Kicking off with the 13u WWBA World Championship, the first thing to point out is the fact this was a wood bat tournament played on 60-90 fields and while the combo was a first for most, you wouldn't know it with their level of play throughout the weekend. In an unsurprising twist and a continuation of their 12u dominance, the 13u championship saw the #2 seeded Goldin Prospects lock horns with the top seeded Houston Wildcatters, aka the champion of the Beast of the East against the winner of the Best of the West. 



Of the 19 total starters between the two squads, 17 of them have worn the Select Festival uniform at least once in their young careers, setting the scene for a heavyweight bought that was a total of 19 runs scored, 28 total hits, and the Wildcatters ultimately coming out on top. 

It didn't take long for Goldin to make a mark on the game as they put up 5 runs quickly, taking advantage of a few self-inflicted base runners courtesy of the Wildcatters, with the first of Charley Flores's three hits and a timely double from Ian Gaillard mixed in to put up a crooked number. 

Both Gaillard, who finished with 4 RBI on the game, and Jacob Brown collected two hits apiece while Flores collected three hits, finishing with an eye-opening .636 average on the event. 

That first inning barrage was ultimately the bulk of what Goldin was able to get across the plate, threatening throughout, but only adding another run on the scoreboard in the 6th.

Flip to the other dugout and the Wildcatters immediately punched back in the bottom of the first, never succumbing to the early deficit, scoring 3 in the first, 2 in the second and another 3 in the third before adding another 3 in both the fifth and sixth innings to secure the title. 

Eventual MVP Jace Surface collected four hits in the game, two of which came in the first two innings with a single and double, putting a cherry on top of a performance that was outstanding throughout, capping the weekend with a .733/.765/1.831 slash, 11 hits (5 doubles) and 7 RBI while playing a clean shortstop up the middle. 

The offense was fast and furious for the Wildcatters as they received contributions from all parts of the line and saw 6 different players collected at least two hits - Rogelio Garcia, Taz Tulowitzki, Surface, Hardin Sullivan, Jaxon Spray and Cooper Thissen - while Garcia, Tulowitzki and Thissen finished with three knocks each. 

Brock Bliss got the start on the bump and settled in after a shaky top of the first, running his fastball up to 80 mph across his four innings, putting up 3 consecutive zeroes before giving way to Nathaniel Alaniz who finished the job. While the left-hander didn't run the fastball up like Bliss or the first two arms for Goldin (Jacob Eason and Blain Watson who both topped 83 mph), Alaniz once again delivered like few can at this age, relying on his movement and advanced secondary feel to weave his way through 3 innings of 2-hit baseball on just 35 pitches against one of the best offenses in the country. 

Despite both teams giving up a COMBINED 6 runs (!!!) up until the title game, you knew these offenses couldn't be held down for long as the talent in both dugouts was simple too overpowering. 

And in the end, it was the Wildcatters Elite 13u taking home the title, Jace Surface of the Wildcatters being named the MVP and Cade Cariker, one of the more explosive bats in the land, bringing back the MV-Pitcher honors to Oklahoma after a dominant outing against an ultra-talented JSM X National club.