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Tournaments  | Story  | 9/3/2018

Titles claimed at East Labor Day

Bryan Cooney      Jeff Dahn     
Photo: Ostingers 18u (Perfect Game)

FBH Angels slug way to 13u title

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Six runs in the first two innings gave the FBH Angels a cushion they would never relinquish as starter Adan Longoria (2023, Plant City, Fla.) fired a complete game and picked up two hits and an RBI as the Angels defeated the Gulf Coast Monarchs 10-4 for the WWBA 13u East Labor Day Classic Championship.

A title game matchup that pitted the two undefeated programs who emerged from the playoff bracket was a tilt that pitted the top scoring offense in the Monarchs (43 runs in four games) and the best pitching staff in the Angels (13 runs in four games) against one another. However, it was the Angels who jumped ahead early in the first as Branson Ashley (2023, Lakeland, Fla.) lined an RBI double to left to put the home side ahead 1-0.

The Angels weren’t done as they took advantage of a bases-loaded walk and an errant throw on a pickoff play to plate two more runs to give Longoria plenty of early run support to work with.

The Monarchs got on the board in the second as Jackson Geiger (2025, Naples, Fla.) doubled to left with one out and came in to score after he tagged up on a fly ball to center and the throw to third went awry to allow Geiger to sprint home.

FBH had an answer in the home half of the second as the top of the Angels order produced three more runs, thanks in large part to a two-out Monarch error that allowed a run to score. Anthony Palestrini (2023, Plant City, Fla.) and Longoria made the error hurt even more as they collected RBI singles to pad the FBH lead to 6-1.

The Monarchs loaded the bases with one out in the third and picked up a run in an unconventional manner as a flyout to center and the ensuing throw home to the plate resulted in a rundown that Ryder Woodson (2024, Naples, Fla.) ended up making contact with the FBH catcher that resulted in interference to bring the Monarchs a run closer at 6-2.

Andrew Williamson (2023, Oldsmar, Fla.) came up with a big hit for the Monarchs, launching a long double to right to bring home two more runs at 6-4.

Once again, the Angel offense had a reply in the bottom of the third as Colby Brewington (2023, Plant City, Fla.) knocked in a run with a bloop single to left to bump their lead to three.

Longoria stranded a pair of Monarch runners in the fourth, and was the beneficiary of more offense from his teammates as a three-run fifth that was highlighted by an RBI double from Andy Perez (2023, Orange City, Fla.) and an RBI single from Ashley put the Angels ahead 10-4.

In the sixth, the defensive play of the day took place as Angels shortstop Deven Gonzalez (2023, Plant City, Fla.) ranged far out into left field to snag a fly ball on the run. That play was in the midst of the final 10 batters of the game that Longoria would set down for the Angels, with the final three batters being retired on just three pitches in the seventh to wrap up the championship for FBH.

Palestrini was selected as the tournament’s MV-Player after batting .533 (8-for-15) with eight RBI in five games for the Angels.

For the runner-up Monarchs, Maddix Simpson (2023, Lehigh Acres, Fla.) was named MV-Pitcher for the event for his strong effort in the semifinals as he tossed five shutout innings with five strikeouts in a 9-1 victory over Jr’s Prospects.


2018 WWBA 13u East Labor Day Classic champions: FBH Angels



2018 WWBA 13u East Labor Day Classic runner-up: Gulf Coast Monarchs 13u



2018 WWBA 13u East Labor Day Classic MVP: Anthony Palestrini



2018 WWBA 13u East Labor Day Classic MV-Pitcher: Maddix Simpson





Genesis Baseball rolls to Freshman championship

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Based on the number of runs that Genesis Baseball had put on the board in its two previous playoff games, it was easy to get the sense that it was just a matter of time before it broke loose in the championship game. That time arrived in the top of the sixth inning.

Tied with the FTB Rockets at 1-1 after five, the Genesis broke loose for six runs in the sixth and cruised to a 7-1 victory in the championship game of the PG Freshman WWBA East Memorial Day Classic, played in it is entirety under a light but steady rain at jetBlue Park.

“We trust our hitting,” Fort Lauderdale-based Genesis Baseball head coach Frank Pena told PG postgame. “Our fielding is incredible – our defense has been doing really well. We’ve had a little bit of pitching problem in some games, but overall we trust our defense and our bats.”

The Genesis (6-0-0) scored their six runs on seven hits with seven hitters collecting one single apiece; Joseph Tomonto drove in two runs and Edian Espinal, Ariel Antigua and Michael Benedict each drove in one.

The Jupiter-based FTB Rockets (5-1-0) scored their lone run in the bottom of the second after a hit batsman and two walks loaded the bases, and Jonathan Ricardo drove in the run on a fielder’s choice ground out. Raul Feliz singled twice for the Rockets and Matthew Davis doubled for the game’s only extra-base hit.

Genesis 2023 right-hander Chris Knier pitched five two-hit, scoreless innings in relief, striking out eight and walking three, to pick up the win. Knier, from Jensen Beach, Fla., pitched seven shutout, two-hit innings with 10 strikeouts and three walks in three appearances at the event and was named the Most Valuable Pitcher.

Tomonto, a freshman at American Heritage High School from Boca Raton, finished the tournament hitting .571 (8-for-14) with two doubles, six RBI and four stolen bases and was named the Most Valuable Player.

