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.

 

 

 

The FW Rebels went 1-1 in pool play, and then lost a heartbreaker in the first bracket play game to prematurely end their run in the 22-team tournament.  The Rebels originally were not scheduled to play this weekend but with some rainouts and the upcoming TSB World Series, they felt it was a good idea to get in some games.

 

Game 1

Texas Cannons Angus 6

FW Rebels 4

 

The tournament got underway in style as the Rebels scored 3 in the top half of the first inning.  Wyatt Baccus singled with one out and went to 3rd when Evan Smith reached on an error from the Cannons' third baseman.  Baccus scored the first run on an RBI ground out off the bat of Quentin Enos.  The red-hot Charlie Rusk singled in Smith to make it 2-0.  Rusk then stole 2nd, and went to 3rd on a throwing error by the Cannons catcher.  Then, the Cannons had a difficult time getting the ball back to the pitcher and Rusk came all the way around to score to make it 3-0.

For the most part, the Rebels bats grew silent after that, and Rebel pitchers proceeded to walk 5 Angus hitters while also plunking 3 more.  The Cannons scored 6 runs on just 3 hits. 

Wyatt Baccus blasted a 340-foot homer deep to left field in the 3rd inning but that was the end of Rebels scoring.

 

 

Game 2

FW Rebels 4

Dallas Tigers Micucci 3

 

The Rebels again scored 3 runs in the first inning after falling behind 1-0.  Evan Wainright led off the game with a walk.  With 2 outs, Caden Spurling walked.  That set the stage for Wyatt Baccus who boomed a double to left center to score Wainright and Spurling.  Baccus then scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-1. 

The Rebels added a run in the 4th inning. Caden Spurling & Wyatt Baccus hit back to back singles.  Kameron Mantyh as the courtesy runner for Spurling scored on a sacrifice fly off of the bat of Evan Smith.

The score was 3-2 Rebels when Caden Spurling came on to pitch and he went 2.1 innings and allowed just 1 run.  Wyatt Baccus came on to get the save and the Rebels finished pool play 1-1.  They earned the #9 seed out of 22 teams.

 

 

Game 3

Dallas Patriots Porter 7

FW Rebels 6

 

The visiting Rebels scored a run quickly in the 1st.  Carlos Guerrero walked and then stole 2nd.  Wyatt Baccus doubled to left center to score Guerrero to make it 1-0.

Kameron Mantyh started on the hill for the Rebels and although he allowed 3-run homer in the first, pitched effectively.

The Rebels were losing 3-2 as they came to the plate in the 4th inning.  Coleman Peck lined a single to center to open the inning.  Caden Spurling followed with a walk and then Peck & Spurling pulled off a double steal.  Peck scored when the catcher's throw went into left field.  With two outs, Guerrero walked and the opposing manager elected to walk Baccus to fill the bases.  Evan Smith was up to the challenge hitting a hard bouncing ball to right center field that went all the way to the wall for a bases clearing 3-run triple. 

A Rebels error allowed the Patriots to score a run in the bottom of the 5th to make it 6-4.

In the bottom of the 6th with Baccus on the mound, the Patriots tied it at 6.  Then they filled the bases with none out.  Baccus did a remarkable job coming all the way back striking out the next two hitters, and getting the inning to end on a fly out to right fielder Kameron Mantyh.

That led to the California Rule for extra innings.  In a bizarre call, the Rebels Evan Wainright was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, but the field umpire ruled Wainright leaned into the pitch on purpose and did not allow the hit by pitch to stand.  Ultimately, the Rebels would not score....and in the bottom of the 6th, Baccus was unable to pull another Houdini act and the Rebels fell 7-6.

It was in the dark, but the Rebels finished with a successful tournament and Silver Bracket Championship game.

 

The SW Championship tournament in Irving, TX got off to a rough start for the FW Rebels on Saturday but ultimately resulted in some of the better hitting games the Rebels have had all year Sunday.  The Rebels went 0-2 Saturday and then 2-0 Sunday which earned the team a berth in the Silver championship game which was abbreviated due to the lights going out.  The offensive onslaught that occurred Sunday is setting the squad up nicely for the final three tournaments of the season including the TSB World Series 6/26-6/30.

 

Game 1

Texas Barons Hankins 6

FW Rebels 4

 

Challenging conditions made it to where the Rebels pitching staff couldn't throw many strikes.  In a shortened 1:15 timed game, the Rebels staff faced 19 Baron hitters and walked 9 of them, and hit another.  The Barons only put 4 balls in play yet scored 6.  After falling behind 4-0, the Rebels staged a rally in the bottom of the first to tie the score.  Quentin Enos' bases clearing double scored Coleman Peck, Wyatt Baccus, and Evan Smith who had all walked.  With two outs, Carlos Guerrero doubled home Enos to tie it up.  But that was that.  The Rebels didn't threaten again and lost 6-4.

 

 

 

Game 2

USA Prime Mitchell 13U MAJ 9

FW Rebels 2

 

Much like the first game, the Rebels fell behind early and couldn't stage much of a comeback.  Pitchers again struggled to to throw strikes walking five and hitting five more!  It was 8-0 before the Rebels even came up to hit in the 2nd inning.  The Rebels did score two runs in the final inning.   Coleman Peck walked to open the inning and Evan Smith singled.  With one out Charlie Rusk reached on an error by the Prime SS that enabled Peck and Smith to score.  But that was it and the Rebels fell 9-2.

 

 Evan Smith (Left) and Wyatt Baccus (Right) show off the bat, and baseballs they used to hit the first back to back home runs in FW Rebels history.

 

Game 3

FW Rebels 16

NTX Tribe LaTorre 3

 

The visiting Rebels wasted little time breaking this game open.  The Rebels sent 14 to plate in the first inning and scored 9 runs.  Evan Smith doubled in Jace Franke to open the scoring.  Charlie Rusk then hit a bases loaded double down the left field line that scored Wyatt Baccus, Smith, and courtesy runner Evan Wainright who was running for Quentin Enos who was hit by a pitch.  Carlos Guerrero singled followed by a Coleman Peck walk.  Bryson Snow laced a single to right to score Guerrero.  After Kameron Mantyh walked, Christopher Calabrese got an RBI ground out.  Evan Smith capped the scoring off with a 2-run single.

The Rebels scored three more runs in the top of the 3rd to make it 12-1.  Caden Spurling singled with one out and then Wyatt Baccus blasted a 2-run home run to deep right center field.  Evan Smith, the next hitter, smacked a line drive lazer over the left field fence for the first back-to-back home runs in FW Rebels history.

Kameron Mantyh was dominant on the mound pitching a complete game victory allowing just 3 runs on 5 hits.

For the Rebels, Smith went 3-3 with 5 RBI.  Charlie Rusk also went 3-3 with 3 RBI. Wyatt Baccus, Kameron Mantyh, and Christopher Calabrese each had multi RBI games.

 

 

Game 4

FW Rebels 14

USA Prime Duck  0

 

Carlos Guerrero started on the hill for the Rebels and held the Ducks scoreless over 3 innings of work.  Guerrero allowed just a single and struck out 5. 

The Rebel bats stayed hot.  Jace Franke led off the game with a hard single to left and then he stole second.  With two outs, Quentin Enos hit a clutch RBI single to center to make it 1-0.  Enos scored on a groundball off the bat of Carlos Guerrero that was an error by the Prime second basemen.

The Rebels tacked on 4 more in the bottom of the 2nd inning.  Bryson Snow led off with a single and moved to second after a 1-out single by Evan Wainright.  Jace Franke then crushed a towering fly ball down the left field line that fell just short of the wall for an RBI double.  Wyatt Baccus then hit a missile to short that knocked the fielder's glove off enabling Wainright to score.  Franke scored on a sacrifice fly off of the bat of Evan Smith.  Enos then singled in Baccus to cap off the scoring and give the Rebels a 6-0 lead.

The Rebels put the game way out of reach in the third as they scored 8 runs. Bryson Snow and Quentin Enos both doubled in the inning while Wyatt Baccus, Charlie Rusk, and Carlos Guerrero all had base hits.

The 14-0 victory moved the Rebels into the Silver bracket championship game.

 

Game 5

Caballeros Baseball 4

FW Rebels 0

 

Due to the obscene delay and incompetence of those running the tournament, the Rebels 6pm championship game didn't start until 8:30.  45 mins later, and the lights went out...and that was that.   Wyatt Baccus, Quentin Enos, and Charlie Rusk all hit safely in the 2-inning game.  And Carlos Guerrero hit a smash triple play liner that ended the 2nd inning.

 

 

 

 

The FW Rebels finally got a break from the weather and were able to squeeze in a 1-Day USSSA 14UAAA tournament at Big League Dreams in Mansfield.  The Rebels went 1-1 and then dropped the SemiFinal game to the eventual tournament champs who were from Monroe, LA.  Still, there were some positive performances the Rebels could build on with four tournaments remaining in the 2021 season. 

 

Game 1

Impact Mercer 9

FW Rebels 7

 

The Rebels fell behind 1-0 and then staged a 4-run rally in the 2nd inning.  All 4 runs were scored with two outs.  Bryson Snow got things started by reaching on an error from the Impact thirdbaseman.  Kameron Mantyh then lined a single to right center.  Coleman Peck walked to fill the bases.  Then Evan Swindell & Caden Spurling had back to back walks to tie the game at 1, and then take the lead 2-1.  Evan Wainright then hit a grounder to short who threw low to first enabling Peck to score from 3rd and Swindell all the way from 2nd. 

Impact answered immediately though scoring 5 runs in the bottom of the 2nd on just 1 hit.  5 walks sparked their rally.

Once again, the Rebels fought right back. With one out, Evan Smith blasted a double deep to centerfield. With two outs, Wyatt Baccus hit a clutch single to right to make it 6-5. Baccus was then able to score on yet another error by Impact off of the bat of Bryson Snow to tie it at 6.

Impact scored one in the bottom of the 3rd to make it 7-6 but the Rebels tied it again.  This time, Caden Spurling lined a single to center to score Coleman Peck who had walked and stole 2nd.  That's all the Rebels could score and they were unable to hold Impact down in the bottom of the last inning as Impact went on to win 9-7.

