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Tournaments  | Story | 7/10/2021

5 Star Dobbs Doesn't Mind Target on Back

Photo: Brooks Wright (Perfect Game)
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Heading into the first day of the 2021 15u BCS National Championship, 91 teams have one name circled on each one of their schedules: 5 Star National 15u Dobbs. The Warner Robins, Ga. affiliate of national powerhouse 5 Star Baseball comes to the Gulf Coast having won the two previous 15u BCS titles. After a dominant performance on the first day of play, they look to be in the driver's seat for a three-peat.
 
The powerhouse has some large shoes to fill, however. On 2019's winning squad, 5 Star had 16 Division-I commits and 14 top-500 players in the 2022 class. In 2020, the juggernaut had 10 current Division-I commits with more to come, as well as seven top-100 players in the class of 2023. Both championship squads finished their seasons ranked as the top 15u teams in the country and lost only a combined 10 games in two years. While he knows that every team is gunning for the top dog, 5 Star head coach Britt Dobbs believes his team's past notoriety only helps his team on the field.
 
"We've told teams in the past that they've got the biggest bullseye in the world on their chest," Dobbs said. "Everybody knows that you're the two-time reigning champs. Every time you step on the field, you're going to get everybody's A-game. It's a good thing for us, as that keeps us sharp and into each game."
 
While their reputation precedes them, 5 Star has some stars of their own to back up their prominence. Tennessee commit Brooks Wright leads the way for his team, as the 41st-ranked player in the class of 2024 joins 5 Star from Knoxville. Joining Wright are Camdon Frier, Hunter Carns, Matt Hoag (Duke commit), BJ Gibson, Sean Benjamin and Parker McCoy, all of whom rank inside the top-200 of the 2024 class, as well as Florida State commit Myles Bailey. In terms of building their team, Dobbs believes his team's past success entices top talent to join 5 Star.
 
"It has a lot to do with the winning," Dobbs said. "There's a lot of really good programs in the country. We always felt that we were good, but now that we're winning games on a consistent basis, that makes a lot of talented kids from around the country want to play for us."
 
In their first game of the 2021 BCS, the squad played up to their prestige, taking down the Top Tier Roos United Red 2024 14-1 in a four-inning mercy-rule victory. Dobbs believed the dominant victory was an excellent tone-setter for the tournament and set his team up for success down the road.
 
"It's always good to come out and win game one," Dobbs said. "It's a long tournament, but if you can jump out ahead of some teams, you can save some arms, and our offense did a good job of that today."
 
The talented 5 Star bats showed off their skills to begin the game, as Cooper McMullen quickly lined a single to get things going in the top of the first. As McMullen broke for second on a steal attempt, Jackson Godfrey displayed some situational hitting, shooting a double into the vacant shortstop spot. With two runners in scoring position, Carns delivered, piecing up a two-RBI double down the left field line to take an early 2-0 lead for his squad.

Dobbs said that being aggressive from the beginning is an integral part of the team's philosophy.
 
"We preach about starting hot every day," Dobbs said. "We preach playing at 1000 mph every day, and what that does is put pressure on the other team and keeps us where we need to be."
 
5 Star continued to play savvy in the second. After Bailey singled to start their bats up, the top bat stole second base and smartly advanced to third as the throw-down snuck by the Top Tier defense. Drew Britton then displayed some more situational hitting for his offense, grounding a ball to short to score Bailey. However, the Five Star hitters wouldn't quit as Garrett Harper, Hoag and Bricen Smith quickly loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch, walk and single, respectively. McMullen then delivered for his team again, smacking a two-RBI double into left to extend his squad's lead to five. The top-300 player in the class of 2024 believed his simple approach was key to his success.
 
"I just went up there and saw the ball well," McMullen said. "I just wanted to make good contact with it, and it all worked out."
 
Things were more of the same in the third, as 5 Star continued to pour on the offense. After loading the bases on a couple of hit-by-pitches and a walk, Bailey stepped into the box and drilled a two-RBI ground-rule double. Britton then returned the favor, lining another two-RBI double to left to give his team a 9-0 lead.
 
