The FW Rebels had a magical run in the 2019 TSB World Series as they played in 8 ball games including 5 intense bracket games that fell one game short of the bracket championship.  In 2020, Covid protocols shortened the Rebels to just 4 games although it was a nice accomplishment to make the top bracket in the premier World Series event in the area.  The Rebels were hoping everything would come together in the 2021 World Series, but the luck of the draw/seeds, and Mother Nature had other ideas in mind.  The Rebels went 1-2 in Pool Play which earned them the 29th (out of 47) seed.  The 29th seed was the 9th (out of 10) in the Gold Bracket.  That made their road difficult to begin as they had an 8am Monday game against a solid Majors team, Dallas Cummings Tigers.  The Rebels battled, and stayed in the game, but a 6-4 loss sent them to the losers bracket.  Or, so they thought.  Mother Nature took over Monday afternoon cancelling the remainder of the day's schedule.  What this also did, in order to get the entire tournament played.....was shorten the tournament from a double elimination bracket....to single elimination.  With the Rebels 6-4 defeat Monday morning, their tournament was over.

Still, there were plenty of memorable moments and plays that the players, coaches, and fans will remember.

GAME 1

KELLER KNIGHTS 6

FW REBELS 0

Christopher Calabrese was given the ball in Game 1 of the tournament against the Knights.  In short, the Rebels got much more out of Breezy than they anticipated as he pitched into the 5th inning against a 14U Majors team and allowed just 2 earned runs.  Four Rebel errors didn't help Calabrese out and the nights scored 4 unearned runs.

At the plate, the Rebels only received an infield single from Evan Smith.  No one else got a hit.  Five of the Six Rebels that reached safely, made outs on the basepaths.  Carlos Guerrero had a terrific at bat to open the game and drew a walk, but he was eliminated on a double play.  Quentin Enos & Bryson Snow both walked to open the 2nd inning, and both were out on the same play when a pitch got away from the Knights catcher putting both runners into run-downs.  Neither came out safely.  Evan Swindell had a 1-out walk in the 3rd inning.  The Knights catcher tried to pick Swindell off of first base and threw the ball into right field.  Swindell was sent to 2nd but the right fielder alertly backed up the play and threw Swindell out.  And in the 6th inning, Coleman Peck led off with a walk, and was picked off first by the catcher.

There was one incredible play the Rebels pulled off.  The first Triple Play in FW Rebels history.  In the 5th inning, the Knights filled the bases off of Calabrese.  The Rebels brought Evan Wainright into pitch.  It was his Rebels debut on the mound.  With the bases loaded, Wainright got the Knights batter to hit a grounder to Coleman Peck at 2nd, who flipped to SS Carlos Guerrero for the 1st out.  Guerrero fired a bullet to firstbaseman Quentin Enos who then alertly threw a strike to catcher Bryson Snow who tagged the runner for a 4-6-3-2 Triple Play.  Great stuff.

GAME 2

CABALLEROS BASEBALL 6

FW REBELS 2

This time, the Rebels didnt wait around to score.  With one out, Evan Wainright walked and with two down, Evan Swindell walked.  Carlos Guerrero lined a single to left to fill the bases.  Wyatt Baccus & Evan Smith then had back to back walks scoring Wainright & Swindell to make it 2-0.  That was all the Rebels would get though.

Evan Wainright who was still warm from game 1 got the start in game 2.  Caballeros scored 3 to take a 3-2 lead. 

The Rebels would not get a hit for the remainder of the game.  Caden Spurling came on to pitch and allowed 2 runs in the 2nd.  Bryson Snow made his Rebels debut on the mound and with the bases loaded, enduced the Caballeros to hit a deep fly ball to left field.  Christopher Calabrese raced back and made a terrific run saving catch to end the inning.

The Rebels couldn't take advantage of the momentum however as only Evan Swindell & Carlos Guerrero were able to reach base safely for the remainder of the game.