 

Game 2

FW Rebels 4

Ntx Titans 3

 

The visiting Rebels wasted little time scoring in this contest.  With one out, Evan Smith singled and stole second.  Smith then scored on a grounder off of the bat of Wyatt Baccus who reached on an error.  Carlos Guerrero walked and Charlie Rusk singled to left to fill the bases.  Courtesy runner Evan Wainright scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.  Quentin Enos followed that by lacing a double to right center field to score Baccus and Guerrero to make it 4-0.  Believe it or not, the Rebels would not get another hit for the remainder of the game.

So the task fell on the hands of Coleman Peck who started on the hill.  Peck was brilliant for 4 innings as he allowed just 1 hit in those innings while striking out 5.  He tired in the 5th inning and the Titans rallied on 2 singles and a hit batter.  Carlos Guerrero came in to close things out and that he did.  Guerrero faced 3 hitters, struck out two of them, and threw another out who was trying to get to third on a wild pitch.  Rebels held on to win 4-3 and advance to the Semis.

 

 

Game 3

NELA Prospects 4

FW Rebels 1

 

The NELA Prospects were a formidable opponent with a lot of talented players from Louisiana.  The visiting Rebels were facing one of the Prospects better pitchers but got on the board first.  Coleman Peck walked to open the game and Evan Smith reached when the Prospects pitcher made a throwing error to second base on an attempted double play. Wyatt Baccus then walked to fill the bases with none out.  With one out, Quentin Enos hit a fly ball to left center that fell right in front of the center fielder scoring Peck.  However, thinking the ball would be caught, Wyatt Baccus was thrown out on a force play at 2nd.  The Rebels rally ended with just 1 run scoring.

Evan Smith started on the mound for the Rebels 4 of the first 5 reached giving the Prospects a 2-1 lead.  Bad luck struck the Rebels as a fly ball was hit to Evan Wainright in left field who lost it in the sun, allowing 2 more Prospects runs to score to make it 4-1.

Smith settled down after that point, and Wyatt Baccus tosses a dominant 2 innings sending the game to the 5th inning still 4-1.  The Rebels were no match for the Prospects pitcher though who only allowed one batter to put the ball in play out of the final 18 batters he faced.  Out of the final 18 he struck out 11 and walked 6.

Coleman Peck drives in Evan Swindell and moves Christopher Calabrese to 3rd  in the Rebels 10-0 win over Corinth Strikers Sunday

 

 

The FW Rebels were late entrees into the Memorial Day Classic tournament and were playing without Jace Franke & Wyatt Baccus.  That, plus only playing 4 games in all of May due to rain and you would think the Rebels would come out quite rusty.  That wasn't the case.  The Rebels downed the Texarkana Mudcats 5-0 and the DFW Twins 5-1 in Pool play to earn the #1 seed in the 8-team tournament.  They easily won vs the #8 seed Corinth Strikers 10-0 Sunday morning, and then fell 11-4 in a rematch versus the DFW Twins in the semifinals to exit the tournament.  The 11-4 final score was misleading as the game was much closer than the final score.  Here are the game-by-game recaps:

 

Game 1 Pool Play

FW Rebels 5

Texarkana Mudcats 0

 

Odd that it's almost June and longtime Rebels pitcher Quentin Enos is just now making his first start on the hill for the Rebels. Enos pitched 2 hitless innings and struckout 2.  The Rebels got on the board in the first inning against the scrappy Mudcats.  With one out, Carlos Guerrero walked and stole second.  Evan Smith singled sending Guerrero to third.  Guerrero then scored on an RBI grounder by Enos. 

Coleman Peck came on to pitch and allowed 1 hit in 2 innings of work while striking out 4.  Carlos Guerrero pitched a scoreless 5th inning and the game was still 1-0 heading to the bottom of the 5th.

Unfortunately for the Mudcats, they could no longer throw a strike, and Caden Spurling, Kameron Mantyh, Evan Swindell, and Evan Wainright all walked and scored on wild pitches. Those 4 additional runs were enough for the Rebels to win 5-0. 

Great defensive plays were turned in by Caden Spurling at first on a difficult scoop, Bryson Snow with bullet throws on  a couple of difficult strike three's that got away, Charlie Rusk made a terrific running grab in left centerfield, Quentin Enos snagged a smash down the 3rd baseline and threw a bullet to 1st.  Pitching and defense definitely won this one.

 

Evan Smith's 2-run double closed out the Corinth Strikers in the first bracket game

 

Game 2 Pool Play

FW Rebels 5

DFW Twins 1

 

The second pool play game was against one of the better area teams in the DFW Twins.  Since the games were back-to-back, the Rebels decided to open with Carlos Guerrero on the mound since he was loose from closing out the opening game.  Guerrero did not disappoint striking out all three hitters he faced in the top of the first.

In the bottom half of the first, Guerrero reached on an error by the Twins SS.  Evan Smith lined a single to center advancing Guerrero to third.  Quentin Enos then hit a booming double to left center scoring Guerrero and Smith giving the Rebels a 2-0 lead.

Kameron Mantyh came on to pitch and was sensational stranding runners in scoring position.  He left a runner on 3rd in the 2nd inning, left 2 on in the 3rd inning, and struckout 2 straight hitters with the bases loaded in the 4th inning.  All in all Mantyh gave up just 1 run in his 3 innings of work.

The Rebels broke the game open with 3 runs in the bottom of the 3rd.  Evan Wainright singled to open the inning and stole 2nd.  With 1 out, Coleman Peck singled to right but Wainright was unable to score and was tagged out in a rundown between home and third.  Carlos Guerrero followed with a walk with Peck at 2nd.  Both of them were able to move up a base when a pitch to Evan Smith got by the Twins catcher.  Evan Smith hit a clutch 2-run single to give the Rebels a 4-0 lead.  Smith then stole 2nd....stole 3rd....and then raced home alertly when a throw back to the pitcher got away. 

Smith pitched the final frame to close things out and the Rebels finished 2-0 to earn the tournaments #1 seed.

 

 

Coleman Peck displays the game ball and the lineup card to his No-Hitter Sunday vs Corinth Strikers

Game 3 Bracket Play

FW Rebels 10

Corinth Strikers 0

 

It was almost a perfect game.  One Corinth Strikers batter reached base on a Rebel error but besides that, Rebel starter Coleman Peck was perfect not allowing a hit, or a walk, and striking out 8 in his 4 innings of work.  A sensational outing no matter the age, or opponent, or level.  No hitters are very hard to come by any time and Coleman Peck was unhittable against the Strikers.  Factor in the 2 innings he threw the previous night, Peck pitched 6 innings in the tournament, allowed 1 hit, didnt walk any...and struckout 12. Wow!

With Peck cruising on the mound, the Rebels methodically supported him at the plate with 3 runs in the first and second inning, then 2 in the 3rd and 4th to win the game 10-0.   Evan Smith went 2-3 with a double and 3 RBI.  Quentin Enos went 1-1 with a walk, and 2 RBI.  Coleman Peck, Carlos Guerrero, Kameron Mantyh, Evan Swindell, and Evan Wainright all drove in runs for the Rebels.  Christopher Calabrese went 1-1 and scored 2 runs and stole 2 bases.

 

Kameron Mantyh knocks  line drive hit to right in the semifinals vs the DFW Twins.  Mantyh went 2-2 in the game.

 

Game 4 Bracket Play

DFW Twins 11

FW Rebels 4

 

This game was much closer than the final score but the Rebels defense fell apart and it was just too much to overcome against a solid Twins team.  Evan Smith started on the hill for the Rebels and allowed a paid of earned runs in the 1st inning and a paid of unearned runs thanks to the first of six Rebel errors on the day.

It stayed 4-0 until the bottom of the second inning when the Rebels staged a rally.  Bryson Snow opened the inning by reaching on an error that sent him hustling to 2nd.  Charlie Rusk ripped a double down the left field line to make it 4-1 scoring Snow. Rusk advanced to 3rd with Christopher Calabrese at the plate and then scored when Calabrese grounded out to the SS to make it 4-2. Kameron Mantyh singled to right and then advanced to 2nd with Evan Swindell at the plate on a wild pitch.  Swindell advanced Mantyh to 3rd on a groundout to second.  Caden Spurling had an amazing 8-pitch at bat that resulted in a clutch 2-out RBI single to score Mantyh to make it 4-3.  Evan Wainright then walked sending Spurling to 2nd. Coleman Peck then came to the plate and had a battle of his own fouling off multiple pitches.  With a 2-2 count, Peck laced a sinking liner to the right fielder who alertly threw the ball to first to get Peck to end the inning.

In the top of the 3rd, the Twins tacked on a run with two doubles to make it 5-3.  Evan Smith produced a run practically all by himself in the bottom of the 3rd.  With one out, Smith doubled to left.  As the Twins worked the ball back to the pitcher, Smith noticed no one was covering 3rd and took off in a sprint and reached 3rd base easily. Quentin Enos grounded to 3rd to score Smith and made the score 5-4.

With Carlos Guerrero now on the mound, the Rebels defense tanked.  Guerrero got two quick outs to open the 4th inning then gave up a single.  The next batter also singled but the Rebels threw the relay throw to the infield away allowing an unearned run to score.

With the score 6-4, the Rebels were now facing the Twins....and the clock.  The Rebels swung the bats aggressively and couldnt score in the bottom of the 4th but they were able to extend the game another inning.  Unfortunately, the sloppy defensive game got even worse.  The Twins scored 5 runs in the 5th on just 2 hits.  4 Rebel errors were their undoing and the Twins went on to win 11-4.

 

Still, after missing a few weeks due to the rain that has taken over DFW for all of May, the last-minute tournament can be labeled a success....and at the same time....what could have been.

The FW Rebels went 2-1 in the 28-team TBS Mother's Day Classic over the weekend.  A 2-0 Saturday where the Rebels only allowed 1 run earned them the #2 seed in the Gold Bracket in Sunday Pool Play.  Unfortunately, that paired them with the team that snagged the #7 seed..... Dallas Tigers Reynolds....a 13U Majors team with a sparkling 22-4 record.  That resulted into a 16-1 loss that ended the Rebels run really before it began but finishing pool play 2nd out of 28 teams was still a proud accomplishment for our Rebels and the 16-1 loss will work as a learning experience in future games.  Here are the game by game recaps:

 

 

FW Rebels 9

USA Prime Vazquez 0

 

 

Coleman Peck got his second start on the mound this season and did not disappoint.  Peck needed only 18 pitches to get through 2 innings of work.  By the time he departed, the Rebels had an 8-0 lead. 

