EMERSON,
Ga. – Team Elite Prime 18u used a five-run first inning to cruise
to a 11-2 win over Team GA 17u Elite to win the 2015 WWBA National
Qualifier. With the win Team Elite Prime earns a paid invitation to
the 2015 WWBA World Championship held in Jupiter, Fla. in late
October.
Team
Elite moved to 7-0 in their perfect tournament run, out-scoring their
opponents 71-8, which included a big 16-0 win in the semifinals
earlier on Sunday to advance to the title game.
In
the championship game Tyrik Jones provided one of the bigger
offensive performances, going 1-for-1 with a pair of runs scored and
a big three-run triple in Team Elite's five-run sixth inning that put
the game well out of reach. Three walks by Cole Zabowski led to three
runs scored, and PG All-American Luke Berryhill went 1-for-2 in the
title game with a pair of walks, a pair of runs scored and an RBI.
Wesley Brooks also drove in three runs in the championship game, hitting a
two-run single in the first and driving in a third on a bases-loaded
walk later in the game.
Luke
Corbin, Spencer Piela and Joshua Drexler combined on the mound to
allow only two runs on four base hits in Team Elite's win.
Georgia
commit Cam Shepherd, who went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in
the championship game, was named the event's Most Valuable Player.
Shepherd batted .550 (11-for-20) with a double, a home run, five RBI
and eight runs scored.
Team
Elite Prime 18u knocked off Eite Baseball Training Premier 18u in the
semifinals, 16-0. Team Elite scored five runs in the first and 10
runs in the top of the sixth that ended the game. While nearly every
member in the Team Elite lineup had a big day at the plate, cleanup
hitter Pete Derkay posted two's across the board by going 2-for-2
with a triple, two runs, two RBI and two walks.
Andrew
Schultz was dominant on the mound in this game, striking out 12 in
his five shutout innings, and as a result was named the event's Most
Valuable Pitcher.
To
get to the championship game Team GA 17u Elite knocked off the East
Cobb Astros Scout Team 7-5 in the other semifinal matchup. Outfielder Bo Majkowski – who was named the Most Valuable Player at last
weekend's WWBA Southeast Qualifier #2 – had a big day at the plate,
going 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, a pair of stolen bases, one RBI
and three runs scored.
It
was the second weekend in a row that Team GA 17u Elite (5-1) finished
a WWBA qualifying event as the runner-up.
2015
WWBA National Qualifier runner-up: Team GA 17u Elite
2015
WWBA National Qualifier MVP: Cam Shepherd
2015
WWBA National Qualifier MV-Pitcher: Andrew Schultz
