13U Super25 National Championship Preview
The second year of our PG Super25 National Championships begins this weekend, with the first of nine age divisions scheduled to be played over the next month and a half. The 13U division will be held at the beautiful Jet Blue Park, spring training home of the Boston Red Sox, in Fort Myers, FL. After competing in the Home Run Derby and Fastest Man competitions on Friday night, all teams are set to begin pool play on Saturday, June 20th.
Click here to view the full tournament schedule. You can also follow each game with live, up to the minute stats and updates through GameChanger.
2014 13U Super25 Recap
Elite teams from all over the country gathered in McKinney, TX for the Inaugural 13U PG Super25 National Championship. While it was the first year of this new tournament series, many top organizations had goals of becoming the first ever PG Super25 13U National Champions.
Michael Helton, head coach of the LIDS Indiana Bulls Black, said, “The 13u PG Super25 National Championship was the strongest tournament of the 2014 season.”
Competition was fierce, but in the end, The PSA Sox Red out of Ridgeland, MS defeated the Dallas Tigers to earn the title of National Champions. PSA’s Austin Kelly was named the tournament MVP after blasting six home runs and closing out the championship game on the mound. Less than two weeks later, Kelly made history again when he committed to Mississippi State. The soon-to-be 8th grader was the Bulldogs’ youngest recruit in program history, which shows just how much talent was on display.
2015 Preview
The 13U Super25 will feature 25 teams that represent a total of 10 different states and Puerto Rico. These teams will battle it out in pool play for a spot in the 8-team, single elimination playoff bracket. The playoff semifinals will be held at Jet Blue Stadium, with the National Championship game scheduled for the newly renovated Hammond Stadium at CenturyLink Sports Complex (Twins).
What to Watch For: Pool A
- Pool A is headlined by the East Cobb Astros, a powerhouse program known throughout travel baseball for their 207 National Titles and countless MLB Alumni. Champions of the Southeast Super Qualifier, the Astros used their powerful offense to earn a berth to the Super25.
- Leading the charge for the Astros will be Shortstop Brendan York and Utility Player Spencer Keefe. York was unstoppable at the Southeast Super Qualifier, going an impressive 12-15 at the plate (.800 AVG), while Keefe hit .529 with four triples.
- Based out of Crown Point, IN, the Indiana Bulldogs, who earned their berth from the Midwest Super Qualifier, have proven that they know what it takes to win as a team. Over the past four and a half years, the Bulldogs have a cumulative record of 203-41-1.
- The Richmond Braves are a scrappy and tough club who recently won the Virginia State Championship. The Braves organization is known for being fundamentally sound and highly disciplined on the field.
- Coastal Regional Champions, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, and the FBH Angels from Lakeland, FL round out the teams in Pool A. The Angels are coming off a strong showing at the Florida State Regional.
What to Watch For: Pool B
- Nationally ranked Georgia Team Combat has earned high praise from various publications. At the Southeast Super Qualifier, Lucas Cook led the Combat offense hitting .615 with a double and two triples. Corey Collins was also impressive, hitting .533 with two triples and throwing his fastball up to 80 MPH.
- Champions of the Texas State Regional, the Texas Express boast a 35-12 record on the season with many impressive victories over in-state rivals.
- The Tri State Arsenal was the only organization to bring home two national championships in 2014, and this club will start their quest for Super25 Organization of the Year with the 13U team. This Arsenal team has a number of players who know what it takes to play on the big stage including Kai Cummings and Erik Lipson, who rose to fame in last year’s Little League World Series.
- While they are one of the newer programs in this year’s event, the SC Bulldogs out of Tennessee are a talented group with experience playing against older teams.
- Rounding out Pool B is the Florida Stealth, a perpetual competitor in PG Florida events that has shown well on a consistent basis.
What to Watch For: Pool C
- Team Select from Coral Springs, FL is making a name for themselves in 2015, being tabbed as one of the “Hottest Teams in the Country” and cracking the top ten of numerous national rankings. Since being formed in 2013, Select has won over 25 tournaments including victories over other contenders such as the East Cobb Astros.
- Representing the Mid-Atlantic Region, the GoWags Lumberkings earned their berth by running the gauntlet at a tough 13U Regional. Four Lumberkings players were named to the M-A Regional All-Tournament Team, incuding Pitcher Scotty McMannon and Catcher Donovan Ball.
- Dynasty Baseball earned their Super25 berth at the South Super Qualifier, where the team went a perfect 5-0. Dynasty’s athleticism and pitching make them a tough team to beat, as they only allowed 12 runs over the five game tournament.
- Representing Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Region is the newly formed Giants Baseball Club out of Guaynabo. They will be joined in Pool C by the SWFL Starz from the Florida State Regional.
What to Watch For: Pool D
- Legends Prospects from Middleton, MA has one of the most impressive resumes of teams in this year’s Super25 National event. Their undefeated run at the New England Regional was just a small part of the team’s 29 game winning streak earlier this season. With a record of 38-4, the Prospects 13U team is the first of many from their organization with hopes of a Super25 National Championship.
- At the Southeast Super Qualifier, Catcher Charlie Taylor had an incredible .765 On Base Percentage for Roadrunner Baseball. This Georgia based team has many other talented players, including OF Dalton Pearson, who hit .533 with a double and home run at the same event.
- Team Rawlings PBF from the Premier Baseball Facility in Tomball, TX earned their Super25 berth by winning the South Texas Regional Championship. While they are one of the newer clubs, PBF has proven they belong by knocking off other top Texas teams in the local events.
- Team Florida and Diamond Jacks Super 13 will also compete in Pool D. The Jacks travel program is based out of the nationally renowned Jack Cust Baseball Academy in New Jersey, while Team Florida represents the Florida State Region.
What to Watch For: Pool E
- The Central Jersey Warriors earned their Super25 berth by finishing in first place out of 35 teams in the Northeast Super Qualifier. The Warriors are loaded with talent up and down the lineup, as 9 of their players were named to the NESQ All-Tournament Team.
- Champions of the Florida State Regional, the Florida Burn Tampa has won over ten straight games against 13U competition. While they have a solid record of 31-17, it is even more impressive when you see the Burn has been playing up against 14U teams for the majority of the season.
- The nationally ranked Dallas Mustangs - Sumbler are representing North Texas in Pool E of the Super25 National Championship. Many MLB players, including 2014 American League Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber, are products of the Mustangs organization. While they still have a lot of time to develop, this team looks to follow in the footsteps of Kluber and other Mustangs Alumni such as Alex Bregman, the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s MLB draft.
- The 643 DP Cougars have emerged over the past few years as one of the top clubs in Georgia. At the Southeast Super Qualifier, Catcher Matthew Williams, who hit .583 with three doubles and a triple, led the Cougars offense. Also competing in Pool E, the Akadema Diamond Stars from Lewisville, NC are looking to win their fourth tournament championship of the 2015 season.
Social Media Updates
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