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Sandy Plains Wildcats vs |
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14U East Cobb Braves |
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Game Played 6/12/2009 6:00PM
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BRAVES DOMINATE WILDCATS 9-4 ON NEUTRAL GROUND
UPDATED 14 June 2009
The Braves traveled to the neutral ground of Walton High School this evening for the perfect storm, both literally and figuratively. Playing in the second round of the championship brackets in the USSSA Georgia Major State Championship, tonight's game featured the Week 9 TravelBallSelect #1 Ranked East Cobb Braves versus the Week 9 TravelBallSelect #2 Ranked Sandy Plains Wildcats. And, after the rains passed, the lightning subsided, and all of the outs were recorded, this complete seven inning contest left no doubt that the Braves are the superior team.
Offensively, the Braves once again out-hit the Wildcats, this time by the talley of 9-4. We started our punishment of the Wildcats' defense right from the start, converting two lead-off walks (by #5 Hunter Swilling and #33 Stephen Wrenn) and a rocket-shot single off the bat of #10 John Davis into 3 quick runs. With no outs in the top of the opening inning and the based loaded, our clean-up hitter, #2 Sam Ayers, blasted a 2-RBI DOUBLE into the left field corner to score Swilling and Wrenn. Then, with 1 out, #8 Patrick Schultz jacked a sacrifice fly to right field to score Davis on the tag-up from third base. After a quiet second inning, #10 John Davis reached on a throwing error by the Wildcats' third baseman and later scored on an RBI-DOUBLE launched past the Wildcats' third baseman and into the left field corner by #22 Jon Jon Banks. Prior to Banks' at-bat, #2 Sam Ayers stroked one of his "signature singles" to the right field gap and moved to third base on Banks' double. Ayers then scored on a passed ball. After a quiet fourth inning, #10 John Davis stayed hot in the top of the fifth inning with the BLAST OF THE GAME, a leadoff DOUBLE that sent the Wildcats' centerfielder racing all the way to the fence. #2 Sam Ayers then poked a ball to the right side to move Davis to third base, and #22 Jon Jon Banks then launched a sacrifice fly to right field to score Davis once again on the tag-up. After a quiet sixth inning (recognize the pattern here?), the Braves sealed the deal in the top of the seventh and final frame with 3 more runs. The inning featured two DOUBLES by #5 Hunter Swilling and #10 John Davis, and two singles by #33 Stephen Wrenn and #2 Sam Ayers. Davis finished the day with a perfect 1000 On-Base Percentage, going 3 for 4 with 2 DOUBLES and scoring 4 runs. Ayers also turned in a 3 for 4 effort with 1 DOUBLE, 1 run, and 2 RBI's.
Defensively, the Braves 3-man pitching staff dominated the Wildcats' hitters, allowing 0 earned runs on just 4 hits. #5 Hunter Swilling got his second start on the hill and pitched very well through five innings, giving up 0 earned runs on 2 hits and 4 walks with 2 strike outs. #1 Nick Sexton then provided excellent middle inning relief, facing the heart of the Wildcat's lineup in the bottom of the sixth inning and recording a pair of strike outs as the Cats mounted a brief comeback. Then, our Closer, #16 Nathaniel Maggio, was called upon to record the final 4 outs, which came via two strike outs and two ground outs. In the middle infield, #5 Hunter Swilling and #2 Sam Ayers turned two 6-4-3 double plays to break the backs of the Wildcats. And, #8 Patrick Schultz made an ESPN Top Ten diving play in left field on a fly ball that was tailing away from him towards the line.
The lopsided victory gives the Braves a 3-0-1 record against the Wildcats and advances us into the Winner's Bracket Semi-Final at Pope High School, another neutral ground, tomorrow night.
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