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Team Georgia v Team Florida Recap

August 11, 2020
Phil Kerber
Georgia Scouting Director

 

Team Georgia finished off their 2020 PBR Future Games with a power matchup against another one of the most talent rich states in the country, Team Florida. Once again, the Georgia Boys used dominant pitching and an explosive offense to cap their weekend off with an 8-1 victory and a perfect 3-0 record.

Team Georgia saved the best for last on the mound, and they did not disappoint. RHP Luke Fernandez (West Forsyth, 2022) was handed the ball to start the game. Fernandez did what we have become accustomed to, pounded the zone with three pitches, generating weak contact and getting swing and misses regularly. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound right-hander has a strong build with wide shoulders and a wide lower half. His fastball sat 87-90, and mixed in a sharp curveball at 68-72 and a fading changeup at 74, both for strikes. Fernandez cruised through his three innings, facing the minimum in innings two and three. He struck out three batters, walked two, and scattered two hits in an impressive start.


The Georgia Boys struck first in the top of the fourth inning with two runs. C Jonathan Vigoa (Rome, 2022) led the inning off by reaching via error and OF Justin Thomas (Benedictine, 2022) followed up with a walk, setting the stage for SS/OF Chandler Pollard (Woodward Academy, 2022). Pollard whipped a ball into right field and wheeled around the bases for an RBI double to get Georgia on the board first. With men at the corners, 3B Tyler Triche (North Forsyth, 2022) skipped one to shortstop for a groundout, allowing another run to score.
The next arm to take the mound for Team Georgia was hands down the biggest winner of the entire event, RHP Manning West (Apalachee, 2022).West has a monstrous 6-foot-6, 225-pound frame with significant strength throughout and plenty more to come. The sky certainly is the limit for West given his framen and skill set. The imposing right-hander came out firing gas at 90-92. While low-90s is already hard to hit, West complemented it with a dominant slider at 76-79 that had opposing hitters fanning at it. In three shutout innings, he faced the minimum in two of his innings, compiling six strikeouts, one hitter batter, and scattering two hits.
While West was dealing on the mound with a 2-0 lead, Team Georgia broke the game open in the top of the sixth with six runs. OF Jaime Felix (Camden County, 2022) led things off with a solo home run, registering a 90 mph exit velocity, That was just the start of the hit parade. 1B Jay Murdock (Terrell Academy, 2022) followed up with a double to right field. MIF Tanner Knowles (Perry, 2022) wasted no time knocking him in with a single through the right-side. Next it was Cale Stricklin (North Oconee, 2023) with a single.
With Team Georgia now leading 4-0, the hottest bat at the event, Thomas, delivered his biggest hit of the weekend, a three run no doubter over the left field fence. Triche drove in the sixth and final run of the inning with a long sacrifice fly to center field.
3B/RHP Tai Peete (Trinity Chrisitan, 2023) entered to close out the win in the seventh and eighth innings. One of the most intriguing prospects physically on Team Georgia, standing a lean, athletic 6-foot-2, 170-pounds. Peete had already shown in his BP and in-game that he has a powerful left-handed swing. What he did on the mound will draw even more interest in him as a true two-way prospect. Using a short, quick arm, Peete worked his fastball up to 89 mph while mixing in an 11/5 curveball at 68-70 and a straight change at 78. In his two innings of work he collected two strikeouts, three walks and one hit, while allowing one run.
Offensive Leaders

OF Justin Thomas (Benedictine, 2022)
Stat Line: 1-for-1, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB

SS/OF Chandler Pollard (Woodward Academy, 2022)
Stat Line: 1-for-3, 2B, RBI

3B Tyler Triche (North Forsyth, 2022)
Stat Line: 0-for-1, 2 RBI, BB

OF Jamie Felix (Camden County, 2022)
Stat Line: 2-for-3, HR, RBI, R

1B Jay Murdock (Terrell Academy, 2022)
Stat Line: 2-for-3, 2 2B, R
MIF Tanner Knowles (Perry, 2022)
Stat Line: 2-for-3, 2 1B, RBI, R
3B Tai Peete (Trinity Christian, 2023)
Stat Line: 1-for-3, 3B
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