Carlos Guerrero had a clutch 2-out 2-run triple in the 1st inning that scored Peck and Jace Franke who had walked.  In the top of the 2nd, Charlie Rusk made a smooth running catch in center field then threw to 1b to double off a runner.

The Rebels scored 6 in the bottom of the second that put the game away.  Bryson Snow singled down the left field line to open the inning.  With 1 out Snow advanced to second on a wild pitch.  Kameron Mantyh singled in Snow to make it 3-0.  Caden Spurling then singled in Mantyh who came into score when the right fielder misplayed it.  Evan Swindell walked, and Christopher Calabrese was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  With two outs, Spurling scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-0.  Jace Franke then reached on an error that scored Swindell.  After Evan Smith walked, Wyatt Baccus also reached on an error scoring Calabrese and Franke to make it 8-0.

Guerrero & Spurling were both sensational on the mound and shut the Vazquez team down the rest of the way.  The Rebels scored one more run in the fourth.  Caden Spurling reached on an error to open the inning.  Evan Swindell grounded out up the middle to SS enabling courtesy runner Kameron Mantyh to get to second. Mantyh advanced on a wild pitch to third, and then scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Christopher Calabrese to finish the Rebel scoring.

 

FW Rebels 3

UBC Stripes Coggan 1

 

They say pitching and defense is the key to winning baseball games.  The Rebels followed that script in their 3-1 win and added baserunning to the mix.  Kameron Mantyh started on the mound for the Rebels and things got off to a shaky start.  Mantyh walked the first three batters in faced in the top of the first.  The next batter hit a hard ground ball to shortstop Carlos Guerrero who survived a wicked hop to glove the grounder.....he then flipped in to Coleman Peck at second who barehanded the flip and fired to Jace Franke at first for a key 6-4-3 double play.  Mantyh got out of the inning by fielding an attempted bunt base hit to end the inning with the Rebels only down 1-0.  

Coleman Peck led off the bottom of the first with a 9-pitch walk. With one down, Evan Smith singled to center advancing Peck to second.  Cleanup hitter Wyatt Baccus hit a hard ground ball to the Stripes' SS who wanted to go the short way to second for the out.  However, Evan Smith was hustling all the way and the SS had to throw to first instead.  He threw wildly enabling Peck to score and tie the game at 1.  With Smith on 3rd, and Carlos Guerrero at the plate....Smith scored on a wild pitch to give the Rebels a 2-1 lead.

Mantyh then settled down on the mound and was aided by yet another Rebels double play.  This time a line drive to Evan Smith in center who doubled off the runner who was on second.

In the 3rd, Evan Smith was hit by a pitch, and Carlos Guerrero walked.  With two outs and Charlie Rusk at the plate, Smith alertly broke for third on a steal attempt.  The Stripes' C threw the ball into left field scoring Smith to give the Rebels a 3-1 lead.

The rest was all Kameron Mantyh who struck out the side in the 4th inning as time expired to give the Rebels a 3-1 victory.  Mantyh pitched a complete game in his first start of the season.

 

 

Dallas Tigers Reynolds 13U MAJ 16

FW Rebels 1

 

Although the Rebels had a very successful Saturday, and the #2 overall seed in a 28-team tournament, the Baseball Gods weren't on their side with the matchup for the first bracket play game.  The #7 seed was Dallas Tigers Reynolds, a 13U Majors team that has been together for quite some time and already had played 30 games this season.  They went on to become tournament Champs with a 3-0 Sunday.  Wyatt Baccus started on the hill and pitched himself out of a jam in the 1st inning striking out the final two hitters of the inning with runners at 2nd and 3rd.  Then, in the bottom of the 1st, Jace Franke laced a 1-out double down the left field line while Wyatt Baccus crushed a 2-out double deep to left to make the score 2-1.  But Dallas Tigers kept tacking on with 3 in the 2nd, 4 in the 3rd, and 7 in the 4th....while the Rebels bats fell silent.  Still, a learning experience for sure on making sure the seeds don't mean anything more than who is home, and who is visitor in bracket play....and the Rebels need to come together as a unit....every game/inning/pitch.

 

 

 

We are just 13 games into the 2021 Spring season but the FW Rebels have already proven to be a team that doesn't crumble when adversity strikes as they compete and battle until the final out.  All 13 Rebels contributed to an incredible weekend in Mesquite, TX where the Rebels finished as the runner-up in the Silver Bracket in the USSSA 14U AAA Longhorn Launchfest tournament.  There were many many exciting moments which resulted in a 2-2 weekend.  Here are the game recaps:

 

Corinth Crushers 13

FW Rebels 2

 

The final score of this one is misleading.  The Rebels had a 2-0 lead going to the 4th inning and had the Crushers on their heels.  Corinth came into the game undefeated in USSSA AAA play an they did what all good teams do...capitalized on Rebel miscues. 

Wyatt Baccus started on the hill for the Rebels and was sensational for the first 3 innings. Then the Rebels defense failed him in the 4th inning as they committed 3 errors that contributed to 6 Crusher runs.  The Rebels bats went silent after scoring 2 runs in the first inning and that was basically the game with the Crushers winning 13-2.

 

 

Evan Wainright's clutch 2-out RBI single made the score 3-1 in the 1st game Sunday.

 

 

FW Rebels 5

Texas Sox Sykes 14U AAA  1

 

Evan Smith started on the mound for the Rebels and was magnificent.  Smith tossed 5 innings allowing just 2 hits and 1 unearned run while striking out 5.  Quentin Enos relieved in the 6th to close out the game.

A key play in the game occurred in the 3rd inning. With the score tied at 1, and 1 out....Texas Sox had runners at 2nd and 3rd.  The leadoff hitter for the Sox lofted a fly ball down the left field line where left fielder Christopher Calabrese raced into foul territory for a sensational catch.  The Sox baserunner left 3rd way too soon and Calabrese through the ball in to Wyatt Baccus who stepped on 3rd for the inning ending double play keeping the score tied at 1-1.

The Rebels manufactured the go-ahead run in the top of the 4th with great fundamental baseball.  Evan Smith led off the inning with a walk, and then stole second.  Wyatt Baccus grounded to short enabling Smith to scamper to 3rd.  Quentin Enos then hit a fly deep to center enabling Smith to tag up and score to make it 2-1.  The next inning, Evan Wainright hit a clutch 2-out RBI single driving in Charlie Rusk who was courtesy running for Bryson Snow who led off the inning getting hit by a pitch. Wainright's hit made it 3-1.  Then, in the 6th, Evan Swindell reached on a 1-out walk.  Jace Franke and Evan Smith both walked to fill the bases.  With two down Enos drew an RBI walk scoring Swindell.  Franke then added the 5th Rebel run when he scored on a wild pitch.

Smith did the rest shutting down the Sox bats and the Rebels were onto the Semis.

 

 Evan Swindell scores a run on a bases loaded walk by Quentin Enos to give the Rebels a 4-1 lead.

 

FW Rebels 6

Texas Redds 14U Black  4

 

This game had everything.  Controversial calls, great defensive plays, clutch hitting, and fabulous pitching.  It started out innocently enough with Evan Smith reaching on a 1-out single in the 1st.  Wyatt Baccus reached on a fielders choice that retired Smith at 2nd but Quentin Enos hit a booming double to right center scoring Baccus to make it 1-0.  Carlos Guerrero started on the mound for the Rebels and allowed 2 unearned runs in the 1st inning.  Still he was able to pitch out of a jam when he induced a beautiful 5-4-3 double play turned by Wyatt Baccus & Coleman Peck to end the inning. 

The score was 2-1 Texas Redds heading to the 3rd.  Kameron Mantyh led off with a single followed by a Caden Spurling walk.  With one out, Christopher Calabrese singled to left filling the bases.  Jace Franke hit a sacrifice fly to center scoring Mantyh tying the game at 2.  Guerrero allowed a bloop single and walked 3 in the 3rd inning that scored 1 run giving the Texas Redds a 3-2 lead.

It was still 3-2 heading to the 5th inning when Coleman Peck walked.  Since Peck was now pitching, Charlie Rusk came in as the courtesy runner.  With two outs, Rusk moved up to second on a passed ball.  With Mantyh at the plate, the Redds catcher made a nice stop on the ball in the dirt and Rusk had wandered a little far off of 2nd.  The catcher threw to 2nd and while Rusk was attempting to get back to the base, the shortstop was in his way.  Rusk tried to go around the shortstop but by that point the shortstop had the ball and Rusk was called out.  Then the field umpire awarded Rusk third base since he determined the shortstop had interfered with Rusk's ability to get back to the base.  The opposing manager came to question the call and then two umpires got together.  This then caused the umpire who was 100 feet away from the play to overturn the umpire who was right on top of the play.  It was definitely a call that didn't go the Rebels way, and less teams could have crumbled there. 

However, great pitching from Coleman Peck and an incredible athletic play by Jace Franke turned the momentum.  Peck was pounding the strike zone  since entering the game.  With one out, the Redds had runners on 1st and 2nd.  The Redds batter hit a major league pop up in foul territory when second-basemen Jace Franke raced over towards the Rebel dugout to make the remarkable grab.  The runner on 2nd decided to tag up and try for 3rd.  Franke with all momentum going away from 3rd threw off balance and it was a one-hop strike to Wyatt Baccus who tagged out the runner to end the inning with the Rebels still down 3-2.

In the top of the 6th, Kameron Mantyh opened the inning with a single.  With two outs, Christopher Calabrese walked.  Jace Franke then singled in Mantyh to tie the game at 3.

Time was becoming an issue so Peck had to work quickly in the bottom of the 6th. A leadoff walk and a 1-out double gave the Redds a 4-3 lead but Peck got the last out of the inning before time had expired so the Rebels would have one last chance to score in the 7th down 4-3.