GAME 3

FW REBELS 17

STIX WHITE 13U MAJ 7

The Rebel bats that were so silent the previous day didnt stay silent long on Sunday.  Jace Franke, Carlos Guerrero, & Evan Smith all singled to open up the game.  Wyatt Baccus drew a bases loaded walk to make it 1-0. Charlie Rusk singled in Guerrero & Smith to make it 3-0.  With 1 out, Bryson Snow was hit by a pitch and Kameron Mantyh walked to fill the bases.  Coleman Peck lofted a pop up to 2nd base who caught the ball, and then dropped it allowing Rusk to score.  Caden Spurling reached on an error by the shortstop to make it 6-0.  Evan Swindell then singled to left field to score Mantyh and cap the scoring off at 7-0.

Wyatt Baccus started on the hill for the Rebels and didn't allow a hit and struckout 2 in the first.

The Rebels broke the game wide open in the 2nd.  With 1 out, Jace Franke was hit by a pitch. Carlos Guerrero and Evan Smith singled.  Wyatt Baccus doubled to right field and the rout was on.  With 2 outs, Quentin Enos reached on an error, Bryson Snow was hit by a pitch, Kameron Mantyh walked.  Coleman Peck hit a 2-run double down the left field line.  Caden Spurling walked to fill the bases and Evan Swindell walked to knock in a run.  Evan Wainright singled to make it 15-0.  Then Christopher Calabrese & Jace Franke were both hit by pitches with the bases loaded to make it 17-0.

Kameron Mantyh was brought into pitch the 2nd inning and the Rebels defense got sloppy.  Mantyh was pulled after he hit 30 pitches and Evan Swindell was brought into pitch for his Rebels debut on the mound.  With the bases loaded, the Stix baserunner tried to catch Swindell napping and took off for home.  Swindell caught the ball and fired it back to Bryson Snow for the 2nd out of the inning.  After an error, a double, and a single, Swindell got the final batter to ground out and the game was over with a 17-7 Rebels victory.

GAME 4

DALLAS TIGERS CUMMINGS 6

FW REBELS 4

Carlos Guerrero was the scheduled starter for Game 1 of bracket play but couldn't make the game on time.  This placed Coleman Peck into the emergency starter role.  The Rebels busted out sure enough as Jace Franke led off with a double.  Peck singled him home to make it 1-0.  Evan Swindell was the courtesy runner for Peck and he scored when Evan Smith doubled to right center making it 2-0.  Wyatt Baccus reached on an E5 to make it 1st and 3rd with 0 outs.  Smith would score a run when Charlie Rusk swung at the first pitch and hit into a double play making it 3-0.

The Dallas Tigers came out swinging as well smacking 4 first inning doubles and taking advantage of a walk, a hit batter and a Rebels error to take a 6-3 lead after one inning.

Peck settled down at that point, and the Rebels defense had his back.  In the 2nd inning, with the bases loaded and 1 out, the Tigers batter hit a hard ground ball to thirdbaseman Evan Smith who stepped on 3rd, and fired a strike to Caden Spurling to get out of the inning. 

In the top of the 3rd, Carlos Guerrero and Jace Franke both singled to open the inning.  With one out, Evan Smith reached on an infield single to fill the bases.  Unfortunately, the rally stopped there as Wyatt Baccus grounded to 3rd to force Guerrero at the plate, and Charlie Rusk popped up to center to end the threat.

It was still 6-3 in the 5th inning when the Tigers walked 3 consecutive time to fill the bases.  Coleman Peck had battled his tail off on the mound but had tired so the Rebels brought in Wyatt Baccus.  Baccus got the hitter to loft a fly to dead center.  Jace Franke camped under it, and then fired a missile to home plate where Bryson Snow was ready to make the tag for another inning ending double play.

The Rebels came to bat in the 6th needing 3 to tie.  Evan Smith walked to open the inning.  He then stole second, and was able to get to third on a throwing error.  Wyatt Baccus was unable to get Smith home and with one out Charlie Rusk grounded out to short to enable Smith to score to make it 6-4 with 2 outs.  Quentin Enos reached on an E5, then stole second.  Evan Swindell hit a one hopper that the pitcher made a nice backhanded grab of to end the game.