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Tournaments  | Story  | 7/10/2021

5 Star Dobbs Doesn't Mind Target on Back

Sam Warren     
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."
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