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Tournaments  | Story  | 7/7/2019

Twice is nice for Wolfpack

Annika Wall     
Photo: Boone Kirst (Perfect Game)

MARION, Iowa – The CBT Wolfpack can definitely put rallying on their baseball resume. Twice at the WWBA 14u Prospect Meadows National Championship they overcame six-run deficits, leading them to an undefeated finish in pool play.

This is the second time the Wolfpack has accomplished this feat in their inaugural season, previously going unbeaten at the Midwest Memorial Day Classic, where they earned a semifinal finish. Now, they look to take this weekend’s hardware back home to Wisconsin.

“It’s been a roller coaster ride, but that’s baseball for you. You hit a slump, sometimes you go 5-for-5 and the next day you go 0-for-10,” Eitan Maoz, CBT head coach, said. “There’s been a lot of understanding that we have those moments and how do we come back. You have to be mentally strong in this game, but this group of kids here, we have some tough-minded individuals and a high baseball IQ. Makes it a little easier on me.”

The Wolfpack’s mettle was put to the test as they fought tooth and nail to defeat Pro Player Canes-Cohn in the final game of pool play. After loading the bases in the top of the first, Pro Player prevented the Wolfpack from scoring, instead adding one run of their own before exploding for five in the bottom of the third.

CBT wasn’t giving up, though. Between four hits, an error and a walk, the Wolfpack scored three runs at the top of the fourth to start their rally. Back-to-back triples highlighted the top of the fifth, where the Wolfpack scored another three runs. Pro Player scored a single run at the bottom of the inning, but CBT responded with three more, rounding out the final score of 9-7.

“Our team is really close. We just like to have fun together, because when we have fun, we play good, and that’s what happened today,” Wolfpack shortstop/catcher Max Kalk said. “We have two guys, Eli and Boone, it’s their first time here. They’re already like family. We’re all close, having fun.”

Those two guys were Boone Kirst and Eli Zollar, two athletes who fit CBT like a glove. Over the tournament’s four games, Kirst and Kalk led the Wolfpack with a .500 batting average, four runs and four RBIs. Kalk also had a .500 BA and four runs, along with five RBIs, four of which were off a pair of doubles.

Kirst also came in clutch on the mound, striking out three batters in four innings of relief. Zollar batted .455 over pool play and scored five runs.

“We know we have some good bats in here. We know we’re a talented team, it’s just a matter of not getting too high, not getting too low and having some good approaches at the plate,” Maoz said. “Once we started getting those approaches and getting better at-bats, the results were there.”

Earlier in the day, the Wolfpack defeated the Xavier Saints 9-1. The previous day, they beat Cangelosi Sparks Randick 10-7 and Iowa Select Oberthien 9-1. While the scores varied, one thing remained constant: Maoz’s constant coaching. There was something to learn from every play.

“I just try to take from my past experiences and give them all the details I wish I had at 14,” Maoz said. “I started playing baseball late, but I want to take everything I’ve learned through my lifetime playing and be able to give the kids that knowledge at their age.”

The Wolfpack will take the top seed in the tournament, facing off against Gamers 14 Blue in semifinal action. As they’ve won other tournaments, CBT’s inaugural season is about setting a standard of excellence everywhere they go, through all aspects of the game: pitching, fielding, batting and chemistry.

“People that play here can play ball and can play ball really well,” Kalk said. “We go in with the mindset that we’re going to prove ourselves and when we win, we show people that we can play.”

“I think our game will speak for itself,” Maoz added.
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