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Tournaments  | Story | 7/22/2018

17u PGWS celebrates its final-4

Photo: Glenallen Hill Jr. (Bill Mitchell)

PEORIA, Ariz. – Just about everyone watching Sunday afternoon’s playoff quarterfinal-round games at the 17u Perfect Game World Series would have been in agreement that there was one monumental upset that pushed the No. 1 seed to the sidelines while allowing the No. 8 seed to advance.

Just don’t let Pleasanton, Calif.-based NorCal Baseball general manager/manager Rob Bruno hear any mention of “upset” when the conversation turns to his No. 8 NorCal 2019 team coming from behind to knock off No. 1 CBA Marucci, 6-4, in one of the quarters played on the Padres’ side of the Peoria Sports Complex.

“This was not an upset to our team. We feel we’re the best team here and we really don’t care who we play,” Bruno told PG Sunday. “I know that everybody (knows about) CBA and they’ve had success but we felt we were the better team coming in.”

Regardless of anyone’s opinion on who was the better team, NorCal 2019 (5-1-0) used the win to advance to Monday’s 17u PGWS final-four. It will face the No. 4 Playa Vista Orioles (5-1-0) out of Los Angeles in one of the semifinals at 8 a.m. (PDT) on the Mariners’ side of the PSC.

No. 6 USA Prime Elite 17u Gowins (5-1-0) from Carrollton, Texas, faces the No. 2 Trosky National Team 17u (4-1-0) out of Los Angeles in the other semifinal, also at 8 a.m. on the Mariners’ side. The championship game is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the PSC Stadium.

Temecula, Calif.-based CBA Marucci (4-1-0) had displayed such dominance in reaching the quarterfinals that it looked unbeatable. It earned the No. 1 seed by outscoring its four pool-play opponents by a combined 41-1.

The Maruccis arrived in the desert with a roster that included many players who were a part of the CBA Marucci National team that was co-champs at the PG 17u WWBA National Championship a month ago over in Georgia.

The CBA Marucci coaching staff led by CBA program director/manager Jon Paino came into the 17u PGWS knowing he had a special group, consisting of players that had come up through CBA’s youth programs and regional teams.

Paino said their play coming into the quarterfinal contest had exceeded his expectations as the coach but probably had not exceeded the expectations the players had for themselves.

“It’s been fun,” he added. “We get to come out here and play against some really good teams (and) really good competition in front of all kinds of professional scouts and college guys. It’s just been a lot of fun.”

The quarterfinal against NorCal 2019 started out being pretty fun, too, with CBA leading 1-0 after two innings and 4-1 after four. NorCal plated a run in the top of the fifth to make it 4-2 and that’s where it stood heading into the top of the seventh.

Brock Jones smacked a one-out single to get the rally started, and three straight walks forced in a run to make it 4-3. Up stepped top 2019 middle-infielder Glenallen Hill Jr, who delivered a two-out triple that cleared the bases and put NorCal up for good at 6-4.

Bruno described the players rostered on this NorCal 2019 team as a “very close group” that has been together for the last three years. He said they have made bonds and friendships that will last for a lifetime and have shown that they are willing to go out of their way to play for one another and not themselves. Teams like that have a track record of winning championships.

“This team is run by the players, not the coaches,” he said. “It’s a culture fostered by some guys like Bill Bartlett, (Glenallen) Hill, Brock Jones. These kids are special human beings and I really attribute it to the leadership of those kids and some others; they’ll never quit.”

Hill Jr. is the son of a former big-leaguer by the same name and is ranked 112th nationally; he’s committed to Arizona State. William Bartlett is a 2019 top-500 uncommitted catcher/first baseman and Jones is an uncommitted 2019 outfielder/first baseman/left-hander who is ranked 89th.

Heading into the semis, Bartlett, Ethan Cloyd and Brady Hormel each have six hits: Cloyd has three doubles and three RBI, Bartlett two doubles and five runs scored and Hormel a double, three RBI and three runs. Nick Vogt has five hits, including a double and a triple, with three RBI and four runs; Carter Benbrook has five hits with two doubles and five RBI.

“We expected to win this tournament,” Bruno said. “I know we’re still just going into the semifinals but this is the tightest group of players that I’ve had in 26 years. They’re special character kids who compare very favorably to my class of 2005 that had six major-leaguers.”

