PBR Junior Future Games: Day 2
August 1, 2020
Day 2 of the PBR Junior Future Games has concluded at LakePoint Sports Complex and we got you covered with full recaps of each game. Based on how each team performed on Day 1, they were reseeded into either the Gold Open or the Silver Open Pools with two other teams. All three of our Junior Future Games teams won their first games in different fashions. 14U (2) was reseeded to the Gold Open while the 14U and 13U teams were placed in the Silver Open of their respected age groups.
Now that each team has completed their second round of pool play games, let's take a look at recaps and top performers from each games.
Team Alabama 14U
Game 1
Team Alabama 14U opened up their pool play with a big over PBR Pacific Northwest at 9:00 AM. The bats were ready to go, as they scored 12 runs. One bat that really stood out during Game 1 was '24 3B/RHP Jackson Hunter (Hazel Green). Came up with the bases loaded in the middle innings and lined a pull-side 2 RBI double to give Team Alabama the lead.
Big inning here for #TeamAlabama 14U, highlighted by this swing from ‘24 SS/RHP Jackson Hunter (@JacksonHunter34; @HGHS_Baseball). Laces a 3-1 fastball to the pull-side gap for a 2 RBI double to give us the 7-4 lead over PBR Pacific Northwest. #JFG2020 | @KNIGHTS_BASEBTN pic.twitter.com/78Xvl5qR6y
— PBR Alabama (@PBR_Alabama) July 31, 2020
The offense continued to swing it well into the later innings and would go on to win the contest by score of 12-6.
Game 2
With a possible trip to the semifinals in the Silver Open on the line, Team Alabama 14U faced off against PBR Tennessee at 11:15 AM. It was a very well-played game on both sides. Team Alabama loaded the bases three times in the contest but could not cash in. '24 OF Ty Burkes (Bibb County) had two hits, '24 3B/RHP Jackson Hunter (Hazel Green) added another hit, '24 SS/2B Nicholas Sharp (Madison County) singled to LF and '24 2B Joel Cordero (Russell County) also had a base hit up the middle. PBR Tennessee would go on to win 8-1.
Team Alabama 14U (2)
Game 1
After being seeded into the Gold Open, Team Alabama 14U (2) found themselves paired up with PBR Oklahoma and PBR Mid-Atlantic in Pool 2. In Game 1 vs. Oklahoma, the offense really came to play. '24 3B/RHP Braden Booth (Bob Jones) had a very good day offensively, including this single to RF that you can see below.
‘24 3B/RHP Braden Booth (@BJHSBaseball) shoots a + count fastball to RF for a base hit in Game 1 of the Gold Open. #JFG2020 pic.twitter.com/xbo2MeAtCo
— PBR Alabama (@PBR_Alabama) July 31, 2020
'24 SS/RHP Matthew Cash (Bibb County) put some good swings on balls today, as he flipped a RBI single to the back-side gap to score two runs during Game 1.
#TeamAlabama 14U (2) puts up a 4 spot on the board in the 4th with a run coming off this RBI single by ‘24 SS/RHP Matthew Cash (@mcash_2; @bibb_co). Up 8-2 to the bottom of the 4th.#JFG2020 pic.twitter.com/oiIhuot7di
— PBR Alabama (@PBR_Alabama) July 31, 2020
'24 SS/RHP Anthony Messina (Northridge) was a game-changer both on the mound and at the plate this week. On the mound, he pounds to zone with a good fastball and pairs it with a big, late breaking curveball and a changeup. Came in relief this game and held the Oklahoma offense at bay.
Pitching, defense, and timely-hitting would be enough for Team Alabama (2) to win their first pool play game in the Gold Open by score of 9-5.
Game 2
With a trip to the semifinals on the line in the Gold Open, Team Alabama 14U (2) needed to beat PBR Mid-Atlantic to win their pool and reach the semifinals. Unfortunately, the PBR Mid-Atlantic offense proved to be too much late in the game, as they would go on to win the pool and the game 4-1.
'24 C/RHP Camden West (Mary G. Montgomery) turned in a very strong performance on the mound, as he held the Mid-Atlantic offense to just one hit and zero runs through four innings of play. '24 SS/RHP Anthony Messina (Northridge) provided the only offense of the game for Team Alabama 14U (2) with a RBI single to RF to give Alabama the early 1-0 lead.
Team Alabama 13U
Game 1
In Team Alabama 13U's first game of the Silver Open, they opened up with a big come from behind win vs. PBR Indiana in the last inning. With the bases loaded, '25 SS Charlie Cassingham (Grissom) flicked a ball into the RCF gap for a 2 RBI double to tie the game at 7-7.
#TeamAlabama 13U starting to break into that Indiana lead here in the 5th. ‘25 SS/RHP Charlie Cassingham (@CharlieCassing2; @GHSBaseballFans) flicks a 2 RBI double into the pull-side gap to make it 6-5 Indiana.#JFG2020 pic.twitter.com/mchULFU2hv
— PBR Alabama (@PBR_Alabama) July 31, 2020
Right behind him, '25 2B Davis Parker (Madison Academy) battled to 2-strikes and did an impressive job handling a pitch up & out of the strike zone to single up the middle and bring home Cassingham from scoring position.
‘25 2B/SS Davis Parker (@MAMustangsBB) just continues to get big hits with runners on base. Battles with 2-strikes, then handles a pitch out of the zone and shoot it up the middle to give #TeamAlabama 13U an 8-7 lead over Indiana.#JFG2020 pic.twitter.com/tzl54UEqml
— PBR Alabama (@PBR_Alabama) July 31, 2020
Game 2
The second game of pool play saw Team Alabama matched up with PBR Oklahoma, who defeated the 13's by score of 11-5 in the nightcap. Credit to the Oklahoma offense, as they handled the bat very well and pulled away late in the game. '25 1B/3B Caiden Combs (Gardendale) got Alabama on the board early with a deep sac-fly to the LCF gap to score the runner from 1st.
‘25 1B/3B Caiden Combs (@CaidenCombs1; @GdaleHSBaseball) puts #TeamAlabama 13U on the board with this deep sac-fly to the LCF gap. A physical presence in the box, posted a 95 mph exit velo during the workout.#JFG2020 pic.twitter.com/pHPxKjFWZ5
— PBR Alabama (@PBR_Alabama) August 1, 2020
Team Alabama 13U went on to finish with a 1-1 record in the Silver Open against some very tough competition.
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