Then....the umpires raised their hands and said..."Ballgame".  Both teams were pretty confused while the Rebel coaches, players, and fans were pretty vocal in expressing their displeasure.  Luckily the tournament director saved the day by overruling the umpires who thought the game was supposed to be a 6-inning game....not 7.  So the Rebels would have one last chance.

Wildness hurt the Redds as their new pitcher walked Wyatt Baccus to open the inning and with one out Carlos Guerrero was hit by a pitch.  Charlie Rusk followed with a walk to fill the bases.  Bryson Snow hit a clutch single that the shortstop made a great stop on but he couldnt get an out as Baccus and a hustling Guerrero both scored on to make it Rebels 5 Redds 4.  Coleman Peck hit a grounder to short that retired Snow at 2nd but Charlie Rusk was able to score when the double play attempt failed.

Coleman Peck went out for his 4th inning in the bottom of the 7th with a 6-4 lead now. The first hitter singled and again the pressure was back on the Rebels.  Peck though, struck out the next hitter, got the following hitter to ground out to Jace Franke and 2nd, and then Peck snared a line drive right back to him to end the game.  A jubilant Rebels team celebrated.

 

 

NTX Rays 8

FW Rebels 3

 

It was obvious early on that both of these teams were battling fatigue.  The Rebel did open with a 2-run 1st inning though.  Jace Franke walked to open the game and scored all the way from first on an RBI triple from Wyatt Baccus. Baccus then scored on an RBI ground out from Quentin Enos. 

Jace Franke started on the mound and after all his baserunning and incredible plays on defense, you could tell he was a tad off.  He fought through a few batters and allowed 3 runs so it was 3-2 Rays after 1.  Caden Spurling came on to pitch and really did a great job keeping the Rebels in the game.

The Rebels were able to tie the game at 3 with a run in the 3rd.  With 1 out, Evan Swindell walked, and then stole second.  With two outs Jace Franke singled to center sending Swindell to 3rd.  Evan Smith then singled in Swindell making it 3-3 but the mini rally ended there. 

Spurling tired in his 3rd inning of work but still was fabulous in his 3 innings.  The Rays hustled for some infield singles and a clutch RBI triple put the game away.

Nothing to hang their heads over though.  The Rebels fought hard all day and once again came back from a disappointing tournament opener to walk away with a banner and some rings at the end.  Well done men.

 

 

 

The FW Rebels had another successful tournament this past weekend as they went 3-1 in the PPS Spring Fling tournament in White Settlement.  Pitching was a definite highlight over the weekend as Rebel pitchers combined to strikeout 39 batters in 20 innings pitched.  The Rebels outscored the opposition 35-11 in their 4 games and improved their overall record to 7-2 on the season.  Here are the game by game recaps:

 

FW Rebels 17

Texas Generals 4

 

 

The Rebels first game came against the Texas Generals who had already won a tournament this season and sported a 9-1 record on the season.  The visiting Rebels got on the board right away when Carlos Guerrero smacked a solo home run deep to left-center field to make it 1-0.  Evan Smith & Quentin Enos then hit back to back singles and with two outs, Bryson Snow doubled to right to score both Smith & Enos.  Charlie Rusk then singled in Snow and the score was 4-0.  Guerrero was dominant for his two innings striking out 6 while allowing just 1 baserunner.  The game was 4-1 heading to the 4th when the Rebels broke the game open.  Smith & Enos both singled to open the inning.  Wyatt Baccus singled to center to score Smith to make it 3-1.  Bryson Snow yet again drove in two runs with an RBI single making it 6-1.  The Generals gifted the Rebels a run when Christopher Calabrese reached on an error by the Generals shortstop with two out.  This sent Caden Spurling who had walked to 2nd.  Kameron Mantyh singled in Spurling to make it 9-1.  The Rebels were able to tack on 8 more runs and won 17-4.  Again, the Generals weren't a bad team as they ended up winning the Silver Bracket championship so a solid victory for the Rebels.

 

 

FW Rebels 11

Texas Giants Harmon 1

 

Once again the Rebels jumped out to a 4-run 1st inning.  Jace Franke singled to open the game and then stole second.  Evan Smith followed with a walk and Quentin Enos reached on an error but was credited with an RBI as Franke scored to make it 1-0. Wyatt Baccus drove in Smith & Enos with a single to make it 3-0. Coleman Peck hit a Sac Fly to score the final run of the first.  Wyatt Baccus got the start on the hill for the Rebels and allowed 1 unearned run in 2 innings of work while striking out 4.  The game remained close at 5-1 heading to the 5th and final inning.  Caden Spurling opened the inning by getting hit by a pitch.  Christopher Calabrese reached on a fielder's choice with Spurling retired at second. Calabrese then stole second and went to third when Kameron Mantyh reached on an error by the Giants shortstop.  Evan Swindell singled to right-center to score Calabrese to make it 7-1.  Evan Wainright reached on an error to score Mantyh. Franke blasted a ball to left center allowing Swindell to score from second to make it 8-1.  Enos & Baccus added RBI's and the Rebels shut down the Giants the rest of the way to win 11-1.

 

 

FW Rebels 7

Express All Stars 2

 

The Rebels earned the #3 seed and faced Express All Stars in the quarterfinals.  Wyatt Baccus got the start on the hill and dominated with a perfect mix of a well placed fastball and biting curveball.  In total, Baccus went 4 innings, allowed a hit and two unearned runs while striking out 7.  The Rebels started fast again at the plate with 2 runs in the first inning and 5 in the second.  Kameron Mantyh had the big hit with a bases loaded single that scored two runs in the second inning. Jace Franke walked to score Caden Spurling, Carlos Guerrero walked to score Mantyh, and Evan Smith walked to score Evan Swindell.  Rebel bats went quiet at that point but the pitching of Baccus and reliever Mantyh held the All Stars in check for a final score of 7-2.

 

 

NTX Gators 4

FW Rebels 0

 

Evan Smith has been on the FW Rebels from the very beginning.  He and Evan Swindell & Christopher Calabrese are the last of the original Rebels.  Smith's 5-inning pitching performance vs a very good Gators lineup was probably the most impressive outing on the mound for Smith in his Rebels career.  Smith threw 68% of his pitches for strikes and kept the Gators guessing with a blazing fastball and bending curveball.  Smith struckout 8 in his 5 innings and walked just 1.  Unfortunately, the Rebel bats fell silent vs the Gators who sported one of the better pitchers they had faced this season.  Only Charlie Rusk & Christopher Calabrese singled in the game.  The Rebels defense failed Smith a few times and the tournament ended with a 4-0 defeat.

 

Still....many positives from the weekend as the Rebels move forward in the season with some more exciting tournaments to follow.

 

 

It was a verrrrrrry long Sunday but all worth it as the FW Rebels wiped away an sluggish start to win four consecutive games without a break and win the Tournament Championship with a 4-1 record.  One of the best parts of the tournament was it was a complete collaborative effort from all 13 Rebels.  Here are the game by game recaps:

 

GAME 1

FW NATIONALS 12

FW REBELS 3

 

Can't sugarcoat this one too much as the Rebels just stalled getting out of the gate.  The Nationals used an 8-run 2nd inning and put this one away early.  Rebel pitchers had problems finding the strike zone while the bats were mostly silent.  If anything, this game allowed the Rebels to play with an edge for the remainder of the tournament knowing that being defeated by a score of 12-3 is a possibility if pitching, defense, and hitting is not on.

 

 

 

 

GAME 2

FW REBELS 12

EXPRESS BASEBALL CLUB 0

 

Jace Franke & Christopher Calabrese combined on a no-hitter.  Both were dominant on the mound combining to pitch 4 innings allowing just 1 walk and striking out 8.   At the plate, Bryson Snow provided the big hit with a base loaded three-run double in the 1st inning that sparked the entire lineup.  Snow went 2-2 at the plate with 2 runs scored and 4 RBI.  Kameron Mantyh added 3 RBI while Wyatt Baccus went 1-1 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI.  Besides their fabulous pitching, Franke added a beautiful RBI triple to center while Calabrese smoked a double up the left center field alley. Mantyh & Evan Swindell added the other Rebel hits.  Still, since the Rebels allowed 12 runs in the first game, they didnt get a very good seed, and would have to win three consecutive games to take the championship.

 

 

GAME 3

FW REBELS 12

TEXAS GIANTS 1

 

There was a lot of turnover on the Rebels roster between 13U and 14U and this game was carried by a newcomer, and two long time Rebels. Newcomer Carlos Guerrero started on the hill and overwhelmed the Giants lineup.  In 4 innings, Guerrero allowed just 1 run on 1 hit.  He walked 2 and struck out 11.  Needless to stay his Rebels debut on the mound was a thing of beauty.  At the plate, longtime Rebel Evan Smith hit a 3-run inside the park HR deep to right, while veteran Rebel Quentin Enos crushed a booming deep HR over the left center field fence.  Smith went 2-3 with 2 runs scored and 3 RBI.  Enos added a double as well.  Jace Franke went 2-3 with a pair of RBI singles and added 2 stolen bases.  Kameron Mantyh drove in 2 more runs and went 1-2.  Charlie Rusk, Bryson Snow, & Wyatt Baccus all added base hits.  The win moved the Rebels into a rematch with the FW Nationals in the SemiFinals.

 

 

GAME 4

FW REBELS 14

FW NATIONALS 7

 

Jace Franke earned the start on the mound with his dominant performance in pool play.  The visiting Rebels hit first and after two quick outs, Evan Smith reached on an infield single.  Quentin Enos blasted a laser to left for an RBI triple.  Wyatt Baccus singled in Enos to make it 2-0.  The Nationals went quietly in the bottom of the 1st off Franke.  The Rebels scored 2 more runs on some shaky pitching and defense in the 2nd inning.  Christopher Calabrese walked and stole second.  With one out, Evan Wainright struck out but reached on a wild pitch.  Caden Spurling had a clutch at bat and was able to get Calabrese home on an RBI ground out to second base.  Head's up base running by Wainright allowed the Rebels to tack on another run on a passed ball to make it 4-0.  Franke ran into some trouble on the mound in the 2nd inning and it appeared his 4th inning of work on the day was his limit.  Give the Nationals credit for fighting back and adding 7 runs in the 2nd to take a 7-4 lead.

