Florence, AL.  The top ranked Team Alabama (part of the Bases Loaded program from Birmingham, AL that produced last year's TBS National 14U Championship Team) was paired up in a Pool Play game against the late entry Georgia Prospects. The two teams had squared off the week before and the end results were similar with TA mercy-ruling the Prospects from GA by a score of 9-1.

In the past these two teams have been interstate rivals but wearing different color uniforms with different names on the front. Georgia Prospects have many players from the Atlanta Monarchs while the boys from Alabama have many of the players from the RCBC Stingers 13U team. Even though the names have changed, the competition was just as fierce -- the game was closer than the score would indicate.

After four innings, Bases Loaded lead 4-0 with efficient production of its hits and base runners. The Prospects wanting to save its pitching for Sunday rotated out its first dominating pitcher after a couple of innings; whereas, Team Alabama stuck with its starting pitcher, Tripp Hobbs, for the entire game. Tripp, an efficient southpaw pitcher, relied on his defense to make the plays to keep the Prospects scoreless through five innings. Adam Brown was the difference maker with several assists from third. In the sixth inning, Hobbs got out of a jam with a line drive double play by short stop Taylor Propst.

Offensively, Team AL was lead by Daniel Robert, Brandon Bilek, Austin Sanders, and Jordan Cole who each collected two hits.

As a result of this strong outing and another Pool Play win, the BL Team Alabama had the top seed going into Championship Play. But similar to the TN East Super NIT the weekend before, this tournament was rain shortened. As a result, Team Alabama finished the tournament as the Champions. Alabama Seminoles finished second and the BL Bombers finished third (based on the fact they could choose the best results from three Pool Play games in which they went 2-1). The Bombers accepted the bid to play in the Elite 32 as Team Alabama had already qualified and the Alabama Seminoles turned down the offer.

Congratulations to all three Alabama teams and good luck at Disney.

Note: TBS All-America Players Victor Cole and Jackson Stephens along with TBS Players to Watch Justin Patterson and Dathan Prewitt will be joining Team Alabama over Memorial Day weekend as high school ball concludes in Alabama and Tennessee.

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