Also
see: San Diego Show win Perfect Game/EvoShield National Upperclass Championships
PEORIA,
Ariz. - Mt. West 2013 held off a young and determined So Cal Bombers
2014 Red team 7-6 to win the 2011 Perfect Game/EvoShield National
Underclass Championship at the Peoria Sports Complex Monday
afternoon.
Comprised
of players from Utah, the Mt. West team featured very strong pitching
all week, but ran short of arms in the championship game and had to
use primary infielders for five of the game's seven innings. Because
of this, the team's hitters stepped to the forefront, especially the
middle of the order.
Catcher
Jake Druce (2013, Bingham High School, Utah) went 3-for-3 with two
runs scored. Catcher/left-fielder Bronson Larson (2013, Davis High
School, Fruit Heights, Utah) also went 3-for-3 with two runs scored,
driving in four of the team's seven runs, including one when he was
hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Right-handed pitcher/second
baseman Tanner Draper (2013, Riverton High School, Utah) went 2-for-4
with two run scoring singles.
Larson
had a big day overall, driving in a total of six runs between the
semi-finals and finals.
Mt.
West also got clutch pitching in the form of shortstop Brody Rich
(2013, Fremont High School, Utah) who came in to close off the
Bombers four-run rally in the bottom of the sixth inning and retired
the side in order in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win.
The
entire So Cal Bombers organization gained the respect of the Perfect
Game staff for their style of play and talent, as three Bombers teams
made the playoffs at the Underclass event, including the So Cal
Bombers 2013 Red, who lost to Team California/Arizona in the
quarter-finals, and the So Cal Bombers 2013 Black, who lost to Mt.
West in the semi-finals.
The
2014 Red team had a group of outstanding hitters that were also very
aggressive bunting and running the bases. Third baseman/shortstop
Mitch Kemp (2014, Temecula Valley High School, Calif.), outfielder
A.J. Sawyer (2014, Temecula Valley High School, Calif.), middle
infielder Josh Sabajan (2014, Downey High School, Calif.), catcher
Ryan Lillie (2014, Vista Murrieta High School, Calif.) and outfielder
Arturo Sanchez (2014, Pete Knight High School, Calif.) all showed
prospect-level tools during the tournament, and should form the
foundation of more outstanding So Cal Bomber teams in the future.
The
left-handed hitting Sanchez had a double and triple in the
championship game, while Kemp hit the ball hard during the entire
tournament, finishing 9-for-16 at the plate with five extra-base
hits. Sawyer collected eight hits, including four for extra bases,
and could have collected tournament MVP honors and a championship
trophy for the Bombers had his hard line drive to right field with
two runners on hadn't been caught in the fifth inning of the
championship game.
The
Most Valuable Player honor for the tournament went to Mt. West's
Draper, who was simply outstanding both on the mound and at the plate
during the entire event. The 6-foot-3, 170-pound right-hander also
threw a seven inning no-hitter in Pool Play, striking out 15 hitters,
and followed that up with six shutout innings in the semi-finals.
Draper worked in the 84-87 mph range with his fastball and spotted
both his fastball and upper-60's curveball with mature precision.
The
Most Valuable Pitcher honor went to Draper's teammate, 6-foot-6,
185-pound right-handed pitcher Brett Snyder (2013, Alta High School,
Utah), who threw a two-hit shutout in Mt. West's 3-0 win over the
Arizona Sabercats in the quarterfinals.
Be
sure to visit Perfect Game's event blogs for all of the action
leading up to the 2011 Perfect Game/EvoShield National Underclass
Championships.