13u Hern traveled to Columbia, Missouri for the 2020 Perfect Game PGBA 13u Battle for the Bats. The event featured teams from Colorado, Indiana, and Missouri.

After losing the opening game by one run, the team rallied through the next 4 games, giving up only 3 runs while scoring 38, to win the championship. The impressive performance was led by shut-out pitching, great plays in the field, and a willingness to sacrifice at the plate in order to keep the line moving.

“I was impressed and proud of how the team responded to the first loss and came together to find success,” said Coach Hern. “It was clear that everyone was playing for the name on the front of the jersey, and their selfless efforts lifted the team to a new level of play.”

13u Hern faced the Colorado Aces in the first game of the weekend. Cole Reckart got 13u Hern on the board in the first inning on a ground-out to 1st base that scored Ayden Katzenberg from third. The team added 4 more runs in the third on a hard-hit single by John Michael Howayek and a double by Tyler Wood.

The Aces broke the shutout in the 4th inning. Runners reached base on a one-out line drive to right field and a single to left. With 2 on and 2 out, the bases were loaded on a tough ground ball to short. The Aces got on the board on a 2-run double to left field. Each Ace’s batter who came to the plate seemed to find a gap, allowing the team to score 5 runs and tie the game. The Aces would go on to take the lead for good with 2 outs in the 5th inning. 13u Hern went down 6-5.

“The boys came together after that late-inning loss and literally told themselves ‘enough is enough’. They motivated themselves and played up to their own expectations against some very tough teams,” continued Coach Hern.

Through the next 4 games, timely plays in the field by Ayden Katzberg, Kaden Crandall, Kale Tryon, and Brady Hasch supported shutout pitching by Tyler Wood, Dylan Cassidy, and Jackson Edington. The 3 pitchers combined for 20 strikeouts and only 1 walk over 15 ⅓ innings.

• Tyler Wood vs St. Louis Naturals – 6.0 IP, 2 Hits, 0 earned runs, 1 walk, 11 strikeouts
• Dylan Cassidy vs Moxie Baseball – 3.1 IP, 1 Hit, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 7 strikeouts
• Jackson Edington vs Mexico Rookies – 6.0 IP, 1 hit, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts

Tyler Wood led all batters on the weekend. He finished 9 for 13 with an impressive array of extra-base hits, including a home run and a double against Moxie Baseball and a triple against Columbia Revolution. On the weekend, he tallied 6 extra-base hits, accounting for 6 RBIs.

Ayden Katzenberg, Dylan Cassidy, and Hayden Hubbard also had stand-out performances at the plate.

• Ayden Katzenberg – 7/13 with 2 doubles
• Dylan Cassidy – 6/15 with 2 doubles and 4 RBI
• Hayden Hubbard – 4/9 with a double, 3 RBI, and 10 runs scored

The team would go on to put up impressive numbers against the Columbia Revolution, St. Louis Naturals, and Moxie Baseball before playing the Mexico Rookies in the championship game. The Rookies came into the game as the undefeated #1 seed team.

Dylan Cassidy got the start against the Rookies and was relieved after the first inning by Jackson Edington. Edington held the Rookies scoreless through 6 innings, giving up only 1 hit while striking out 2.

13u Hern set the tone for the game early, scoring 4 runs in the top of the first inning. The team scored one run in the 2nd and 3rd innings, and then multiple runs in the 5th and 7th innings. 13u Hern would go on to win the game on a final score of 10-1.

The weekend also saw Brooks Ware return to the lineup. Ware, who missed spring practices and games with a fractured femur, played in 2 games. “The joy on his face and the cheers from his teammates was pretty emotional,” said Coach Hern. “I didn’t see many dry eyes from our parents who were watching. His return made an already great weekend that much better.”