14u Missouri State Tournament

JCBI 14U took second place this weekend in the Missouri State Tournament in Kansas City, Missouri.  It’s one of those stories and tournaments you had to be there to fully appreciate.  20th seed going into bracket play, but all the boys stepped up, defeating their opponents one by one, until the championship game, which was an amazing game and a story in and of itself. In a 10-0 come from behind in the third catch up, the team was winning for a good part of the game, but in the end, with bases loaded, JCBI fell to the Blue Soxs 16-14.

This showing is the farest any team has gone in the JCBI program — and is an idication of a growing program that’s working. Congratulations to the team and the parents.  Well done!

Tournament Summary:
Last weekend JCBI participated in the USSSA Missouri State in Kansas City along with 35 additional teams throughout Missouri.  JCBI went 5-3 overall all in the tournament, a 20th seed going into bracket play and managed a 2nd place finish overall.

In pool play, JCBI beat the Bobcats 6-1. Cameron Carroll pitched the full game getting the win, with Sam Atkinson and Rylie Klosterman leading the charge for JCBI, each going 2-3 with 2 RBI’s each.  Games 2 and 3 were both losers, first 4-2 against Millhouse Lightening and then 10-2 against the Mexico Select.

Going into Saturday’s bracket play, JCBI a 20th seed, defeated the Mexico Select (13th) 11-8.  Austin Kneeskern picked up the win, while Carroll went 4-4 and Scott Stegeman went 3-4 with 2 RBI’s each.  Alex Johnson went 3-3 with a RBI.  In game 5 JCBI defeated the 4th ranked Crossfire 11-0. Steven Coots picked up the win, with Coots and Klosterman pitching a combined 4 hit shutout.  Carroll went 3-3 with an RBI while Stegeman went 3-3 with 4 RBI’s.

Bracket play continued Sunday morning against the Warrensburg Mules (5th) and 7-3 victory for JCBI.  Johnson pitched a complete game picked up the win. Dylan Brauner 2-2 and Carroll 3-4 each picked up an RBI, while Atkinson went 3-4 with 3 RBI’s. Game 7 brought about the St. Joe Astros (1st) and a 15-6 win for JCBI.  Coots picked up the win, while Brauner went 3-5 with 2 RBI’s, Stegeman went 4-4 with 3 RBI’s and Corey Beard went 3-4 with 5 RBI’s.

In the championship game JCBI took on the Carthage Blue Soxs, down 10-0 in the top of the 3rd, JCBI scored 10 runs to tie up the game going into the 4th.  In the end JCBI fell to the Blue Sox 16-14 with based loaded in the bottom of the 7th.  Kneeskern got the loss, while Atkinson went 2-3, Klosterman went 2-3 with an RBI and Brauner wrapped things up going 4-5 with 4 RBI’s.