The Rebels could have very easily folded up shop right there....but they did the opposite.  Evan Swindell walked to leadoff the 3rd inning.  Swindell alertly went to second on a passed ball.  Franke struck out on a curve ball in the dirt but hustled down to 1st when the catcher failed to secure the ball and Swindell advanced to third.  Carlos Guerrero stepped into the box and smashed a double to deep left to score Swindell & Franke to make it 7-6.  After Guerrero stole third, Evan Smith singled to center to tie the game at 7.  Smith then stole second and third...and scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch to make it 8-7.

With Christopher Calabrese on the hill, the Nationals started a rally with a couple of baserunners and 1 out in the bottom half of the third.  The Rebels elected to put Wyatt Baccus into pitch and Baccus responded by striking out the 2 & 3 hole hitters of the Nationals to keep the score 8-7.

In the top half of the 4th, the Rebels added one more run on yet another clutch RBI groundout from Caden Spurling that scored Coleman Peck who had singled with one out.

Baccus was definitely on his game as he got 2 strikeouts and a popout in the bottom of the 4th.

The 5th inning more than likely was going to be the final inning due to the time and the Rebels needed some insurance runs.  Evan Swindell lined a single to right center to get the inning started.  Jace Franke lined a double to deep center sending Swindell to 3rd.  Carlos Guerrero hit a fly to center enabling Swindell to tag up and score to make it 10-7. Evan Smith then doubled to center scoring Franke to make it 11-7.  Quentin Enos hit a hard single to left that scored Smith.  After courtesy runner Carlos Guerrero stole second, Wyatt Baccus singled to center scoring Guerrero.  The final run of the inning was scored when Baccus scored on a wild pitch to make it 14-7.

Baccus got two quick outs to start the bottom of the 5th, and then Coleman Peck came in to strikeout the final hitter to send the Rebels to the championship game with a 14-7 victory.

 

 

GAME 5

FW REBELS 8

DALLAS ELITE 2

 

The 2021 version of the FW Rebels has multiple pitching options and a fresh Evan Smith got the ball for the championship game.  Smith did not disappoint.  In an amazing performance, Smith went 6.1 innings and struck out 14. He was just 2 outs away from a complete game shutout when Dallas Elite scored their 1st run.  Quentin Enos came in and got the final two outs to send  give the Rebels an 8-2 Championship victory.

Good fundamental baseball got the Rebels on the board in the top half of the first inning.  Jace Franke walked and went to second on a passed ball.  Carlos Guerrero singled to right to make it 1-0. Evan Smith did his job and grounded out sending Guerrero to third.  Quentin Enos put a tough pitch in play with two strikes to score Guerrero to make it 2-0.

With Smith dominating on the mound, and the Dallas Elite pitcher settling down, it stayed 2-0 all the way to the 5th inning. To leadoff the 5th, Carlos Guerrero raked a hanging curveball down the left field line for a leadoff triple. Evan Smith was then hit by a pitch...and the stole second.  Quentin Enos ripped a double to left center scoring Guerrero & Smith. Wyatt Baccus followed with a double of his own scoring Enos making it 5-0.  Bryson Snow walked.  After a wild pitch sent Baccus to third, Charlie Rusk singled to right to cap the inning's scoring with the Rebels leading 6-0.

The fast moving game went all 7 innings and the Rebels added two more insurance runs in the top of the 7th to make it 8-0.  Evan Smith beat out an infield single to make with one out. Courtesy runner Carlos Guerrero stole second, and then scored on a Quentin Enos single to left, Enos' 4th RBI of the game.  Wyatt Baccus singled, and then Bryson Snow singled in Enos for an 8-0 lead.

Dallas Elite scraped across 2 runs in the 7th, but the game ended on the Rebels 16th pitching strikeout of the game.  Again, an absolutely stellar outing from Evan Smith and the Rebels became tournament champs.

The FW Rebels had their highs and lows at the USSSA AAA BN Fall Championship Tournament in Mesquite TX.  When it was all said and done they won two and lost two and were eliminated in the quarterfinals Sunday.  Here are the game by game recaps:

 

Jace Franke & Brady Franz hold up their HR balls that were hit in the Rebels 14-2 victory Sunday morning over Dallas Tigers Orange.

 

Game 1

FW Rebels 6

BN Texas HSP 4

 

FW Rebels can hold their heads high with the knowledge that they were the only team to defeat BN Texas HSP who went on to win the tournament championship.  The story of this game was the complete game victory for starter Coleman Peck.  Peck tossed 5 innings allowing just 2 earned runs scattering 4 hits while walking 3.  He was in control the entire game and pitched around some defensive miscues.  After falling behind 1-0 in the first, the Rebels plated 4 in the bottom of the inning.  Jace Franke singled to leadoff.  Evan Smith then walked and Wyatt Baccus singled.  Brady Franz lined a 2-run single to left to make it 2-1. Quentin Enos added an RBI ground out and Charger Nguyen clutched up for a 2-out RBI single to right. BN Texas HSP scored solo runs in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th innings to tie the game at 4.  Peck through a scoreless 5th inning and the Rebels came to the plate needing just a run to win.  Franke leadoff by being hit by a pitch.  Evan Smith singled Franke to 3rd.  After Smith stole 2nd, BN Texas decided to intentionally walk Baccus.  Brady Franz once again lined a single to left to score two runs to make it 6-4.  BN Texas then went to change pitchers which ended the game due to the time limit.

 

Jace Franke blasts a solo HR to center

 

Game 2

Rockwall Expos 14

FW Rebels 2

 

The second game of pool play, the Rebel bats went silent to start out.  Rebel starter Wyatt Baccus battled through two innings of work and allowed 3 runs.  It took three Rebel pitchers to get through the 3rd inning when the Expos scored 11 runs.  Wyatt Baccus and Brady Franz hit back to back sacrifice flies to get the Rebels on the board but that was all that she wrote in a 14-2 defeat.

 

 

Brady Franz crushes a 2-run HR in the 4th inning in the Rebels 14-2 win over Dallas Tigers Orange

 

Game 3

FW Rebels 14

Dallas Tigers Orange 2

 

The Rebels were the visitors and wasted little time getting on the scoreboard.  With one out, Evan Smith singled and scored on a Wyatt Baccus double off of the left field fence.  Two more Rebel runs scored on wild pitches to make it 3-0.  Brady Franz started on the hill for the Rebels and didn't allow any runs in the 1st.  Evan Smith hit a 2-out double in the 2nd scoring Christopher Calabrese to make it 4-0.  Wyatt Baccus singled in Smith and Quentin Enos singled home Baccus.  After Dallas Tigers Orange scored 2 runs in the 2nd, it was 6-2 heading to the 4th.  After Evan Swindell grounded to SS to open the inning, Jace Franke blasted a solo Home Run deep over the centerfield fence to make it 7-2.  After Evan Smith lined out to SS, Wyatt Baccus singled for his 3rd hit of the game.  Brady Franz followed with a towering Home Run to deep left center making it 9-3.  Coleman Peck, Charlie Rusk, & Christopher Calabrese all singled to open the 5th.  This enabled the Rebels to tack on 5 more runs.  Charger Nguyen tossed 2 scoreless innings of relief to shut down Dallas Tigers and win 14-2.

 

Rebel teammates mob Quentin Enos at home plate after his 2-run home run in the first inning vs Rockwall Expos to give the Rebels a 3-0 lead.

 

Game 4

Rockwall Expos 17

FW Rebels 8

 

The visiting Rebels got on the board first.  Evan Smith crushed a 1-out double followed by a Wyatt Baccus walk.  Smith scored on a fielders choice grounder from Brady Franz.  It was Franz's 10th RBI of the tournament.  Quentin Enos followed with a deep 2-run HR over the right center field fence to take a 3-0 lead.  Rebel pitchers had a difficult time finding the strike zone in the first and gave up 6 runs to fall behind 6-3. After 3 innings it was then 10-3.  Still, the Rebels fought to get back into the game in the top of the 4th.  Quentin Enos singled to open the frame.  With one out, Coleman Peck singled to center.  Charlie Rusk then walked to fill the bases.  Christopher Calabrese was hit by a pitch to make it 10-4.  Evan Swindell and Jace Franke then both walked to make it 10-6.  Evan Smith hit a deep fly to left center that was caught and Calabrese scored to make it 10-7.  That's all the Rebels would score.  The Expos sent 11 batters to the plate in the 4th and scored 7 runs on just 4 hits to put the game away.

The FW Rebels wore their pink jerseys with pride this week and battled through three highly contested ball games that resulted in a 4-3 win, and 5-3 & 5-4 losses.  Great baseball was played all weekend and where the Rebels really shined this weekend was on the pitcher's mound.  Outstanding performances from Wyatt Baccus, Brady Franz, Devin Hood, Jace Franke, and Evan Smith kept the Rebels in all three games against outstanding competition.  Wins and losses were secondary this weekend though.  The Rebels had names of loved ones on the back of their pink jerseys that fought a much tougher opponent than the Warriors or Trophy Club Bobcats.  Each of those names, whether still with us or not.....I'm sure were proud to see their loved one on the field, giving all they got....until the end of the tournament. 

 

Here are the Recaps:

 

GAME 1

FW REBELS 4

TCR BOBCATS WHITE 3

 

Easily the best pitching the Rebels have faced this fall was in this game.  Both Bobcat pitchers had excellent fast balls and off speed pitches that kept the Rebels off balance.  Still, the Rebels had some arms of their own on display. Wyatt Baccus started on the mound for the Rebels and breezed through 2 innings on only 28 pitches.  Baccus did not allow a hit and struck out 3.  The score was 0-0 heading to the bottom of the 2nd and Brady Franz led off with a hard hit double down the left field line.  With 2 outs, Charlie Rusk reached on an infield single and Franz was able to score on an error when the shortstop threw it away.  In the 3rd inning, Devin Hood came in to pitch and he too went 2 innings without allowing a hit while striking out 5. The Rebels extended their lead to 3-0 in the 3rd inning as Jace Franke walked, Evan Smith & Wyatt Baccus singled, Quentin Enos had an RBI ground out, and Devin Hood had an RBI single.  The score stayed that way until the 5th when Bobcats White were able to tie the game with 3 runs on 4 hits including 2 doubles.  This set the stage for the dramatic bottom of the 5th which would be the final inning.  With one out, Evan Smith singled sharply up the middle.  Smith then stole 2nd and went to 3rd on a Wyatt Baccus ground out.  Quentin Enos then singled up the middle with two outs to score Smith and the Rebels celebration was on with a thrilling 4-3 victory.

