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Tournaments | Championship | 5/28/2026

TG DBacks Take Home SE Memorial Title

Will Dembo

Photo: TG DBacks 16u National (Perfect Game)

As summer baseball got underway, East Cobb Baseball welcomed some of the top 16u teams in the nation for the highly anticipated annual PG Southeast Memorial Day Classic. TG DBacks 16u National exited the weekend victorious, going 6-1 en route to defeating ECB Astros 16u Navy in the championship game by a final score of 9-3 to open their summer with a statement win.

“It was just a team effort,” DBacks head coach Scott Collett said. “We needed all 16/17, guys to contribute. You know, we shift the guys around, playing different positions they normally don't do in high school, so it was just a great team effort. Everybody did their job at the right moment in the right game. So, kudos to those kids who just competed all weekend, going from a 10 seed, barely making bracket, to running and making it all the way to the championship and dominating.”

The DBacks came out of the gate hot and never let up, putting up a five spot in the opening frame to set the tone early after a disastrous performance in the field from the Astros. East Cobb was riddled by errors in the first inning, giving up two unearned runs due to misplayed balls on the right side of the infield along with a pair of singles to create the 5-0 deficit before stealing an out with a pickoff to get out of the bases loaded jam.

DBacks third baseman, Irvin Balenger, drove in his team’s first run of the game and truly sparked the rally with a RBI single through the left side.

“Honestly, it felt good, you know, setting the tone,” Balenger said. “You know, we've been talking about jumping on teams all tournament from the start, setting tone and putting people down early, so it felt good to get on the board in first inning.”

Following a scoreless frame from starter Jackson Walker, TG’s offense kept its foot on the gas in the second inning as back-to-back base hits, including a double from Balenger, put multiple runners in scoring position. The DBacks were able to capitalize on multiple wild pitches as two runners crossed home safely, and the DBacks led 7-0 heading into the home half of the inning.

Walker tossed another scoreless frame while picking off his only baserunner allowed and adding another strikeout to the scorebook to get out of the second inning unscathed.

Yet again, TG kept their scoring streak intact as a balk with two runners on base allowed Balenger to score and two more singles to the outfield drove in another run to put the DBacks ahead by 9 before recording their third out.

The Astros notched their first runs of the game in the bottom of the third inning thanks to a two-out rally that resulted in a trio of runs to cut the deficit to six. Parker Wallace, the team’s top

performer and one of the tournament’s top bats of the weekend, continued his hot streak as he was responsible for the team’s third run of the evening.

Unfortunately, rain returned to the ballpark in the following inning, and the coaches mutually agreed to call the game complete. The decision sealed a 9-3 championship victory for the TG DBacks.

DBacks catcher, Mason Sentelle, was named MVP for the event, totaling nine hits including five extra base hits, eight runs, three runs batted in, and five stolen bases while carrying a lot of the workload behind the plate throughout the weekend as well.

“It feels great, you know, all the work I put in, like hitting wise and stuff,” Sentelle said on starting the season hot. “It was great to get a championship for the team, keep the snakes rolling.”

“It was a great win, great start of the summer, and looking forward to the rest of the tournaments.” Collett summed up perfectly.

PERFECTGAME.TV

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