EMERSON, Ga. – The quarterfinals wrapped up for the 14u WWBA National Championship on Thursdsay and the field is down to four teams. Roadrunners Baseball, East Coast Sox Elite, 643 DP Cougars and Banditos Elite all advanced to the semifinals and will compete for the championship on Friday.
The Cougars defeated the East Cobb Astros in a contested 2-1 game. Sammy Cohen and Peyton Moseley added RBI singles in the first inning to give the Cougars the lead they would not relinquish.
Pitching was a highlight for the Cougars as starter Peyton Moseley held the Astros to only four hits in three innings. Jackson Brown followed Moseley and allowed one unearned run in the final four innings of the game.
The offense for the Cougars was stifled for Astros starter Colby Arthur. After the two-run first inning Arthur was able to keep the Cougars scoreless the rest of the way and give his team a chance to comeback. The Astros could not capitalize as they left ten runners on base during the game and the Cougars were able to clinch the victory and head to the semifinals to take on Roadrunners Baseball.
The Banditos defeated the Georgia Jackets 6-0 thanks to a great effort from starting pitcher Albert Hernandez, a class of 2020 Miami commit. The Jackets offense was held scoreless as Hernandez went 5 2/3 innings scoreless and surrendered only one hit. He was sitting in the mid-80s and topped out at 88 mph with his fastball and kept hitters off balance by mixing in his off-speed pitches.
Joseph Cruz started the scoring for the Banditos in the second inning with a two-run single to break the scoreless tie. The game was very competitive through the middle innings and then the Banditos broke it open in the sixth inning. Aaron Nixon doubled home two more runs in the sixth and the Banditos had a four run lead entering the seventh inning. Davis Walsh added two more runs in the seventh on a two-run single and the game was out of reach for the Jackets to come back.
Even though the Jackets did not have many baserunners, they did not take advantage of the runners they did have. They left five runners on base while the Banditos capitalized in clutch situations as they left only two runners on base. The Banditos now head to the semifinals to take on the defending champion East Coast Sox Elite.
In a re-match of last year’s championship game, the EvoShield Seminoles were dismantled by the Sox, 9-3, in the quarterfinals. The Sox took advantage of two big innings to outscore the Seminoles and advance to the semifinals.
The Seminoles took an early lead on a throwing error in the top of the first to make it 1-0. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the third with a five-run inning. Two sacrifice flies gave the lead to the Sox and the two out rally began. Christopher Snopek brought in a run with an RBI single and the Sox followed with two bases loaded walks to bring the lead to 5-1.
Tanner Schobel hit an RBI single for the Seminoles to get a run back in the top of the fourth, but the Sox piled on with a four-run rally in the bottom half of the frame. Brady Spring scored the first run of the frame on an RBI single and then the Seminoles’ pitching began to waver. The Sox would push three more runs across in the inning and all scored on passed balls.
With a 9-3 lead in the fifth inning, the Sox started to cruise but the Seminoles responded with a rally of their own. They scored four runs to bring the score to 9-6 in favor of the Sox, but unfortunately for the Seminoles they would be held scoreless the rest of the way and fall to the Sox. The Banditos await the Sox in the semifinals tomorrow.
Roadrunners Baseball and the Richmond Braves National were deadlocked in a back-and-forth game that Roadrunners Baseball eventually won 7-6. Derek (D.J.) Radtke was strong on the mound for the Roadrunners as the 2021 graduate provided five strong innings and allowed only one unearned run.
Radtke credited the command of his fastball and timing of his curveball as keys to success for him on the mound today.
“I was able to get my fastball over pretty well and was able to get my curveball working,” said Radtke. “I put my pitches where they needed to be.”
Roadrunners Baseball built an early 3-1 lead and Bradley Rowlinson was a big part of the offense in today’s game. After scoring two runs on a bases loaded walk and a wild pitch, Rowlinson added an RBI single to bring the lead the run total to three. Rowlinson stated that a big focus for him was to simply put the ball in play.
“For me I just wanted to put the ball in play,” said Radtke. “I wanted to go opposite field, get my foot down, and drive it.”
The lead would increase to 4-1 and the game looked to be over after the fifth. The Braves would respond with a rally of their own in the bottom of the sixth. The Braves put up a four-spot to take the 6-4 lead heading into the top of the seventh.
Roadrunners Baseball would not go quietly, however. Rowlinson had a clutch RBI triple to put the tying run on third with no outs. After a strikeout and a pop out, it looked as if they would strand Rowlinson on third. Chaz Salter would come through with a timely two-out knock to tie the game. Later in the inning, Roadrunners would take the lead back on a bases loaded walk to secure the victory and a meeting against the Cougars in the semifinals.
Rowlinson was proud of the way his team fought back after losing the lead. With their backs against the wall, Roadrunners Baseball fought and came out on top.
“We just started yelling and getting everyone going,” said Rowlinson. “We’re fighting for our lives and trying to play on Friday.”
Coach Todd Howard was proud of his team’s performance today and up to this point in the tournament. The goal is to win the tournament and Roadrunners Baseball are now one of the four remaining teams in the tournament.
“The goal was to win the pool,” said Howard. “We’ve had great pitching and hitting. D.J. is 13 years old playing in the 14 division and he had great composure on the mound today. This is a close team, we have the Roadrunners House where we all stay. Our goal was just to get in the bracket and see what happens after that.”
In the storied history of their program Roadrunners Baseball has never captured a WWBA National title. Howard uses that as motivation for this team to create an identity for themselves.
“They have to go home and hydrate and get ready for two tough games tomorrow,” said Howard. “Go out in the semis and give it everything we’ve got. We’ve never won a WWBA tournament for the Roadrunners. We’ve won other Perfect Game events but I told the guys yesterday they could be the first Roadrunners team to bring home that championship.”
There have been many talented players to pass through the ranks of Roadrunners Baseball and this year’s team looks to be no exception. With the talent on their team and the motivation to make history, Roadrunners Baseball looks to be a formidable opponent.
“They look up to all the other Roadrunners,” said Howard. “In the house there’s pictures of Cobi Vance, Jamhai Jones, and all the other kids who have played for us. For this team to go out and win the championship would be something the others have never done and that will go a long way for this team to establish an identity.”