 

 

GAME 2

TCR BOBCATS HENNIG 5

FW REBELS 3

 

The pitching the Rebels faced in this game, was the opposite of what they saw in the first game.  Bobcats Hennig threw multiple soft tossers who tossed a lot of strikes and kept the Rebels off balance.  Hennig scored 3 in the top half of the 1st inning but the Rebels answered with 2 in the bottom half.  Evan Smith walked with one out and then stole 2nd and 3rd.  Quentin Enos also walked with 2 outs and promptly stole 2nd as well.  Devin Hood was the next hitter and he crushed a bullet over the center fielder's head for a 2-run double.  Brady Franz was brought into relieve Evan Smith and he struck out 3 of the first 5 hitters he faced.  With the score still 3-2 in the top of the 3rd, Bobcats Hennig took advantage of a Rebels error and scored 2 runs in 3 hits a walk and the error.  Jace Franke got out of a bases loaded jam for the Rebels by striking out the final batter of the inning looking with the bases loaded.  The slow paced game only went 4 innings so the Rebels came to bat in the bottom of the 4th down 5-2.  Evan Smith led off with a single and stole 2nd.  Smith moved to 3rd on a ground out by Wyatt Baccus and then Quentin Enos his a deep sacrifice fly to right to make it 5-3.  Devin Hood then singled to center but was retired at 2nd on a ground out to end the game 5-3.

 

 

GAME 3

WARRIORS 5

FW REBELS 4

 

With the 1-1 pool play mark, the Rebels earned the #10 seed out of the 22 teams that entered the tournament.  This placed them in an odd 4-team bracket and their opponent ended up being the Warriors out of the Allen, Tx area who they had beaten in a pool play game 9-6 the previous week.  The Rebels got the Warriors ace and they accepted the challenge in what was a terrific ballgame.  Wyatt Baccus started on the hill and pitched around a double and a walk to not allow any runs in the 1st.  Baccus then had to be removed from the game due to elbow tenderness. The Rebels got on the board for 3 runs in the 2nd inning.  Devin Hood & Brady Franz singled to center with 1 out.  Then, Charlie Rusk reached on Catcher's Interference to fill the bases.  Coleman Peck knocked in the first 2 Rebel runs with a clutch single to right.  Cade Crow drove in Rusk with a single to right to make it 3-0.  Brady Franz was called in to relieve Baccus and quickly put up two shutout innings.  The score remained 3-0 to begin the bottom of the 4th.  With Franz still on the hill, the Rebels defense let him down.  The Warriors scored 4 runs on just 2 hits.  There were 4 Rebel errors in the inning.  Devin Hood relieved Franz with the bases loaded and 2 outs and struck out the batter to keep the score Warriors 4 Rebels 3.  The Rebels didn't threaten in the 5th inning and Hood struck out all three Warrior hitters in the bottom of the 5th.  This led to the 6th inning.  with one out, Christopher Calabrese was hit by a pitch.  Jace Franke followed with a missile line-drive to center sending Calabrese to 2nd. This brought Evan Smith to the plate and the Warriors starter, who was still in the game through a wild pitch enabling Calabrese & Franke to move up.  Warriors management decided to walk Smith intentionally to fill the bases.  This set the stage for Wyatt Baccus who crushed a deep fly to left center field that looked like it might be caught, but landed safely to tie the game and score Calabrese but all runners advanced just one base.  The Rebels couldn't score any more and went to the bottom of the 6th 4-4.  Devin Hood incredibly struck out the first 2 Warrior hitters in the 6th for 6 consecutive K's since entering the game.  But give the Warriors credit, with 2 outs, the 2-hole hitter blasted a double deep to right and the following hitter laced a single to center to win the game.

 

So a great weekend of Rebels baseball with a disappointing finish that went right down to the end.  Something for the team to build on as they move forward.  But, again...this weekend had a larger purpose..and for the FW Rebels it was about honoring these loved ones and all those that have battled cancer.

 

 

Wyatt Baccus - Suzanne

Quentin Enos - Dad

Evan Smith - Cindy

Jace Franke - Billy

Evan Swindell - Aunt Wendy & Ellie Eby

Brady Franz - Aunt Samantha

Charlie Rusk - Papa

Cade Crow - Mimi

Coleman Peck - P-Note

Devin Hood - Judy Blair

Christopher Calabrese - Paige

 

FW Rebels' Jace Franke scores a run vs Dallas Nationals White.

 

The FW Rebels knew there would be some rust to knock off as they played their first 14U tournament the weekend of 9/26-9/27.  Weather made it difficult to get in as many workouts as they had hoped plus the majority of the team is playing other sports right now.  Still, there were some good signs and learning experiences they will grow from as they move forward.

 

Game 1 was against Impact Baseball Mercer and the Rebels fell 12-2 but the score wasn't indicative of the game.  Neither team swung the bats very well but the Rebels walked 7 batters and hit 2 others and what was a close 2-2 game in the 3rd got away from them.  Wyatt Baccus made a solid Rebels debut on the hill pitching two innings allowing 1 hit, 1 walk and striking out 3.  Brady Franz allowed 4 runs in his 2 innings of work but only 2 were earned as he battled footing issues on the slick mound.  At the plate, Evan Smith & Brady Franz both had run scoring singles.

 

Game 2 was a little more like Rebels baseball with an impressive 9-6 victory over the Warriors.  Brady Franz and Quentin Enos both had 2-run doubles in a six-run third inning.  Wyatt Baccus went 3-3 at the plate as well.  The Rebels were very aggressive with 9 stolen bases in the game.  Evan Smith, Charger Nguyen, and Jace Franke pitched well.  Smith was outstanding going 2 innings, allowing 1 run on 2 hits while striking out 4 and walking none.  Franke closed things down striking out 2 of the 4 batters he faced and Brady Franz made a highlight reel play at third.

 

FW Rebels Head Coach Mark Swindell discusses strategy with Charger Nguyen & Jace Franke in the 3rd inning of the Rebels 8-7 loss.

Game 3 had a script that couldn't be written and gives us another example of what a great game Baseball is.  The Rebels faced Dallas Nationals White and were the home team.  Evan Smith started on the mound and pitched around a couple of hits in the first inning to shut the Nationals down.  The Rebels scored two in the bottom of the 1st, both coming in on wild pitches as Jace Franke & Quentin Enos scored runs.  The Rebels left the bases loaded in the first but it was unfortunate as Coleman Peck ripped a ball down the first base line that the Nationals 1st baseman made a terrific play on saving 2-3 runs.  The Nationals tied things up in the top half of the 2nd inning.  In the bottom half, Evan Swindell, Christopher Calabrese, and Jace Franke all reached to fill the bases with none out.  However, the three of them were left stranded as probably the fastest Rebel, Evan Smith hit a ball right up the middle where for some reason the Nationals shortstop was playing there for an easy double play. Smith tired somewhat in the 3rd and the Nationals took a 5-2 lead.  The Rebels fought right back however.  Quentin Enos led off with a single to left.  Wyatt Baccus was hit by a pitch and Brady Franz followed with what looked to be a 3-Run Home Run that hit the top of the left field fence.  Charlie Rusk clutched up and laced a line drive single to left to score two runs to make it 5-4.  Coleman Peck then hit a hard hit ball to 3rd to score Franz and then Rusk raced around to score when the 3rd baseman threw the ball away.  Once again the Rebels would fill the bases as Calabrese walked and Franke singled, but for the 3rd inning in a row, the Rebels left the bases loaded.  With a 7-5 lead, the Rebels turned to Jace Frankewho struck out 2 and was aided by an amazing diving catch in center field from Evan Smith. The game was 7-5 heading to the bottom of the 4th and the game time was running down.  Still, the Rebels were unable to extend the inning and the umpire proclaimed there were 20 seconds left when the final out was made.  So we went to the 5th inning and Franke began his 2nd inning of work. Franke walked 4 and struck out 2 to make the score 7-6 with the bases loaded and 2 outs.  Unfortunately the Rebels defense let him down as a 2-out error gave the Nationals an 8-7 lead.  Still, the Rebels were the home team and with one out Evan Swindell reached on catcher's interference.  With two down, and Swindell on second, Jace Franke ripped a grounder right up the middle that more than likely would have tied the game at 8.  Instead, the ball hit the field umpire in the ankle, making it a dead ball....Franke awarded 1st, and Swindell had to go back to 2nd.  That's where the threat ended as the Rebels left 12 men on base in just 5 innings.

Tournament Highlights

Jace Franke hit .375 and pitched a very solid 3 innings with 6 strikeouts

Charger Nguyen had a single and was hit by a pitch, on the mound he stuck out 3 in 2 innings.

Evan Smith pitched 5 innings and got the win Saturday. Had a couple of singles and didnt strike out at the plate

Quentin Enos was active.  Q hit .667 and walked twice.  He also stole 3 bases, scored 5 runs and drove in 2

Wyatt Baccus was sensational at Catcher and threw a would be basestealer out at 3rd. Also hit .571 with 3 runs scored.

Brady Franz hit .429 and led the team with 4 RBI.  Missed a HR by inches and had a booming double Saturday

Charlie Rusk hit .333 scored twice, knocked in 3 and stole 2 bases with a .500 on base percentage

Coleman Peck played solidly at 2nd base and had a clutch RBI Sunday to give the Rebels the go-ahead run

Evan Swindell was 3rd on the team with a .571 on base percentage with a hit and three walks.

Christopher Calabrese had a .429 on base percentage.

 

The FW Rebels are excited to announce they have added two new players for the 14U Fall season.  First, Wyatt Baccus will join the Rebels after a lengthy stay with the KYA Aces.  Baccus was highly recommended by Rebels pitching coach Jeff Peck and a few of the players.  His versatility will be key for the Rebels at 14U plus he already has a lot of experience playing on the larger 60/90 field.  The Rebels also added Charlie Rusk to the team.  Rusk comes over from the KYA Indians and has a lot of experience playing AAA baseball.  He should see plenty of time in the OF and possibly on the pitcher's mound. 

