EMERSON, Ga.—Team Georgia MBA were the last ones standing at LakePoint as they closed out the summer crowned 16u Perfect Game World Series Champions against the Orlando Scorpions in an 8-0 victory. They rode a wild walk-off win in the semis against the East Cobb Astros right into a quick turnaround for the championship, which third baseman Cade Pigg attributed to the win.
“We had the momentum, so we got off that game and came to this game and just got it done.”
MBA got it done by taking advantage of a thin Scorpions pitching staff, all while playing team baseball, as they moved runners and executed timely hitting to tack up eight runs on the board. Pigg exemplified the recipe for success against the Scorps, drawing two walks and scoring two runs on the day. The third baseman ended the tournament hitting .294, with five hits, four RBIs and three stolen bases.
Other key pieces included catcher Nick Skaggs, who went 2-for-3 with a RBI and run scored, and second baseman Jack Kraus, who went 1-for-2 with a RBI and run scored.
“Every one of these guys is what I would call ‘blue collar’ kids,” said head coach Chris McRaney. “They compete and play hard every single [day], I never have to say a word to them about effort. But I can honestly say that for the vast majority if not all of our group. It also goes for kids like Gavin Rose and Davis Rokose and Mitchell Fleming. It’s a whole team effort. It again goes into they wanted to compete.”
First baseman Zac Corbin was another key bat exemplifying the no quit attitude, as he made a statement in the quarterfinals, where he went 3-for-3 with a RBI, walk and two stolen bases to propel the team to a semifinal berth.
“[I was] just playing relaxed and not getting mad after an out or a bad call, just playing relaxed and playing the game the right way,” said Corbin.
As for the pitching staff, which allowed on average two runs a game this week, it continued the lights-out performance to compliment the abundance of offense, throwing up zeros in every frame.
“Our pitching is phenomenal,” said Corbin. “We have a bunch of great pitchers, especially in Rokose and Polk, they both pitched their butts off the whole week until a bunch of the new guys came in and helped out and our bats woke up at the end.”
Davis Rokose took home the MV-Pitcher for the tournament, going 11 1/3 innings, with just one unearned run and 13 strikeouts. Eight of those innings came in the semifinals in a complete-game, nine-strikeout shutout against 6-4-3 DP Cougars.
But the standout pitcher on the day belonged to the MVP of the 16u World Series, Logan Tanner, who threw a complete-five-inning shutout with two hits, two walks and two strikeouts.
“I had my fastball and slider working,” said Tanner. “I could just spot up and put it where I needed to. We have a really good pitching staff and our bats just turned up at the end and got it done.”
The No. 19 overall catcher in the 2019 class had standout performances both on the mound and at the plate to clinch the MVP honors.
“Just square it up and get good pitches and just hit hard anywhere you can,” was Tanner’s offensive approach on the week, where he batted a team-high .357, all while catching.
On paper, Team Georgia's strong offensive performance looks to be the reason for success, but the team’s ‘band of brothers’ camaraderie played a key factor throughout the rigorous summer schedule.
“We are like brothers, we make jokes together, we go good together and have teamwork,” said Pigg, whose name drew some creative cheers from the dugout throughout the day.
The Team Georgia MBA program has seen success in the past, with former 16u teams winning the WWBA in 2012 and three back-to-back PG Fall BCS Championships from 2008 to 2010.
“It’s just high character families and high character kids,” McRaney attributes to the team's success. “We are built on pitching and defense, obviously that’s if you look at the results of the tournament, that’s what we have done all year to be successful. A Lot of good arms and just a lot of good situational hitting. But I think it really boils down to our guys really love each other and they perform really well together.”
Team Georgia has produced 14 pro players and dozens of Division I commits, signing with schools like Ole Miss, Clemson, Auburn, Georgia Tech and Mississippi State to name a few.
“This program has done a lot for me,” said Corbin. “It has gotten me seen and playing the best competition in the country, obviously [the Scorpions] are a great team with great pitching, so it has just gotten me ready to play at the next level hopefully.”
As for this class, four have already committed to LSU, Mississippi State, Georgia and Georgia Southern.
“Anytime you are successful in Perfect Game events, especially in this event, which is the top 16-year-old event in the country, people see it and people notice it, and it can’t do anything but to help a program, kids and all of the above,” said McRaney.
It was not an easy journey to the finals, however, as Team Georgia played five of its eight games winning by just one or two runs.
“We talked about that early, did we want to just be content getting there, or finish the job, and they finished the job,” said McRaney.
After a resilient and spirited battle with in-state rival East Cobb Astros, it already looked like a championship had been won after the semis, as the group was all smiles and full of back and forth banter throughout the final game.
“They wanted to compete and wanted to be here,” said McRaney. “Never one time have I questioned the effort of the team. And this is why I have said all along, this has been the most fun team to coach because of the quality of the families and kids.”
With already a 4-0 lead coming into the fifth, Kamren James led off with a walk, followed by back-to-back singles by Ray Joseph and Skaggs. Tanner followed suit by driving in the fifth run, as two more came in off errors. By the end of the inning, one swing of the bat by Kevin Kilpatrick was all it took to wrap up a blowout, as he drove in the eighth and final run off an infield single.
As for capping off the 2017 summer with a championship, it takes just one word to describe, “awesome,” said McRaney. “It’s always a long summer, but it’s good that it’s a long summer, and to cap it off this way with this group of kids, you can’t ask for anything else. They did it, they won it, and this is something they will be able to remember for the rest of their lives.”
2017 16u Perfect Game World Series runner-up: Orlando Scorpions
2017 16u Perfect Game World Series MVP: Logan Tanner
2017 16u Perfect Game World Series MV-Pitcher: Davis Rokose
