The East Cobb Astros won their second consecutive WWBA 16U East National Championship on Monday, defeating the Brentwood A's by a final score of 2-1. The championship game was certainly one of the best games of the entire tournament, as the teams battled the entire game, with East Cobb scoring the go-ahead run in the 5th inning.
Brentwood would jump out to an early lead in the top of the first inning. Jordan Jones and Matt Williams led of the game with consecutive singles for the A's. Casey Dykes then walked to load the bases with no outs against East Cobb starting pitcher Brett DeVall. DeVall would get the next two batters out on a strike out and a fly out to bring up the hot hitting Navery Moore. Moore would not get to swing the bat, but he did pick up and RBI as he walked to score Jones and give Brentwood a 1-0 lead.
East Cobb would tie the score at 1 with a run in the bottom of the second. Jake Davies led off the inning with a walk. Following a fly out, Blake Newalu and Jonathan Tyler each singled to load the bases with one out. Xavier Avery hit a high chopper to first base to score Davies on the RBI groundout. Brentwood pitcher Robbie Kurtz got out of the inning without allowing any more damage to keep the score a 1-1.
Both pitchers would exchange 1-2-3 innings in the 3rd and 4th to keep the score even when East Cobb came to bat in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Avery was hit by a pitch and moved to second when Ethan Martin walked with one out. Chase Davidson then hit a fly ball to left center field that would have ended the inning, but an error by Brentwood allowed the ball to drop and Avery to score what later proved to be the winning run.
Navery Moore of the Brentwood A's was named the Tournament's Most Valuable Player. In Moore's first time at a Perfect Game/WWBA event, he certainly made his mark. He went 3-0 on the mound, winning both the quarterfinal and semifinal in relief. In 8.2 innings, he allowed 5 hits while striking out 9 and his fastball topping out at 94 mph. Navery also hit .407 for the tournament with 8 runs, scored, a double, home run, and 10 RBI's.
Brett DeVall of the East Cobb Astros was named the Tournament's Most Valuable Pitcher. DeVall went 2-0 in the tournament, including the win in the title game. He earned the win in East Cobb's first pool play game, tossing 5 innings of shutout ball while scattering 5 hits and striking out 5. In the title game, DeVall settled down after Brentwood scored in the first inning. He threw 6 innings allowing only 1 run on 3 hits with 7 strikeouts. At one point DeVall retired 11 batters in a row, and 18 of the last 20 he faced.
East Cobb was led offensively by Jason Heyward (10-23, 7 R, 2B, 3B, 6 RBI), Chase Davidson (9-12, 8 R, 2 2B. 6 RBI) and Jonathan Taylor (9-22, 12 R, 2B, RBI). East Cobb also got tremendous pitching as they always do led by MVPitcher Brett DeVall, Michael Palazzone (W, 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K), Kyle Putkonen (W, 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 0 K), Gary Gillheeney (W, 2 S, 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K), Grayson Garvin (W, 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K), and Will Smith (W, 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K).
Brentwood was hot at the plate all week, led by Casey Dykes (14-27, 11 R, 3 2B, 11 RBI), Ben Burgess (11-29, 9 R, 2B, 3B, HR, 13 RBI), Wilson Nealy (7-20, 10 R, 2 RBI), Matt Williams (8-23, 9 R, 3 2B, 3 RBI), and Jordan Jones (9-24, 10 R, 7 RBI). The Brentwoo pitching staff was led by MVP Navery Moore, Brandon Frensley (2 W, 8 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 7 K) and Will Boyd (9.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 2 K). Robbie Kurtz did an excellent job of keeping the East Cobb hitters off balance in the Championship Game, but eventually would take the 2-1 loss.
Final Score
East Cobb Astros - 2
Brentwood A's - 1
Tournament Most Valuable Player - Navery Moore - Brentwood A's
Tournament Most Valuable Pitcher - Brett DeVall - East Cobb Astros
Brentwood A's - Top of the 7th
Gary Gillheeney now pitching for East Cobb. Navery Moore struck out. Matt McGee grounded out to short stop. Zach Brannon walked. Wilson Nealy grounded out to short stop.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on base
Brentwood A's - 1
East Cobb Astros - 2
East Cobb Astros - Bottom of the 6th
Will Boyd now pitching for Brentwood. Jake Davies flied out to center. Brian Mailhout grouded out to first. Blake Newalu walked. Newalu stole second. Jonathan Taylor flied out to left.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 left on base.
Brentwood A's - 1
East Cobb Astros - 2
Brentwood A's - Top of the 6th
Matt Williams flied out to right. Casey Dykes grounded out to second. Ben Burgess reached on an error. Will Clinard flied out to left.
0 runs, 0 hits, 1 error, 1 left on base.
Brentwood A's - 1
East Cobb Astros - 2
East Cobb Astros - Bottom of the 5th
Jonathan Taylor grounded out to second. Xavier Avery was hit by a pitch. Avery stole second. Jason Heyward struck out. Ethan Martin walked. Chase Davidson reaches on an error, Avery scored, Martin to third, Davidson to second.Jason Stolz popped out to short stop.
1 run, 0 hits, 1 error, 2 left on base
Brentwood A's - 1
East Cobb Astros - 2
Brentwood A's - Top of the 5th
Zach Brannon grounded out to pitcher. Wilson Nealy struck out. Jordan Jones lined out to pitcher.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on base
Brentwood A's - 1
East Cobb Astros - 1
East Cobb Astros - Bottom of the 4th
Jake Davies grounded out to first. Brian Mailhot singled. Blake Newalu lined into double play to pitcher, Mailhot out at first.
0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 left on base
Brentwood A's - 1
East Cobb Astros - 1