 

The FW Rebels wrapped up the 13U Season with a 2nd place finish in the TSB Summer Championships Tournament in McKinney & Princeton, TX

 

No doubt the 13U Spring/Summer season had it's challenges due to Covid & the late start and the Rebels had a rash of injuries to overcome along the way as well.  Still, like they did at 11U & 12U....the Rebels were playing some of their best baseball towards the end.  The final tournament of the season was the TSB Summer Championships and the FW Rebels overcame quite a bit to finish 2nd out of the 15-team field.  The Rebels were missing a couple of pitchers to injury and a couple of other players were out of town.  Add that to having practiced only once in the 14 days prior to the previous games and there really wasn't any telling what sort of success the Rebels would have in this tournament.  Here are the game-by-game recaps:

 

Game 1

FW Rebels 12

USA Prime Wuest 8

 

Devin Hood's Home Run broke an 8-8 tie in the last inning.

The Rebels were the visiting team and busted out of the gate with a 5-run first thanks to USA Prime walking seven Rebels.  Quentin Enos had the lone single of the inning which was a line shot to right center to score Jace Franke with the first run.  Coleman Peck, Christopher Calabrese, Evan Swindell, and Jack Dalton all walked with the bases loaded to make it 5-0.

Evan Smith started on the mound for the Rebels and allowed 1 run in 2 innings of work with 5 strikeouts and 0 walks.  USA Prime scored 7 runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning and quickly the Rebels found themselves down 8-6 as they headed to the final inning.

Cade Crow singled to open up the last inning. With one down, Evan Smith crushed a 2-run inside the park HR deep over the right fielders head to tie the game up at 8.  After two were out, Devin Hood blasted a deep bomb to left center for his own inside the park HR giving the Rebels a 9-8 lead. But they weren't satisfied with that.  Brady Franz tripled down the left field line and then scored on a solid opposite field single by Coleman Peck.  Christopher Calabrese walked and then stole second.  Evan Swindell laced a line drive deep into the hole at SS and was safe at first scoring Peck & Calabrese who never stopped running. 

 

Evan Swindell's 2-run single in the last inning provided the Rebels with some insurance in their 12-8 come-from-behind victory over USA Prime Wuest

Devin Hood shut down USA Prime with three straight strikeouts to end the game and the Rebels were 1-0 in pool play.

 

 

Game 2

FW Rebels 7

USA Prime Mullin 7

 

This time the Rebels were the home team and dug themselves a huge hole with sloppy defense in the first inning with Brady Franz on the hill.  Franz could have easily had a 1-2-3 inning but instead allowed 4 unearned runs thanks to three Rebel miscues in the field. 

The Rebels answered quickly.  Jace Franke led off with a single and went to second on a walk from Drew Horstman.  Evan Smith followed with a laser beam deep to right center field for a three-run inside the park HR.

Evan Smith crushed a 3-run HR to right center in the first inning

 

Prime Mullin added 1 in the second and 2 in the third to take a 7-3 lead.

As always, the Rebels fought back. Jack Dalton was hit by a pitch to open the inning.  Jace Franke crushed a 2-run inside the park HR to narrow the gap to 7-5.  Drew Horstman walked and Quentin Enos singled and both moved up on an error.  Brady Franz then clutched up for a two out two-run single to tie the game at 7.

Jace Franke's 2-run HR started the Rebels comeback in the 3rd inning after they were down 7-3

 

Things got exciting in the top of the final inning when Prime Mullin filled the bases with one out.  Drew Horstman, who was pitching, struckout the hitter and the runner from third tried to score when the ball got by catcher Quentin Enos.  Enos though hustled to retrieve the ball and then alertly tagged him to end the inning and the threat.

This controversial call on Jack Dalton's bunt probably cost the Rebels the victory instead of a tie.  Dalton was ruled to be out of the box when he bunted the baseball.  Um, wrong.

 

The game ended in a 7-7 tie after a controversial call by the home-plate umpire that Jack Dalton bunted a ball while he was not in the batter's box.  Replay showed this call to be incorrect.  Rebels finished pool play 1-0-1 and the #5 seed out of 15 teams.

 

 

Game 3

FW Rebels 10

USA Prime Mullin 8

 

An instant Rebels classic.  This was a rematch with Prime Mullin from the previous night which was a 7-7 tie.  The Rebels jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Jace Franke doubled to open the game and then scored on an Evan Smith triple.  Quentin Enos singled in Smith to make it 2-0. 

Prime Mullin answered though with a 5-run first inning to take a 5-2 lead.

The Rebels came right back.  Jackson Jordan led off with a single.  Cade Crow reached on a ground ball that retired Jordan at second.  After Crow stole second, he was able to score when Coleman Peck reached on a fielder's choice.  Evan Swindell followed with an infield single to 3rd to make it 1 & 3rd for Jack Dalton.  Dalton who has been playing hurt for about a month now swung the bat and singled to center to score Peck.  Jace Franke followed with a 2-run triple deep to left to give the Rebels a 6-5 lead.

Devin Hood's 5+ innings of pitching saved the day for the Rebels.  Hood allowed 1 earned run and struckout 8. Here he gets a clutch strikeout in a key part of the California Rule inning.

The Rebels turned the game over to Devin Hood on the hill and he did not disappoint.  Hood calmed things down and allowed just 1 run over the next 4 innings and the score was tied at 6 as time expired. 

This brought on the tiebreaking California Rule.  This rule gives the batting team the bases loaded and 1 out to start the inning. Evan Smith patiently worked out a walk to open the inning and the Rebels took a 7-6 lead.  The following batter, Quentin Enos smoked a double to left that score three runs and gave the Rebels a 10-6 lead.

Quentin Enos' 3-run double gave the Rebels all the runs they needed to complete the victory over USA Prime Mullin.  Enos went 2-3 with 4RBI in the game.

Attention back to Hood on the mound as he now had to pitch with the bases loaded and 1 out.  After a little infield single made it 10-7, Hood then struckout the next batter looking.  Another run came in on a passed ball to make it 10-8 with the tying run on second.  Hood got in on the Mullin hitters hands and he weakly ground out to Drew Horstman and second to finish the game, a 10-8 Rebels victory.

 

 

Game 4

FW Rebels 8

Texas Barons Hankins 7

 

Brady Franz started on the hill for the hometown Rebels and the game got off to a rough start. Franz hit the first batter of the game with a pitch and then walked the next hitter.  The 3-hole for the Texas Barons roped a ball up the middle that struck Franz on the right knee.  This enabled a run to score but the concern was on Franz who was down in pain.  After a brief delay, Franz felt like he could stay in the game.  The Barons tacked on two more runs and it was 3-0.

Brady Franz strikes out a Texas Barons batter to finish off the 3rd inning

 

Common theme, the Rebels answered right away.  Jace Franke led off with a single and stole second.  Cade Crow, Quentin Enos, and Devin Hood all walked to force in a the Rebels first run. Drew Horstman his an RBI ground out to make it 3-2.  Brady Franz then helped his own cause with a 2-run double to make it 4-3.

The Texas Barons then scored 1 in the 3rd and 3 in the 4th to take a 7-4 lead and the Rebels were down to their final at bat of the game. Jackson Jordan doubled to right to open the inning.  Coleman Peck singled to make it 1st and 3rd.  Christoper Calabrese hit a deep fly to left to score Jordan to make it 7-5.  Evan Swindell & Jack Dalton walked to load the bases.  Jace Franke and Cade Crow both had run scoring singles to tie the game at 7.  This set the stage for Evan Smith who worked a walk and the Rebels were on their way to the championship game in walkoff fashion.

A walk-off walk from Evan Smith scored Jack Dalton from third to complete the Rebels 8-7 comeback victory

A gutsy performance from Brady Franz tossing 3.2 innings on a hurt leg.  Coleman Peck came in to strike out the only batter he faced and earned the Win.

 

 

Game 5

Academy Select Baseball McDaniel 11

FW Rebels 3

 

It was apparent pretty much from the start that the two taxing games from earlier in the day took a lot out of the Rebels.  Jace Franke walked to open the game and Cade Crow singled.  But the 3-4-5 hitters of the Rebels stranded them there.

With Coleman Peck pitching, the Rebels defense looked lethargic and ASB McDaniel quickly grew an 8-0 lead and that was basically all she wrote.  McDaniel went on to win the Championship 11-3.

 

 The FW Rebels show off their rings and banner from finishing 2nd in the TSB Summer Championships Tournament which ended the 13U season.

 

 

 

 

The FW Rebels- Runners Up at the TSB Boys of Summer Tournament

 

The FW Rebels reached the championship game of the Silver Bracket of the TSB Boys of Summer tournament losing 11-8 to a 13U Majors team out of Midland called The Pack.  A successful tournament with plenty of highlights that saw the Rebels score 13 runs in one inning, they had a pitcher toss a complete game, and another Rebel had 5 RBI in the championship game.  Here are the game recaps:

 

Game 1

Academy Select Baseball McDaniel 8

FW Rebels 7

 

The tournament got off to a great start for the Rebels jumping out to a 7-0 lead, and then things went south in a hurry to only fall to Academy Select Baseball McDaniel on a walkoff double in the final inning.  Evan Smith started on the mound for the Rebels and cruised to a 7-0 lead by the time he exited.  Smith tossed 2 innings allowing 2 hits while walking none and striking out 3.  The Rebels got on the board in the 2nd inning with 3 runs.  Quentin Enos led off with a single.  Karson Symonds ran for Enos and the next hitter Devin Hood was hit by a pitch.  Cade Crow followed with a missile to centerfield but Hood was thrown out on a force play at second.  Symonds then scored on an error on a pickoff play to make it 1-0.  With two outs, Jack McDonald getting his first at bat in a Rebel in nearly two years, had an infield single to score Crow. Christopher Calabrese then hit a sharp ball to the shortstop who made an error sending McDonald to 3rd.  With Evan Swindell batting, Calabrese stole second which enabled McDonald to score from third to made it 3-0.