However, the 5 Star bats saved their largest explosion for last. After Smith reached on an error to begin the fourth, Jackson Godfrey shot a single to left to start their offensive attack. With Carns at the plate, the 13th-ranked player in the state of Florida delivered again, lining another RBI double to left. McCoy kept things rolling as he hit a sacrifice fly to score Godfrey, and Gibson proceeded to smack a single to left, bringing in Carns as the pivotal 12th run. Yet, the potent offense continued to add some insurance. After Richie Petrosa walked, Bailey stayed hot, sending an RBI double to left. Britton then capped off 5 Star's onslaught, reaching on an error that allowed Petrosa to score. As the top of the fourth came to a close, 5 Star had mounted a 14-0 lead. While he was happy with his offense's performance, Dobbs knows the competition will get even more challenging as the BCS rolls along.
 
"[The offense] was good to see," Dobbs said. "We're going to see some pretty good arms this tournament, as this tournament always produces big-time guys. But getting out offensively today builds confidence, and hopefully, we can carry that on."
 
As their offense continuously produced throughout the game, 5 Star was just as dominant from the bump. In his three innings of shutout work, Caden Kessler struck out six batters while allowing just one hit. Carns then came in to finish the victory, and despite giving up a run, the 13th-ranked player in Florida effectively closed off Top Tier, striking out the final batter to end the game. In their first bout, Dobbs was proud of the way his starter attacked the zone.
 
"Caden threw strikes early, and that's key," Dobbs said. "We tell all our pitchers that strike one is the key to every at-bat. If you get ahead, that puts the hitter on the defensive, and he did a fantastic job of that today."
 
In their quest for success, Wright and McMullen provide valuable experience as young members of last year's championship-winning roster. Despite his team's reputation, McMullen believes this year's squad almost has an underdog mentality through following in their past teams' footsteps.
 
"Last year's team was a well-known team," McMullen said. "Everyone knew they were good. This team is a little bit more hidden, and we have a lot of secret talents that will show up for us big time in the rest of this tournament."
 
While 5 Star always has winning on their mind, Dobbs' main goal for his players is to build strong character throughout the BCS.
 
"We want to compete well and play well," Dobbs said. "We tell our kids that everyone likes to win, but it's how you perform that matters. If we grind and execute for seven innings every game, the winning will come."

Tournaments | Story | 10/12/2026

WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 4

Marcus Thomas
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WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 James Watson (2030, Canton, Ga.) showed the two-way upside to start bracket play for East Cobb Astros 15u. On the mound the right-handed pitcher went three innings and with three strikeouts and spread five hits and two walks for three runs. Watson works from a hybrid windup from the middle-of-the-rubber into a small heel-turn and an around-the-belt leg lift before using drop-and-drive back leg mechanics into a longer, in-line stride down the mound. Showed some feel to get extension down the mound. The hands separate into a moderate arm action before accelerating through from an over-the-top arm angle. The fastball ran up to 86 with arm-side run and life. Paired it with a curveball with 11-5 shape and solid two-plane break. Mixed in a change-up in the upper- 70s with some vertical depth. Competed at the top of the zone well. Athletic...
Tournaments | Story | 10/12/2026

WWBA World Champ. Scout Notes: Day 4

AJ Denny
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WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 ‘27 Mark Susa (WI) picked up 3 Ks thru 2 inn of work. 4SFB topped at 90 mph early on; 2S lived 85-86 w/ good run & sink down in the zone. Spun a 2600 rpm SLV w/ sharp traits (clip). Got up to 7’1” of extension. 6’4/200lb frame w/ more to come. #IUBase #WWBAWorlds @PG_WiscMinn https://t.co/uXfjVSSSZF — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) October 11, 2026 Mark Susa (2027, Hudson, Wisc.) put together a quality outing on Sunday, striking out three batters over 2.1 innings of work. The 6-foot-4 200-pound left-hander ran his fastball up to 90 mph, pairing it with a two-seamer that lived in the 85-86 mph range with heavy sink and arm-side run. He also showed great feel for spinning and locating his slurvy breaking ball, which read spin up to 2600 rpm. Susa utilizes his length to his advantage, creating...
Tournaments | Story | 10/11/2026

