the 2005 class who throws in the 88-92 mph range, went 2-0, 0.00 with 16 strikeouts and only 2 hits allowed in 9 innings.  He threw a 5 inning no-hitter against the East Cobb Titans in the semifinal game.

Other players given strong consideration for the Most Valuable Player honor included Houston Kyle Chapman SS Carlos Hereaud (Elkins HS, Missouri City, TX), who hit two home runs in the semifinal game, Houston Kyle Chapman 3B Trey Sperring (Cypress Creek HS, Cypress, TX) and South Texas Sliders CF Tyler Mickits (Gregory-Portland HS, Portland, TX).