EMERSON, Ga. – The popping of mitts, the crack of the bat, and the absence of that school bell that so many students dread day in and day out; yup, it is that time of the year again.

Summer baseball season has arrived, and not a minute to soon for the ballplayers of the Georgia Legends. Comprised of top prospects from all areas in the state of Georgia, the Legends hope to make a splash this summer, and the WWBA Memorial Day Classic tournament at LakePoint is their first stop. Many of these players just got out of school and are coming off the heels of their state high school baseball tournaments, and after today’s display in their 2-0 win over the East Cobb Braves 17u squad, the transition from high school ball to summer ball looks to be going quite smoothly.

Almost every player on the Legends has committed to their respective schools and are looking forward to starting their college baseball careers, but as of right now, the only thing on their minds is winning this tournament; and they have a good chance with the likes of South Carolina commit Christopher Cullen and Georgia College commit Matthew Heard.

There was not much offense produced in this game, but the solo blast by Cullen in the first inning got the run scoring started and provided momentum in their victory. Aside from the scorching ball that Cullen rocketed over the left field fence, he was also superb behind the dish. Cullen put on a show with his spectacular pop time and his ability to block everything and anything coming his way from behind the plate.

Fortunately for the Legends, the small amount of runs that they produced was all that was required behind the arm of Matthew Heard, who had a no-hitter through 6 1/3 innings. Heard was nothing short of dominant on the mound with the command of his fastball and knee-buckling curveball, but much of the credit can be given to the fielders behind him who provided stellar defense to ensure the zeroes on the scoreboard.

The most impressive part about the Legends’ first performance of the summer is that most of the players barely learned each other’s names, yet they meshed as a team and communicated extremely well. They have only had one practice so far as a team and according to a few players on the team, only half of them could even make it to the practice.

“A lot of us just got eliminated in our state playoffs, and a lot of us aren’t familiar with each other,” said infielder and San Jacinto CC commit Jake Ferentinos. “We’ve only had one practice so far but I’d say we’re all pretty confident going into this tournament.”

The confidence is not misplaced considering the amount of talent that this team has. The Legends consists of players who are committed to big southeast schools in the SEC and ACC such as Alabama, Auburn, Georgia Tech and South Carolina, so you can see why the minimal time spent together as a team is a nonissue.

Regardless of the fact that many of the players are somewhat strangers to each other, they still get along as a team very well. From the moment that they stepped on the field, they looked as if they had been playing together all spring. They made double plays, put-outs, and leaping catches look like a casual walk in the park. There was not a lot of chatter from the dugout but the aura of their calm, cool and collected attitude was easy to sense. One could tell that, between the lines, this group of ball players from all corners of Georgia is poised to make a successful run this summer because of how loose they seemed.

“At the end of the day, the love of the game and the desire to win is something that we all have in common,” said outfielder Robert Knox. “There is a sense of mutual respect amongst everyone, so people are getting along pretty easily. We just want to win this tournament, and keep on producing wins. I’d be lying if I said that we don’t feel like we have the ability to do so.”

Heard and Cullen seemed to be on the same page for the entire game, and even the mound meetings between the two made it seem as if they had been playing together for years. Despite the score being very close for the duration of the game and many exciting plays, there was little to no emotion shown by any player on the Legends. No matter the intensity, this team handled their business in a manner that professionals would respect; not to mention, they’re pretty fun to watch too.

From the looks of their first game, this Georgia Legends 18u squad should be considered a force to be reckoned with. Only time will tell if this team lives up to the expectations that they have set for themselves, but know this, the Georgia Legends are not losing sleep over the prospect of possibly losing a game. They believe they are going to win, and they let their talent and ability take care of the rest.