WWBA World Champ. Scout Notes: Day 3

Kyler Peterson
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WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 ‘28 Alan Zimmerman (FL) racked up 5 Ks w/ just 1 H allowed thru 3 shutout frames. Lived 89-90 T91 w/ lots of life thru the zone & some ASR. Dropped in a 12/6 breaker for Ks (clip). Projectable 6’3” mold. #Uncommitted @PG_Uncommitted #WWBAWorlds @Florida_PG https://t.co/KTDFpGK49y — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) October 10, 2026 Alan Zimmerman (2028, Winter Garden, Fla.) was dominant in his start on Saturday, collecting five strikeouts through three shutout innings while allowing just one hit. The uncommitted 6-foot-3 right-hander showed out in front of a lot of scouts, running his fastball up to 91 mph. The heater plays up with lots of life through the zone and short arm-side run. Zimmerman sat comfortably in the 88-90 mph range, pairing his fastball with a late-acting 12/6 curveball that was landed...
Tournaments | Story | 10/11/2026

WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 3

Jheremy Brown
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WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 1 | Day 2 Carson Garzaniti (2029, Jupiter, Fla.) showed the barrel feel all game for West Boynton Cobras. The right-handed hitter starts from a spread stance with his weight shifted forward and in-line feet with a high handset and an even back elbow, utilizes a heel lift weight transfer trigger. Creates some separation in the back shoulder and uncoils the lower half with a short, direct hand path and extension out front from a slightly uphill bat plane. Good bat speed in the swing with some feel to impact. The catcher has shown the barrel accuracy all event with three hits, including a double and triple, to drive in four RBI and has come around to score five runs. Lean, athletic 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame with feel to generate power working ground up from the back leg. Exciting player that has been swinging a hot stick through pool play.  ...
Tournaments | Story | 10/10/2026

WWBA World Champ. Scout Notes: Day 2

Perfect Game Staff
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WWBA World Championship Notes: Day 1 ‘27 C Joshua Digulio (TX) opened the morning in Cacti Park with a bang. In his first at-bat of the morning, Digulio crushed an 0-2 fastball. The right-handed hitter powered a fly-ball through the Florida morning humidity off the back wall of the left field bullpen for a no-doubt solo shot. Everybody in the stadium knew it was gone as soon as he made contact. The catcher also worked a walk in his only other plate appearance. His home run was the only hit in the game, providing Texas Brigade 2027 a 1-0 win.  ‘27 MIF Xavier Martin (IL) woke up the stadium with an electric swing. The right-handed hitter was sitting dead-red on a 2-0 heater, got it, and torched it. Martin scorched a line drive all the way over the left field bullpen, as the ball cleared a near 20-foot wall and bounced onto the concourse. It was a two-run shot for the...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 10/9/2026

PG Softball Illinois Scouting Showcase Series 18U Division

Erica Beach
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PG Softball Illinois Scouting Showcase Series 18U Division Oct 3-4 Peoria, IL PEORIA, IL- It was a phenomenal weekend for softball as six teams from three different states gathered at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria, Illinois for the 2026 PG Softball Illinois Scouting Showcase Series 18U Division. The competition was fierce from the first pitch to the final out, making for an action-packed slate of games. Our scouts were treated to an incredible display of talent and athleticism throughout the event, and below are the standout players who truly caught our eye. Joharah Boze (2027, Chillicothe, IL) of the Indiana Magic 18U Lewellen hit an astounding .778 on the weekend. She finished the tournament with four singles, three doubles, two walks, three runs scored, and four RBIs, proving to be the pillar of consistency for her squad. Featuring an athletic stance and a balanced...
Tournaments | Story | 10/10/2026

WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 2

Perfect Game Staff
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WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 1 ’30 RHP/OF Amir Kriz-Hopkins (VA) couldn’t be touched, striking out all six batters he faced over 2 IP. Tall, projectable frame w/ a quick, loose arm. FB worked 87-91 mph w/ ASR & the SL missed bats w/ late break at 76-79. #SelectFest alum. #WWBAWorlds @PG_VirginiaWV https://t.co/mN4H64aLgo — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) October 9, 2026 Amir Kriz-Hopkins (2030, Chesapeake, Va.) of SBA Bolts National 15U was lights out on the mound, striking out all six batters he faced over two innings before adding a double offensively. The right-hander has a tall, projectable frame with a quick, loose arm and worked his fastball up to 91 mph with arm-side run. Kriz-Hopkins paired the fastball with a sharp slider at 76-79 mph that generated swings and miss, showing his ability to impact the game on both sides of the ball.   ’30...
Tournaments | Story | 10/8/2026

WWBA Freshman Scout Notes: Day 1

Perfect Game Staff
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’30 OF Quintin Blackwell (CA) drives this ball deep over the RF’s head for a triple, creating loud contact. Physical, compact frame with quick hands and plenty of strength in the bat. #WWBAWorlds @California_PG https://t.co/Tyq0a0SKd2 — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) October 8, 2026 Quintin Blackwell (2030, Hercules, Calif.) of MLB Breakthrough Series 2030 and a 2026 Select Fest participant made his presence felt at the plate. The physical outfielder displayed quick hands and strength in the bat, while showing the ability to do damage with a loud triple that got over the right fielder’s head. There is plenty of upside to come, with Blackwell showing the tools that can impact the game offensively. Miles Lockridge (2030, Swansea, Ill.) of MLB Breakthrough Series 2030 put together a quality day at the plate, collecting a double while reaching base safely...
Tournaments | Story | 10/9/2026

WWBA World Champ. Scout Notes: Day 1

Perfect Game Staff
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Calum Andersen (‘27,CAN) had his A stuff working today running the FB to 96 mph with a devastating horizontal SL at 85 mph that can break bats. Mixed in a late breaking 12/6 curveball at 78 mph that induces weak contact and showed excellent feel for a CH that mimics the FB delivery. The @OU_Baseball commit struck out 8 & allowed 2H 1BB. stands on a projectable 6’5/195 frame you can dream on. @pg_int1 #WWBAWorlds @PG_Draft — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) October 8, 2026 Calum Andersen, RHP, Calgary, AB (CAN) Brewers/Langley Blaze Scout (2027) Andersen showed advanced present stuff and pitchability in a strong outing. The delivery is athletic and repeatable from a projectable frame, with room remaining for strength gains that should help the fastball play more consistently in the mid-90s and give the breaking balls even sharper bite. Andersen attacks with a live...
Tournaments | Story | 10/8/2026

Midwest Fall Championship Scout Notes

Perfect Game Staff
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Midwest Fall Championship    ‘29 LHP Jake Bzdusek (IL) Works 5.1 very strong innings from a low arm angle. Has a FB with sink in the mid 70s and T78. Has a nice E/W SL 67-68 (2nd,4th video). Struck out 7 and was efficient in the zone w/ 62% strikes. #WWBAMW @AthletesHQ2 https://t.co/th4O6pgHBs — Perfect Game Illinois (@PG_Illinois) October 3, 2026 Jake Bzdusek (2029, Huntley, Ill.) a left-handed pitcher works from a very low arm angle creating lots of deception to throw off hitters. The fastball was in the mid 70s, topping 78mph with good action. His slider had lots of east/west action, creating tons of swing and miss. Bzdusek pitched 5.1 innings while striking out seven, helping him earn the win. He threw efficiently, landing 62% of his pitches for strikes. He also got it done on the offensive side of the ball this weekend as well. He racked up six hits in as many...
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