Marucci Elite defeated the East Cobb Braves 2-0 Monday afternoon at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers, Florida to win the 10th annual WWBA Underclass World Championship.

Marucci went 8-0 in the championship in reigning over a field of 122 teams from around the country. The team, which is based out of Louisiana but features players from nine different states, put on a dominant pitching display, especially in the playoffs, only allowing 1 run over their last four games.

It was quickly evident that the championship game was going to be a pitcher’s dual. LHP Colin Rogers started for Marucci and after working out of a 1st inning jam with the defensive help of 2B Chris Rivera, settled down to throw 3 shutout innings.

East Cobb starter RHP Travis Demeritte, a hard throwing sophomore, more than matched Rogers, holding Marucci to only one hit and no runs over the first 5 innings of play before being relieved to start the sixth inning.

The sixth proved to be the Braves undoing, as RF Chase Rivett greeted reliever Micah Dunn with a double to right centerfield and advanced to third base on a wild pitch. A walk to 3B Luke Stanley and an inside curveball that nicked DH Spencer Trayner loaded the bases for leadoff hitter CF Andrew Velazquez.

Velazquez, who drove in the winning run in Marucci’s 3-1 semi-final win over the East Cobb Astros, came through with a single up the middle to score Rivett with the game’s first run. Marucci’s second run scored on an error and only an outstanding throw by Braves CF Skye Bolt on a potential sacrifice fly saved East Cobb from a bigger inning.

LHP Hunter Devall, who relieved Rogers to start the fourth inning made the 2-0 lead stand up, shutting out East Cobb over the last 4 innings to get the win.

Velazquez, a speedy 5-9 junior from Fordham Prep in the Bronx, New York, was named the event’s Most Valuable Player. He had the key hit for Marucci in the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship game and played outstanding defense in centerfield. Strong consideration was given to the Braves Bolt, who went 12-18 during the playoffs, including a combined 7-8 in the quarterfinals and semifinals.

Devall, a 5-10 junior southpaw from Centerville Academy in Clinton, Louisiana, was named the event’s Most Valuable Pitcher. Devall went 2-0, 0.00 in two games, allowing only 1 hit and 1 walk. There were a number of other outstanding pitchers given strong consideration for the award, including the Braves RHP Tucker Simpson and RHP Sean McLaughlin and Marucci’s LHP Kyle Twomey, RHP Dustin Cook and RHP Jacob Shempert, but Devall’s championship game performance tipped the scales in his favor.