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Tournaments  | Story  | 6/29/2018

Canes are National Champions

Nate Schweers     
Photo: Canes National (Perfect Game)

EMERSON, Ga. – Canes National are the 2018 14u WWBA National Champions after beating Dulins Dodgers-Wright 9-1 on Friday. Canes National went an impressive 10-0-1 in this year’s tournament.

After the Dodgers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, tournament MVP Nathan Fink came to the plate knowing he needed to turn the momentum back into the Canes’ third base dugout. Fink jumped on a 1-2 fastball and drove it deep over the wall in left to tie the game.

“The entire tournament I was just trying to put the ball in play and make something happen,” said Fink. “In that first at-bat today I wasn't trying to do too much, but he gave me a pitch I could handle and I took advantage.”

Fink, who homered three times and drove in 12 runs in this week’s tournament, had been struggling at the plate in the events leading up to this one. After some time in the batting cage, and a new plan at the plate, Canes head coach Dan Gitzen knew he was ready to go.

“We talk a lot about riding the waves of momentum in these long tournaments, and Nate has been a great example of that,” said Gitzen. “He started out at the beginning of our trip and he really wasn't swinging the bat too well. We reset and we flushed it, and then Nate had a stretch of about three games where he was putting together really good at-bats. He just kept building on it.”

After Fink’s home run, the Canes certainly weren’t done in the bottom of the first. The Canes would add two more on a single from Michael Allen and a bases loaded walk from Cole Messina.

The three runs in the first would be all the Canes needed Friday, as the pitching staff was dominant over the last five innings. Often considered one of the best shortstops in the 2021 class, Daniel Corona was equally as impressive on the mound. Corona tossed four scoreless frames in relief, striking out five and allowing just one hit.

“My fastball was working and I was able to get a few curveballs over the plate too,” said Corona. “The other big thing was that I was able to hit my spots today, and I have a great catcher behind the plate and he knows how to call a great game.”

Corona entered the game in the top of the third, and needed just 43 pitches to get through his four innings of work. Corona was 88-91 with his fastball on Friday, and the high-70’s curveball kept the Dodgers guessing all day at the plate.

“Our goal with Danny was to throw him one or two innings to finish up a game in this tournament,” said coach Gitzen. “The kid is probably going to play professional baseball at shortstop, so we obviously wanted him out there. I remember he was sitting in the car last night and he asked who was pitching, and then he said ‘why not me,’ and that just speaks to how much of a competitor Danny is.”

Coach Gitzen went on to say that this Canes National team hasn't been together very long. They have just a couple practices under their belt, and the 15 or 16 games that they have played together in the last couple weeks; however, Gitzen knew he could have something special if this group of guys could gel and come together.

“This is our first year running a 14u National program. We set out with an idea to bring these kids together for three big events, and combine them from all of our regional teams … These kids have acted beyond their years during this week. How they respond to mistakes has been a breath of fresh air.”

The talent level on this team isn’t lost to key players like Corona. Corona told Perfect Game on Saturday that he believed they had a team that could win the entire thing.

“All of our coaches did an amazing job of putting a team together. They know how to get us to bond, and they do it better than any other team I’ve played with.”

While the Canes took most of the spotlight on Friday, the tournament’s MV-Pitcher came from the Dulins Dodgers-Wright. Trent Hodgdon tossed 8 1/3 strong innings this week, striking out 17 batters in the process.


2018 14u WWBA National Championship runner-up: Dulins Dodgers-Wright



2018 14u WWBA National Championship MVP: Nathan Fink



2018 14u WWBA National Championship MV-Pitcher: Trent Hodgdon
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