Tuesday March 19th, 2024 5:19AM

Gainesville Braves best of 32; win USSSA World Series

FOLEY, AL -- Two come-from-behind wins, last-inning heroics and timely pitching meant one thing for the 9-and-under Gainesville Braves travel baseball team the last week of June: a USSSA World Series title.

Competing in a field of 32 teams from all over the Southeast, the Braves (38-15-1) - coached by Gainesville High School baseball coach Jeremy Kemp - not only came out of pool play unscathed, but didn't lose a game in the tournament en route to an 8-0 record and 2015 USSSA World Series championship to go along with the previously won 2015 Grand Slam State Championship.

This from a team that finished fifth in last year's USSSA World Series.

"It was so much fun watching these young boys compete," Kemp said, "they got after it for eight games and wouldn't be denied."

Kemp meant to add despite rain delays, extreme heat, three one-run games in bracket play and the championship game not ending until 2 a.m. Sunday, June 28 when in the top of the last, after Joshua Bull stole two bases and reached home on a wild pitch to give the Braves a 7-6 lead, Brady Stephens retired three Five Star Easton (Texas) batters in order to seal the win and the title.

In the semifinal game against Texas Assault, Stephens two-out single followed by Brigham Ralston's RBI double gave the Braves a 2-1 win with Cooper Johnson earning it on the mound.

In Game 1 of bracket play, the Braves trailed 2-1 in the bottom of the last. Johnson reached, stole second; Baxter Wright doubled him home to tie it, then two batters later, Landon Kemp had a walk-off single.

All told, the Braves scored 60 runs in the USSSA World Series, while giving up just 19 thanks in large part to a 3-for-3 performance with four RBIs by Colton Wilbanks in Game 2 of the tournament, and a stifling pitching staff led by Johnson with two wins; a combined no-hitter by Ajay Jones, Asher Wilson, Sawyer Bearden and Kemp in Game 4 against MSA Force (Texas); and Wright, who got things started in Game 1 of the tournament striking out eight while going the distance in a 9-2 win against HITS Baseball out of Alabama.

Next up for the 9U Gainesville Braves organization, tryouts, which will take place July 27 and Aug. 2. Those wanting to tryout cannot have turned 11 before May1. Tryout times will be posted soon.

 

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