EC Braves rock the 15u PG/EC Invitational

EMERSON, Ga. – The East Cobb Braves went a perfect 7-0 in this year’s 15u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational. They experienced some tests on their way to the championship against equally talented opponents, but their preparation carried them past all other teams and guided them to hardware.

They played a stacked Team Elite Prime that has a roster riddled with Division I commits in the semifinal game, and they knew it would be their toughest challenge. The semifinal was very close; it took three runs in the final inning of the game to win the game. Their walkoff win was very fun to watch and more than likely fueled their adrenaline for the championship game, as if they really needed it considering how well they played throughout the week. The game ended with score of 7-6, and then the Braves set their hearts on the championship.

The Braves claimed the 2015 15u PG-EC Invitational championship title against Team Georgia Mizuno Elite by the score of 6-2. An early single by the Braves’ Caleb Bartolero carried this team to a victory in this exciting championship game. This single was a part of their three-run inning to start the game, which set the tone for rest of the contest. Team Georgia retaliated in the third with a much-needed two-out run. Team Georgia seemed to be squaring up balls well, but that was the last inning that they would put a run on the scoreboard.

Team Georgia’s starter wasn’t in the game for long, as the Braves steadily hit screaming line drives and consistently put up runs. Team Georgia minimized the damage that the Braves could have done multiple times with clutch double plays and diving catches, but the Braves’ offense proved to be just too much them.

The MVP award was handed to the Braves’ Baylin Moore, who hit .470, scored four runs. His spectacular hitting performance also came with a little bit of power, hitting one home run and three doubles. What is possibly the most important stat of Baylin Moore’s 2015 PG/EC Invitational performance are his 20 RBIs. That type of run production from one player is unheard of, and Baylin felt very fortunate to have helped his team so much this week.

“I was really trying to get my swing down cause my timing was a little bit off before this tournament, said Moore. “I was working on adjustments in the cages, but it was more of a mental thing because I knew that we were playing really good teams. I wanted to be aggressive but selective at the same time when I was at the plate this weekend. I didn’t want to swing at too many wild pitches, but I also wanted find those fastballs. My teammates really helped me this week, and I really fed off of them.”

The MV-Pitcher award was given to Team Georgia’s Bryar Hawkins, who was fantastic in his semifinal start. His team was relying on him to give them a chance to advance to the championship and that is just what he did, throwing a complete game shutout. His stats for the tournament include 11 innings pitched, two wins, 11 strikeouts, and a 0.00 ERA.

“Going into this weekend I was really focused on making sure that I threw strikes and kept my pitch count low,” said Hawkins. “I knew that my team would need me for multiple games so I had to be fresh. My two-seam fastball and my splitter were great this weekend. I was glad I was able to keep it low, get ground balls, and keep my pitch count low.”

Head Coach Chris Ottinger really felt that his entire team pulled together to win this tournament. The East Cobb Braves are a team to be reckoned with on any level, so it is no surprise that they have come out on top in this year’s 2015 Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational. This particular 15u team had no time to celebrate after their championship victory, as they had to play their first game of pool play for another tournament starting later in the day.

Summer Baseball is demanding, but it can’t be too bad when you’re winning as much as the East Cobb Braves are. Coach Ottinger feels confident in his team's ability to win more games as the summer continues.

“It’s going to sound cliché, but it truly is a team environment with these guys. These guys pulled together and were ready when their opportunity was there. Our pitchers stepped up in big situations, and our road was no joke. We had to play a lot of good teams but the collective effort was great.

“For these guys, playing all these great teams really solidifies what they are capable of. We enter the next tournament here in the next couple of hours, and we’re tired, but we feel good.”


2015 15u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational runnerup: Team Georgia Mizuno Elite 15u



2015 15u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational MVP: Baylin Moore



2015 15u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational MV-Pitcher: Bryar Hawkins





Georgia Jackets National crowned champions

The Georgia Jackets National have won the 2015 14u PG/East Cobb Invitational, and they won it with moxie. The theme of the tournament for the Jackets was to keep the energy up and keep everyone involved in the game at all times. Their key to success was the morale that they exhibited mixed with some very good baseball. They started playing their best baseball when they exited pool play which proved to be rather advantageous throughout their playoff run.

Their championship game against the East Cobb Braves wasn’t the closest game, but it definitely had its exciting moments.

The Braves were the first one draw blood, as they put up one in the first. The Jackets battled back with two runs in the second inning, which included a magnificent home run from Andre Tarver.

This game included amazing offensive production from the Jackets, but that is not to take away from the defense, which was equally as impressive. Right fielder Holden Tucker flashed his glove with a stellar diving catch in the fourth inning. To match the defense starting pitcher Ty Jones threw four hitless innings and ended up getting the win in a complete game effort as the game ended with the Jackets on top by a score of 6-1.

Ty Jones’s performance on the mound and at the plate earned him the honors of MVP. Ty made this most out of this tournament with his eight hits, one home run, and whopping nine runs scored. Going into this tournament, Ty wanted to stay focused and have a routine.

“Our team prepares very well, and I think that preparation is what got us here,” Jones said. “Defense was huge, they played great. We got clutch hits all the way through. We played some good teams but our defense and clutch hitting is what got us through. Winning this tournament was extra special because we got to play East Cobb and we know those guys pretty well, so that’s always fun.”