Bruno said NorCal is going to send 2019 top-500 left-hander Peter Hansen – a Texas commit – out to the mound for Monday's semifinal matchup with the Playa Vista Orioles. The NorCal 2019s seem to have plenty of options with 13 top-500s – including the No. 89 Jones, No. 91 Joseph King (Washington State), and the No. 112 Hill Jr – on the roster; 11 NorCal prospects have committed to NCAA Division I schools.



Tournaments | Story | 12/16/2025

16u Tourney All-American Team

AJ Denny
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Hitter of the Year: Koa Romero is the Hitter of the Year for the 16u group, as he would come to every premier event of the summer and earn All-Tournament honors (Beast of the East, 16/17u WWBA, Jupiter) in every single one. Over 82 plate appearances, Romero would pump ten homeruns with forty two RBI and sixteen walks, good for a .378 average and 1.339 OPS. The performance on volume at the best events of the year pushed Romero over the edge here, as he’d hit a pair of homeruns in Jupiter (one of them at 112 EV) as an underclassmen and collect double digit hits in BOTH WWBA events with a combined six jacks over the two tournaments. It was a summer that combined performance and winning on the biggest stages for Romero. It’s a quiet left-handed swing that packs a punch. He would reap the benefits of his performances, earning a commitment to LSU and jumping to the #74 prospect in...
College | Recruiting | 12/15/2025

Recruiting Notebook: December 15

John McAdams
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Tucker Rice (27 MS) bumping up to 91; living hi-80s from real fast arm. Good SL @ 77-79 w/ depth & sold w/ intent. Loads of traits & strikes. #WWBA @PG_Uncommitted @PG_DeepSouth pic.twitter.com/DEjFqRcsIY — Perfect Game Scout (@PG_Scouting) July 6, 2025 Tucker Rice, RHP, Class of 2027 Commitment: Alabama Alabama has continued to stay red hot in the recruiting trail ever since August 1st rolled around on the calendar and have continued to stack major pieces in their ’27 class. They dip into Mississippi to land one of the premier arms and one that’s stood out on the circuit for quite some time. It’s a fast arm and the athleticism certainly shines working down the slope. The velocity has continued to tick up over the last calendar year and reached into the low-90s towards the end of the summer. He’s confident in his changeup and the breaking ball is...
Tournaments | Story | 12/15/2025

17u Tourney All-American Team

Vincent Cervino
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There’s a lot of talent throughout this 2026 class, filled with the big-name stars, to talent that spreads across the nation. It’s been a lot of fun seeing these prospects grow and develop over the years, from the days of watching some of these guys at the 13/14u days at events on the circuit, to now where they are all graduating seniors in 2026. There’s been new faces who have popped along the way over the years, even in 2026, where some players who were relatively undiscovered, have come out and made a name for themselves with a statement performance. Between the familiar and the new, there’s a lot of names on this list that are going to be quite regularly talked about on the circuit, and for good reason.  Whether it’s PG All-Americans or not, there’s a lot of names with superstar potential at the next level. We’ve got 14 PG All-Americans...
Tournaments | Story | 12/13/2025

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Tyler Russo
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028 These guys might just be entering high school, but they've certainly already made a name for themselves on the national circuit, especially with their abilities on the defensive side of things.  C: Xavier Rodriguez (Logansville, GA) Rodriguez is a polished defender with real arm strength behind the dish, while showcasing the ability to impact the baseball with authority to all fields evident by thirty of his sixty-five hits going for extra-bases including seven bombs. He handles high-level pitching extremely well, commands his staff and his offensive prowess makes him a true two-way asset. 1B: Cooper Knight (Buda, TX) Knight is a smooth operator at first base with plenty of range, fluidity and agility in his footwork around the bag. Add-in a rocket for an arm, the ability to change slots and to...
Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Scout Stories: Part 5

AJ Denny
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Best Game I Saw: The Dream NTL 18U vs. MBA Scout Team Murphy Jupiter always brings out the best, and we got fireworks from the jump. Turner Marshall gave The Dream an outstanding 4+ innings of work on the mound, holding a lethal MBA team at bay with Chance Dixon, Derrick Carter, and Ellis Appling providing an offensive spark out of the gate for the Georgia based boys. However, it was only a matter of time before the talent on the other side got going, as MBA erased a 3-run deficit in the 5th to take a 4-3 lead led by a Parker Loew HR. The Dream then took command again in the Top of the 6th, before MBA punched right back with a huge 5-run inning in the bottom half capped off by a clutch RBI single from Matthew Kerrigan, ending a wild sequence with tons of notable performances from two very competitive rosters. Best Tournament Performance I Saw: Surely someone has already brought this...
College | Story | 12/12/2025