The Genesis reached the playoffs by outscoring its three pool-play opponents, 17-7, then whacked its three playoff foes by a combined 24-6. It’s a group that Coach Pena really likes.

“What’s great about this is that I had a great a team for about a year-and-a-half or two and they decided they were going to go seek greener pastures,” he said. “This is fresh, brand-new team that came in here and beat some real good teams.”

The Rockets’ outscored their pool-play opponents by a combined 29-6 and won their quarterfinal and semifinal games by a combined 14-1. Feliz enjoyed a very fine tournament, going 8-for-16 (.500) with three doubles and five RBI.


2018 WWBA Freshman East Labor Day Classic champions: Genesis Baseball



2018 WWBA Freshman East Labor Day Classic runner-up: FTB Rockets



2018 WWBA Freshman East Labor Day Classic MVP: Joseph Tomanto



2018 WWBA Freshman East Labor Day Classic MV-Pitcher: Chris Knier





Banditos Prospects 2020, Gulfcoast Fury share Underclass crown

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Miami-based Banditos Prospects 2020 and the Fort Myers-based Gulfcoast Fury were declared co-champions at the PG Underclass WWBA East Labor Day Classic Monday afternoon after a heavy and sometimes driving rain storm forced the cancelation of the championship game at jetBlue Park.

Both teams went into the title game with unblemished 5-0-0 records. A pair of Banditos prospects earned MVP honors based on their performances in the games leading up to the championships.

Justin Chung, a 5-foot-10, 156-pound 2020 infielder from Coral Springs, Fla., earned Most Valuable Player recognition after batting 7-for-11 (.636) with two doubles, eight RBI and four stolen bases in five Banditos victories.

Daryl Carney, a 6-foot-1, 150-pound right-hander who is also from Coral Springs, pitched six, four-hit shutout innings with six strikeouts and two walks over two appearances. Carney was on the mound with the Banditos leading 2-0 in the third inning when the championship game was called.


2018 WWBA Underclass East Labor Day Classic co-champions: Gulfcoast Fury, Banditos Prospects 2020



2018 WWBA Underclass East Labor Day Classic MVP: Justin Chung



2018 WWBA Underclass East Labor Day Classic MV-Pitcher: Daryl Carney





Ostingers rallies for Upperclass title

FORT MYERS, Fla. – It only took one inning for Ostingers 18u to flip the script of the Upperclass Labor Day Championship, facing a 2-0 deficit through 4 1/2 innings of play and a zero in the hit column.Seven batters into the fifth inning, the Ostinger offense cashed in five runs on four hits to march past the South Florida Select 18u with a 5-2 victory at CenturyLink Sports Complex.

The two pool winners forged their way to the title game with semifinal victories early on Monday. Ostingers used five pitchers to work a combined two-hit shutout in a 6-0 victory over Rawlings Legends and the Select used a five-run sixth inning to turn their semifinal contest around with Knaje Guthrie (2020, Miramar, Fla.) driving in the go-ahead two-run single in a 7-5 victory over the Grizzlies.

In the second of the championship game Guthrie was in the middle of the action for the Select once again as he drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on an errant pickoff attempt. He moved over to third on a Carlos Gonzalez (2020, Weston, Fla.) single up the middle, but the throw through to the plate skittered by everyone, allowing Guthrie to scamper home. Gonzalez moved to third with two outs and was able to trot home as Adiel Melendez (2020, Hialeah, Fla.) beat out a grounder in the hole in between first and second to drive in a run and up the Select lead to 2-0.

Melendez was sharp on the mound for the Select as he breezed through four innings with little resistance from the Ostinger offense, issuing a leadoff walk but retiring the next 12 men in order.

With no hits on the board, Brock Wilken (2020, Valrico, Fla.) put an end to the no-hit bid as he drove a long double to left-center to lead off the fifth. After a throwing error and a walk loaded the bases, Melendez was lifted from the game and Gonzalez entered in relief, but he issued a free pass to Thad Zsold (2019, Valrico, Fla.) to force in a run. Gonzalez would then plunk Ahmad Pitts (2020, Valrico, Fla.) to force in a run and tie the game.

Adam Barros came in from the bullpen for the Select in the middle of the at-bat of Jackson Hobbs (2020, Brandon, Fla.). Hobbs would drop in a bloop single just inside the right field line to put Ostingers out in front 3-2.

Still with nobody out, Coleton Brogden (2020, Plant City, Fla.) lined a two-run single to right to put Ostingers ahead 5-2 and put his team six outs away from the championship.

Trevor Finan (2020, Lithia, Fla.) was called upon for Ostingers in the sixth and the righthander slammed the door shut on the Select by retiring all six hitters he faced, collecting three strikeouts along the way to send the Ostingers home with the big trophy.

Wilken was chosen as the tournament’s MV-Player after batting .467 (7-for-15) with a pair of doubles and four RBI in six games for the champions.

For the runner-ups, Jimmy Weick (2020, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) was selected as the MV-Pitcher thanks to a complete game shutout on Sunday against the SWFL Giants. Weick struck out four and scattered five hits in helping his team reach the championship final.


2018 WWBA Upperclass East Labor Day Classic champions: Ostingers 18u



2018 WWBA Upperclass East Labor Day Classic runner-up: South Florida Select 16u



2018 WWBA Upperclass East Labor Day Classic MVP: Brock Wilken
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