FORT MYERS, Fla. – Any program that boast the likes of Madison Bumgarner, Corey and Kyle Seager, Wil Myers and Chris Archer as alumni will draw a target in any tournament they will enter. Regardless of the age group, the Dirtbags are an organization that expects all of their players who come through the program to play the game the right way and expect the best shot of every team to try and knock them off.
At the 13u BCS National Championship, Dirtbags Black 13u head coach Everett Hancock realizes it is a challenge for his kids at the stage of the game they are at, and their first game of the tournament was a prime example of that. The Dirtbags ran out to a 5-0 lead over the Texas Fire through three innings but allowed the Fire back into the contest before holding on to score a 5-4 victory.
“Scoring the runs early was nice, but we allowed them to get some momentum after we started walking guys and let them chip away,” Hancock said. “We needed to try and make 5-0 into 7-0 and we didn’t capitalize on adding on when we could. They’re young and a win is a win down here and it was good to start off on the right foot.”
In the first inning, the Dirtbags struck for two runs with Colby Thorndyke (2022, Lumberton, N.C.) driving in a run with an RBI double and Kaden Smith (2021, Reidsville, N.C.) bringing him into score on a groundout after Thorndyke stole third base.
Thorndyke was at it again in the third inning, lining a single to center scoring Max Gustafson (2022, Chapel Hill, N.C.) to make it a 3-0 Dirtbag advantage. The inning wasn’t over as Colin Wheeler (2022, Hamlet, N.C.) scored Thorndyke with a two-out single to right and SJ Harris (2021, Pikeville, N.C.) brought around Wheeler with another single through the right side to make it a 5-0 Dirtbag lead.
Dirtbag starter Jackson Ferris (2022, Mount Airy, N.C.) cruised through three innings on the mound, but a leadoff walk in the fourth on his 50th pitch of the game forced him from the hill to allow him to possibly return later in the tournament to throw.
Gustafson come on in relief and allowed the leadoff walk to come in on a sacrifice fly of the bat of the Fire’s Brandon Newton. Grayson Doggett (2022, Hutto, Tex.) would drop in a bloop single to right with two outs, scoring Chris Windisman (2022, Round Rock, Tex.) to draw the Fire to within 5-2.
In the fifth, the Fire would cut the margin to 5-4 after Thorndyke came on for relief for the Dirtbags and ran into trouble. With the bases loaded and one out, Blayne Fritcher (2021, Lexington, Texas) lined a ball into right field but the trail runner was forced out at second while a run came in. A balk was called on Thorndyke to allow the Fire to close within 5-4 before Thorndyke tagged the tying run attempting to score after he fielded a bunt for a hit attempt up the third base line to hold the lead.
Gustafson led off the bottom of the fifth with a single to left and moved up all the way to third with nobody out after a wild pitch and a stolen base.
Doggett, who had come on in relief for the Fire in the fourth, would retire the next three hitters to hold the margin at 5-4 as the Fire had their last chance in the sixth.
Thorndyke fired a clean 1-2-3 sixth getting a pair of groundouts and a popup to wrap up the Dirtbags opening victory.
“Having a lot of experience in these tournaments for so many years, the pitch guidelines force you into a decision or either letting your starter go or piece it together,” Hancock said. “We got Jackson out so he needs two days of rest and Max and Colby will need one day. It’s all a feel thing deciding how they look on the mound. You try to find a happy medium conserving pitchers and still trying to win the game.”
Hancock’s group is trying cap off their last tournament of this summer off strong. The Dirtbags at this age group has two teams, with the Dirtbags Black Camo club off in the Super25 National Championship running alongside the BCS National Championship.
“With this group, this group doesn’t get to practice a ton not being all locals. As they have become comfortable playing with each other, they’ve showed signs being really good and also signs that they’re still 13 year old. It’s a good group and this summer has been a productive one for them.”
At the end of the day on Tuesday the Dirtbags 13u Black had moved to 2-1 following a 9-8 loss to NW Futures later on Monday and a 3-1 win over Team Orlando Bolts on Tuesday, with three more pool play games to play.