The Most Valuable Pitcher award was given to Nathan Camp. The Jackets knew they were going to need solid pitching to win this tournament and they called on Camp to give them a chance to win the semifinals, and he did not disappoint. Camp threw a complete game, only allowing one run, and had five strikeouts.

“My curveball was my go-to pitch this weekend. My location was great with it,” said Camp. “My mindset when I was on the mound was to just get the next batter. I was taking it one pitch at a time.”

Georgia Jackets National reached the championship unscathed, but did take an unusual route to the title game. They tied their first two pool games, and it came down to the final pool game against the Cobb Coyotes in order for them to advance. They took care of business in a close game and moved on to the playoffs where they disposed of teams with ease. Their semifinal game against Outlaws Baseball was decided by a score 6-1, and from there they continued the trend of winning in the championship.

This championship win at the 2015 Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational is the second PG tournament that this 14u Georgia Jackets National team has won this year, winning the Southeastern Championship a couple of months back. They have really started to pick up steam, and they look to add some more PG trophies to the trophy case as the summer continues. Their intensity was unmatched this week. These players were on a mission to hold up this year’s championship banner, and they would not be denied.

Coach Josh Meade was ecstatic about the way his boys played this week.

“These guys came out with an attitude and intensity that they maintained all week. They never let up for the entire tournament, and everyone contributed. They played confident. The players love it. This is big, especially going forward in to the WWBA tournament next week. Moving forward, we just want to keep this same winning attitude.”


2015 15u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational champions: Georgia Jackets National



2015 15u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational runnerup: East Cobb Braves 14u



2015 15u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational MVP: Ty Jones



2015 15u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational MV-Pitcher: Nathan Camp





Home Plate Chilidogs escape with championship

The Home Plate Chilidogs, led by Coach Tony Schmits, has been crowned champions at the 2015 13u PG/East Cobb Invitational. The Chilidogs sealed the deal in a high-scoring battle that came all the way down to the last pitch.

This game had everything that you can ask for in a championship; a lot of scoring, a close game, and towering extra-base hits. This game ended in favor of the Chilidogs by a score of 11-10, but throughout the entire game, it was hard to tell whether the Chilidogs were going to be able to hold on for the win.

The game started off with four runs for the Iron Pigs, a very hot start that gave them momentum until the Chilidogs came back the very next inning and retaliated with a run of their own off a series of deep hits to all areas of the outfield. The next two innings were big for the Chilidogs, as they put up a four-spot in the third inning and a five-spot in the fourth. They really poured on the runs, and the general feeling around the ballpark was that the Chilidogs would run away with this game; but alas, the Iron Pigs were able to get back into it.

The Iron Pigs refused to lie down and steadily put up runs inning after inning. The Iron Pigs did their best to chip away at the Chilidogs’ lead, but to no avail. The Chilidogs showed amazing focus down to the very last inning, and they needed every little bit of that focus. The game’s final inning included another rally by the Iron Pigs that had the winning run at the plate, but the Chilidogs put out that fire with poise and claimed the championship.

It was certainly a team effort for the Chilidogs in their championship run, but they had a huge helping hand from third baseman Allen Fluellen. Fluellen was outstanding this week with his six hits and eight RBI. He drove in an astounding amount of runs and was the main contributor for the Chilidogs in this year’s 13u PG/East Cobb Invitational.

“I don’t think I would have had the performance that I had this week without my support group,” said a calm Luellen. “My team and my parents helped me a lot this week. The competition that I faced this week was amazing, but we were able to overcome it with the help of my support group. After this tournament, I think people will start taking us more seriously.”

The Chilidogs did more than hold their own this tournament, they shined. The Chilidogs’ had an undefeated path to the championship game, but that doesn’t mean that there weren’t challenges that they had to face along the way. They truly earned their spot in the championship with their semifinal bout against the Hardknox Orioles.

The Chilidogs were down by as many as five runs late into the game, but they mustered up an impressive comeback the next inning to take control of the game. In the bottom of the fifth inning the Chilidogs put up six runs to gain the lead, and from there they held on and advanced. They played some very entertaining baseball and came out on top.

This team touched on all aspects of the game when they needed to, and Coach Schmits could not be prouder of his 13 year olds.

“Early in the tournament it was pitching, and late in the tournaments it was our bats. We did a real good job of not walking people. Against the Orioles and against these guys (the Iron Pigs) we had huge innings that really gave us the game. I’m proud of the way these guys persevered this week.”

This is the Home Plate Chilidogs last tournament of the summer, and they were thrilled to end it on a high note. The players have been looking forward to this tournament all summer, and that could be part of the reason why they played so well. The level of enthusiasm was special to watch, and the Chilidogs look to bring that enthusiasm back to PG events for summers to come.

“PG puts on the best tournaments in the whole country, so we were really looking forward to this tournament,” Schmits added. “The fields are immaculate, and our kids love being here. They actually compete at a higher level when they play at nicer facilities and bigger tournaments. It’s been a great summer and we can’t wait to compete in more PG events.”


2015 13u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational champions: Home Plate Chilidogs Schmits



2015 13u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational runnerup: Iron Pigs



2015 13u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational MVP: Allen Fluellen