Brewers combine for no-hitter

Nate Schweers

Photo: Bryce Carlisle (Perfect Game)

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EMERSON, Ga. – Bryce Carlisle and Carter Frederick combined for a no-hitter as the Central Alabama Brewers beat Dirtbags Bad Company 7-0 on Monday night. With the victory, the Brewers improve to 2-0 at the 16u Perfect Game World Series.

Bryce Carlisle was dominant during his five inning of work on Thursday night, striking out four Dirtbags hitters on just 69 pitches. Carlisle worked up to 81 with his fastball during the game, but his most effective pitch was a changeup that kept hitters off balance throughout.

“My fastball was having problems now and then, but my changeup was really working tonight,” said Carlisle, who used pitching at LakePoint as extra motivation. “The environment around me was keeping me pumped and throwing strikes. Luckily we came out with the win.”

Carlisle had to be replaced after the Brewers sent 11 batters to the plate in what was a long fifth inning Monday night. The Brewers were able to plate five runs on just two hits, and the highlight of the inning came on a two-run single from Will Baynes that gave them a commanding 6-0 lead.

“If it wasn't for the long inning, I never would’ve pulled him out of the game,” said Central Alabama Brewers head coach Kennon McArthur. “Typically I would never pull him in that situation, but after we hit for almost 40 minutes and then he walked the first guy of the sixth it felt like I had to do it.”

After Carlisle’s day was finished, reliever Carter Frederick answered the call with a dominant performance of his own. Frederick tossed the sixth and final inning of Thursday night’s game, striking out two in the process.

No-hitter aside, the shutout by this Brewers pitching staff is key to seeding and pool standings through two games at the 16u PG World Series. The Brewers have outscored opponents 18-1 now in their first two games, and are currently tied with FTB Tucci-Berryhill for the top spot in Pool H. With two pool winners from the six-team pool, the Brewers find themselves in a great position to advance.

“We came over here kind of open-minded. We knew we had a good team, but we just didn't know exactly how we would fare with this many great teams in the tournament. I couldn't be happier with how we’ve played so far.”

While Carlisle and Frederick stole the spotlight on the mound, cleanup hitter Harrison Ware also had a strong day at the plate for the Brewers. Ware was 1-for-3 with four RBI in Monday’s win, collecting a big two-run double in the first inning to put the Brewers out front.

“First at-bat I was really just trying to drive the ball, and I felt like I could do it off that pitcher,” said Ware, who also came up with the bases loaded and nobody out in the fifth. “That second at-bat I was just trying put the ball in play down 2-2 so I could get the runs in.”

Ware was able to put a ball on the ground and force an errant throw, and that was the start of the long five run fifth inning for the Brewers. While there is something to be said for getting things started in a big inning, coach McArthur was proud of his cleanup hitter for finding a way to strike early in the first.

“He really stepped up in that [first inning] situation,” said McArthur. “They had a guy that was throwing it really well, and after those two runs we didn't scratch again for quite a while. Harrison has been swinging the bat really well leading up to this tournament, so I’m really proud of him.”

This Brewers team is an extension of the Central Alabama Baseball Academy that is located in Birmingham, Alabama. The Brewers competed in the 16u WWBA National Championship earlier this month, and a big win got the attention of those at LakePoint, earning them a late invitation to this week’s tournament.

The Central Alabama Brewers have walked into this tournament and dominated after receiving the late invitation to join. They will play their third and final Pool H game on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. against the Kalamazoo Maroons Stanton 16u.

“We have to come out and stay intense, and we just really need to handle our business,” said McArthur. “We’ve got a lot of good arms left, and I feel good about our spot.”