Undefeated in Babe Ruth tournament, team now heads to Iowa
The Cottonwood Valley League All-Stars 13-year-olds showed the rest of the state what Marion and Chase County ballplayers are made of, bringing home a state Babe Ruth championship Monday and heading to regional play.
The team was 3-0, the only undefeated team in the state tournament, when it faced Stevens County Monday afternoon at Ottawa for the championship trophy. CVL defeated Stevens County, 5-1.
Out of the gate at noon Friday, the all-stars played a strong offensive game, defeating Stevens County, 14-4, in five innings. CVL had 14 hits in four innings with Taylor Heidebrecht going 4-for-4 from the plate. Dylan Seacat pitched the entire game and was named most valuable player. Jacob Harper won the Wow award.
In game two Saturday evening, CVL played Cimmaron River All-Stars and displayed an impressive defensive game, winning, 8-2. Grif Case pitched the seven-inning game, giving up four hits and walking three batters. He was named MVP of the game. Zach Robson received the Wow award for a defensive play at second base.
Host Ottawa, the tournament favorite, did its best to give CVL its first loss Sunday evening, but CVL racked up another victory, 7-2. Austin Pedersen pitched five innings, and CVL took the lead, 5-2, in the fifth inning. Seacat closed the game. Bret Voth was 2-for-3 from the plate and scored two runs. Pedersen was named MVP. Luke Steele won the Wow award for a sliding catch against the dugout from third base.
In the championship game, CVL came out slow but finally got the bats going in the fourth inning. Case pitched the first five innings, giving up one run on three hits and took a 5-1 lead into the sixth inning. Seacat again closed the game. Pedersen and Heidebrecht were 2-for-3 from the plate. Case was named MVP. The Wow award was given to Steele for another defensive play at third base.
“CVL played outstanding defense throughout the state tournament,” manager Alex Case said.
The team gave up a total of nine runs and walked only eight batters throughout the tournament.
The double-elimination tournament saw eight teams compete for the right to travel to the Midwest Plains regional tournament this weekend in Burlington, Iowa. The Kansas champs will compete against Nebraska at 8 p.m. Saturday.
The winner of the regional tournament will head to the world series Aug. 22 through 29 in Murray, Utah.