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Bagwell Bombers Near Perfect Season

PERRY’S 6 RBI LIFT PHILLIES; BRAVES HOLD OFF REDS

Chris Hoffman/Highlands Today

Trey Perry is mobbed at home plate after slugging a three-run homer on Tuesday in the second inning to help the Phillies advance to the championship game with a 19-8 win over the Royals in the opening round of the Dixie Youth Majors (ages 11-12) city tournament at Durrah Martin Sports Complex.

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By Christopher  Hoffman | Highlands Today

Published: May 28, 2008

AVON PARK MAJORS CITY TOURNAMENT
Championship Final
WHO: Bagwell Bomber Phillies vs. Bill Jarrett Ford Braves
WHEN: Today at 6 p.m.

AVON PARK — Trey Perry drove in six runs — including a three-run homer in the second inning — to lift the Bagwell Bomber Phillies to a 19-8 five-inning victory over the Laye's Tire Service Royals in the opening round of the Dixie Youth Majors (ages 11-12) city tournament at Durrah Martin Sports Complex on Tuesday.

The Phillies, who ended the regular season undefeated, have a chance to go for the perfect season against the Bill Jarrett Ford Braves in the championship final today.

"Our main goal is to finish what we started," said Phillies head coach Willie Perry. "Going undefeated in the regular season and then losing in the tournament would really sour all that we've done up to that point."

Trey Perry also threw three scoreless innings, as his Phillies amassed a 10-0 lead after two innings, allowing just two walks and four base runners during his time on the mound.

The Royals wouldn't go away quietly, as the scrappy team scored six runs in the fourth to cut the lead to 10-6.

Bree Fatheree led the way with a two-run single that plated catcher Kage McHargue and Kyle Thompson, followed by runs scored by Dillon Whitman, Bobby Pough and Alex Spurlock to trim the Phillies advantage.

"We showed a lot of heart by coming back the way we did," said Royals coach Jamie Thompson. "It was amazing in a sense that we played with eight kids for most of the game.

"The Phillies are a tough team and for us to score six in one inning against them says a lot about our team. I'm really proud of our kids."

The Royals were down a man for most the game when right fielder Stephen Waldron was hit by a pitch in the hand in the second inning that immediately began to swell.

After a few minutes, Waldron continued his at-bat and drew a walk, but was forced to leave the game after the inning to ice down the swollen area of his hand.

"I was hit in the eye once with a ball," Waldron said in the dugout. "This hurts a lot worse than that."
Waldron amazed everyone when he sucked up the pain and asked if he could go back into the field in the fourth inning. The gritty Waldron manned his area of real estate in right field.

"I'm pretty sure [his thumb] is broken," said Royals coach and father Bubba Waldron. "He's a tough kid."

The Royals scored two more in the fifth on runs by Thompson and Fatheree to cut the lead to seven, but the Phillies responded with a four-run fifth to end the game.

After the celebration, Tyrone Perry was told that he was going to get the ball in the championship game — an honor he doesn't take lightly.

"I'm really excited to be pitching on Thursday," Tyrone said. "We've all been working really hard to go undefeated and it's all going to come down to this. I'm up for the challenge."

Tyrone Perry has one of the best young arms in area and Coach Perry is happy to have his ace on the mound.

"Tyrone's fast ball is one of the best you'll see from a kid his age," Coach Perry said. "It's going to be nice to see him in his element with the championship on the line."

The Phillies offense has been potent all season and against the Royals, they scored early and often.
With Markie Devlin and Tyrone Perry on base in the first, Trey Perry smacked a two-run single into centerfield and reached third on a bad pick-off throw to first by the Royals.

Moments later, a single into the gap in center by Mykel Gordon scored Trey from third and Javionne Flore doubled to right to plate a run and scored on consecutive wild pitches to increase the lead to 5-0.

In the second, Devlin and Tyrone Perry reached base on a single and double, respectively that set up Trey Perry's three-run bomb over the left field fence. Gordon doubled and scored on a fielding error by the Royals and Flore plated Jeremy Etheridge with a seeing-eye single into center for the 10-run advantage.

Braves 9, Reds 8
AVON PARK — Kyle Kelley pitched 5 1/3 innings of solid ball as the Bill Jarrett Ford Braves held off a late rally by Long's Air Conditioning, Inc. Reds to win 9-8 in the opening round of the Dixie Youth Majors (ages 11-12) city tournament at Durrah Martin Sports Complex on Tuesday.

With the win, the Braves will face the Phillies in the championship final on Thursday at 6 p.m.
The Braves used a six-run third to take a 6-4 lead and increased the advantage to five runs heading into the sixth, where the Reds mounted a comeback.

Hunter Massey got the ball rolling by reaching first on a fielding error by the Braves and a double by Brandon Teagle put runners at second and third.

Back-to-back walks by Kenny McGrath and Ryan Dick plated the first run and another Braves error allowed Teagle to score. A hard-hit single into right by Gage Massey scored two runs to get the Reds to within one but the Braves got a strike out to get out of the jam.

"We just kept believing that we could come back," Kelley said. "It was tough pitching early in the game, but I had faith in my teammates and they came through for me tonight."

On the prospect of facing the Phillies for the championship, Kelley was gracious to his upcoming opponents.

"The Phillies are a strong team," Kelley said. "They're the most complete team, and we're going to have to play our perfect game if we're going to bring home the championship."

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