College Notebook: December 12

Craig Cozart
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Nebraska Cornhuskers 2025 Highlights: The Cornhuskers were a difficult team to figure in ’25 as they finished with 33 wins, played just .500 (15-15) in the Big Ten but had some big wins at various times during the season and got hot at the right time. They knocked off then #16 Vanderbilt in the second game of the year, beat #5 Oregon State 2-out-of-3 at home in late March and then got hot at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha to win the Big Ten Tournament. They beat Michigan State in a 10-inning thriller before taking care of #4 Oregon, knocking off Penn State and then shutout #13 UCLA to punch their ticket to the Chapel Hill Regional. Head coach Will Bolt has now led his alma mater to three conference titles and three NCAA Regional appearances during his six years in Lincoln. No different than when he was a player, Bolt’s teams play with passion and toughness, this was never more...
Tournaments | Story | 12/12/2025

Finest in the Field: Class of 2028

Troy Sutherland
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Finest in the Field: Class of 2026 | Class of 2027 You like athletes? You like defenders who can impact a game at any given point? Look not further than this class as it's loaded from coast-to-coast with elite defenders all over the diamond.  C: Brogan Witcher, Bakersfield, CA Our scouting staff got several strong looks at Witcher whether that was at the Summer Kickoff, Sophomore National or the Underclass All American Games where he showcased his strong overall skillset and especially his advanced ability behind the plate. His 6-foot-3,180 pound build looks like one that will fill in quite nicely and be that big and physical catcher’s frame. His arm talent is undeniable where he gets it out quick and runs it up to 79 mph on throwdowns to 2nd (1.84 pop). Besides the standout catch/throw ability, we’ve seen him frame/receive strong arms and block it well during...
Softball | Softball Tournament | 12/11/2025

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Dave Durbala
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BURLINGTON, IA - 2025 Perfect Game Softball Toys 4 Tots Fundraiser One Day, December 7, 2025. Kicking off the holiday season, six teams participated in this one day, 3 game guarantee tournament in the 18u Division. We would like to thank those that donated a toy, and know that they will be distributed to area underprivileged children through a local charity organization. Following are some of the top performers from the weekend. Earning Tournament MV-Pitcher was Jolee Strohmeyer (2026 Dubuque, IA), a RHP/UTIL with tournament champion Lady Expos Blue. Strohmeyer shows hitters a consistent and repeatable motion and delivery with good use of the legs in the drive phase, and a quick and aggressive arm whip. Working with a six pitch mix of fastball, change-up, rise, drop, curve and screw, Strohmeyer topped out at 60 mph, and showed good movement  as she worked her rise and curve just out...
Tournaments | Story | 12/11/2025

Scout Stories: Part 4

Tyler Henninger
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Scout Notes: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 Best Game I Saw: Hudson Reed (‘26, GA) torches this ball to deep CF for a solo 💣. Generates easy power that plays to the big part of the yard. Middle of the order traits #UBCWest @PG_Georgia @PG_Uncommitted pic.twitter.com/UXqDVFmUBx — Perfect Game California (@California_PG) June 18, 2025 I was fortunate enough to see a lot of highly competitive games with loads of talent on the field, the game that sticks out to me the most was Alpha Prime 2026 vs. ZT National Prospects at the UBC West. The game was an efficiently played affair with arms dominating on both sides. Graham Schlicht was masterful for Alpha, striking out 12 hitters over 5 dominant innings. PG All-American Julian Cazares came out of the pen blowing smoke, touching 97 mph with the fastball. On the other side, Jake Carbaugh surrendered just one hit and...
Press Release | Press Release | 12/11/2025

PG Believe In Baseball Announces Awards Dinner

Perfect Game Staff
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    667 Progress Way | Sanford, FL 32771 | 319-298-2923 www.perfectgame.org | facebook.com/perfectgameusa | @PerfectGameUSA     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   THE PERFECT GAME BELIEVE IN BASEBALL FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES DETAILS FOR FIRST ANNUAL “IN THE SPIRIT OF THE GAME” AWARDS DINNER AND AUCTION   Los Angeles, California (Thursday, December 11, 2025) – The Perfect Game Believe in Baseball Foundation, together with Perfect Game leadership of Chairman Rick Thurman and CEO Rob Ponger, has announced the inaugural “In the Spirit of the Game” event, an evening of baseball and laughter, taking place Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the iconic Laugh Factory in Hollywood, Calif. The evening supports the Foundation’s mission to provide financial assistance and resources that allow deserving young athletes to play, learn and grow through the...
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