Rebels weren't finished as they added 4 in the 3rd inning.  Jack Dalton reached on a bunt single.  Charger Nguyen followed with a booming double to left center field to score Dalton.  After Nguyen was caught stealing 3rd, Evan Smith reached on a strike three wild pitch.  Karson Symonds singled to right sending Smith to second.  With two down, Devin Hood smacked a grounder down the third baseline to score Smith & Symonds.  Cade Crow then singled in Hood to make it 7-0.

Ultimately the Rebels were unable to hang on though and give ASB McDaniel credit for not giving up as they scored 1 in the 3rd, 4 in the 4th, and 3 in the 5th to walk it off and win it 8-7.

 

Charger Nguyen's bat came alive with 2 deep drives to left center for doubles. Charger hit .375 and scored 6 runs, an RBI, and 4 stolen bases in the tournament.

 

Game 2

FW Rebels 15

DBI Black Sox  3

 

 

After the heartbreaking way the Rebels lost Game 1, they very easily could have hung their heads and folded up shop for Game 2.  No way......instead the Rebels busted out of the gate with a 13-run first inning to put the game away early. 

Coleman Peck, Charger Nguyen, Evan Smith, and Karson Symonds all walked to open the game and make it 1-0. Quentin Enos hit a grounder to 3rd that Enos beat out for a single and this allowed courtesy runner Evan Swindell and Evan Smith to score.  The next two batters, Devin Hood and Cade Crow were hit by pitches to make it 4-0.  Jack McDonald then walked to make it 5-0. Christopher Calabrese lined a single to right field to make it 6-0.  Evan Swindell followed with a 9-pitch at bat and reached on an infield single to make it 7-0.  WIth two outs, Charger Nguyen reached again, this time on an error by the second baseman to score Calabrese.  Evan Smith followed with a bases loaded walk to score Swindell. Karson Symonds then reached on an error by the shortstop that scored  Jack Dalton & courtesy runner Christopher Calabrese.  Smith & Symonds would both score on wild pitches and the wild and ugly 1st inning concluded with 13 Rebel runs. 

Coleman Peck faced six hitter in 2 innings retiring them all.  Jack McDonald and Karson Symonds finished things out with the Rebels winning 15-3. Every Rebel player either scored a run or knocked one in.

 

 

Game 3

FW Rebels 8

USA Prime Cavemen 13U AAA 2

 

Quentin Enos helped himself at the plate with a 2-run double to give the Rebels a 5-2 lead.  Enos went on to pitch a complete game and earned the victory.

 

With the early big lead in Game 2, the Rebels were able to rest Quentin Enos from pitching and had him start the Silver Semi Final game vs USA Prime Cavemen who were already 1-0 on the day.  Enos dominated the Cavemen lineup pitching a complete game allowing just 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 8 in 5 innings of work.  Still, the Rebels found themselves down 2-1 heading to the bottom of the 3rd.  With 1 out, Jack Dalton reached on a bunt single.  Cade Crow then followed with a line drive double to right center field to score Dalton to tie the game at 2. Charger Nguyen walked and Evan Smith followed with a single to center to score Crow giving the Rebels a 3-2 lead. With two outs, Enos helped himself with a deep drive over the left fielder's head for a two-out two-run double to make it 5-2.  The next batter, Devin Hood reached on an error by the second baseman to score courtesy runner Karson Symonds to make it 6-2.  Jack McDonald followed with a single to left to make it 1st and 3rd.  After Coleman Peck was hit by a pitch, Christopher Calabrese singled up the middle to score Hood & Crow to make it 8-2.  Then some chaos as Evan Swindell grounded one into the hole at short that caused a collision between Calabrese and the opposing shortstop.  The ball went into left field without being touched and Peck & Calabrese scored and Swindell was thrown out trying the stretch a single into a double.  However, after the play was over, the umpires ruled that Calabrese interfered with the shortstop which ended the inning.  Rebels management expressed disappointment in the judgement call but they play wasn't reversed.  Still, that was all Enos needed as he shut down the Cavemen the rest of the way.

 

SILVER BRACKET CHAMPIONSHIP

THE PACK 11

FW REBELS 8

 

Devin Hood hit 3 doubles on Sunday and racked up 6 RBI on the day and had 8 RBI total in the tournament

 

Evan Smith started on the mound for the Rebels and had some first inning jitters but then was assisted by a nifty double play from thirdbaseman Devin Hood so The Pack only scored two runs in the first.  The Rebels immediately answered on some serious head's up base running.  With one out Charger Nguyen singled to left.  With two outs Karson Symonds and Quentin Enos walked to load the bases.  The next hitter, Devin Hood grounded to the Pack shortstop who bobbled the ball and then froze.  Symonds alertly never stopped running and scored all the way from second with the shortstop holding the ball to make it 2-2.  Smith calmed down on the mound not allowing a hit in the 2nd or 3rd inning so it was 2-2 heading to the bottom of the third. 

Cade Crow lead off with a walk and stole second. Evan Smith & Karson Symonds walked to fill the bases.  Quentin Enos singled through the hole at short to give the Rebels a 3-2 lead.  The next hitter, Devin Hood roped a double down the left field line that cleared the bases giving the Rebels a 6-2 lead.  The rally ended there.

Smith took the mound in the top of the 4th and the Rebels defense completely let him down.  Four batters into the inning the Rebels made four errors which led to an ugly five-run inning that gave the Pack a 7-6 lead.  The Pack then scored four more in the 5th on 3 hits, 2 walks and 1 error to take an 11-6 lead. 

As always though, the Rebels didn't die.  Charger Nguyen opened the inning reaching on an error by the Pack second baseman.  Then there were quickly two outs but Quentin Enos worked out a walk.  Once again, it was Devin Hood who blasted a ground rule double to right center to score Nguyen and courtesy runner Karson Symonds.  That's how it ended with the Rebels falling 11-8.

The FW Rebels who had been off for a couple of weeks returned and had a very successful pool play winning both games and earning the #1 seed in the TSB Season Finale Tournament in Grapevine.  Saturday's success did not lead to a deep tournament run however as the Rebels lost their first bracket game 10-5 and were eliminated by a team who ended up in the championship game.  Here are the tournament game recaps:

 

Game 1

FW Rebels 5

Dallas Nationals White 2

 

Both team's pitchers came out throwing strikes and hits were scarce to open the tournament.  The Rebels got on the scoreboard first with a run in the bottom of the 2nd to make it 1-0.  Brady Franz singled, stole second, and then went to third on a passed ball by the catcher.  Cade Crow hit an RBI ground out to score Franz. 

Evan Smith & Coleman Peck only allowed 1 hit in 4 innings of work for the Rebels and it was 1-0 heading to the bottom of the 4th.  With two outs, Karson Symonds hit an infield single.  Quentin Enos was hit by a pitch sending Symonds to second.  Franz singled to center to score Symonds to make it 2-2.

Devin Hood came on to pitch in the 5th and had a 1-2-3 inning.  In the top of the 6th, Hood allowed a 2-out bloop liner to left that enabled the Nationals to tie the game at 2.

In the bottom of the 6th, Jack Dalton led off with a bunt single.  After Dalton stole second, Coleman Pick grounded a ball that skidded off of the first base bag into right field scoring Dalton to give the Rebels a 3-2 lead.  The Rebels tacked on two more runs and time expired with the Rebels winning 5-2. Devin Hood was the winning pitcher in his Rebels debut.

 

 After earning the #1 seed with 5-2 & 8-0 victories, the Rebels talk about the rest of the tournament.

 

Game 2

FW Rebels 8

Canes SW 13U Hardee  0

 

Once again, the pitching was dominant for the Rebels who did not allow a run in 6 innings of work.  Brady Franz (2), Quentin Enos (2), Cade Crow (1), and Alex Stumm (1) combined for a shutout and allowed just 5 singles while striking out seven and walking three.

This time, the pitchers had plenty of offensive support.  Devin Hood got the scoring started with an RBI double in the top of the 2nd to give the Rebels a 1-0 lead.  In the top of the 3rd, Christopher Calabrese laced a triple down the right field line that went to the fence.  When the relay throw wasn't properly executed, Calabrese scored on the error to make it 2-0.  The Rebels put three more runs on the board in the 4th when Karson Symonds singled in Evan Smith who had singled.  Symonds then scored from third on a wild pitch to make it 4-0.  Cade Crow's RBI single that scored Brady Franz made it 5-0. Smith, Franz & Crow would add additional RBI singles in the game to finish off the victory and the shutout at 8-0.  Brady Franz was the winning pitcher.

 

 

Game 3

CCBA Pastrana 10

FW Rebels 5

 

Devin Hood's smash to short in the 1st produced two runs for the Rebels who narrowed the lead to 5-3

 

The #1 seeded Rebels had a poor first inning defensively and with some bad luck and fell into an early 5-0 hole they never got out of.  Brady Franz started on the hill for the Rebels and allowed seven runs on five hits and three walks in his two innings of work.  There were also a couple of costly errors made in the field behind him meaning four of the seven runs he allowed were unearned.  

Down 5-0 though, as they usually do, the Rebels fought back.  Coleman Peck had a seven pitch at bat and drew a walk to open the bottom of the first.  With one out, Alex Stumm walked and was followed by Karson Symonds who singled to score Peck.  Quentin Enos then walked to fill the bases.  With two outs, Devin Hood smashed a ball right at the shortstop who then threw the ball past first for an error that enabled Stumm & Symonds to score and made it 5-3. Evan Smith hit an infield single in the bottom of the 2nd that enabled Jack Dalton to score who had previously singled when the Pastrana thirdbasemen through the ball away.

The Pastrana team was able to score three more runs off of Coleman Peck in the 4th to take a 10-4 lead.  In the bottom of the 5th, with time expired, the Rebels attempted one of their magical comebacks.  Jack Dalton opened the inning with a perfectly executed bunt single.  The next hitter, Coleman Peck rocketed a ball but right to the thirdbaseman for the first out.  With two outs, Alex Stumm crushed a triple to right to score Dalton to make it 10-5.  The rally ended there however and the Rebels were eliminated.

With key Rebels Drew Horstman, Jackson Jordan, Jace Franke, and Charger Nguyen all absent, the Rebels had Cade Crow, Devin Hood, and Alex Stumm not only fill in admirably, but they all contributed as well.

 

 Alex Stumm's scorching triple in the last inning produced the Rebels final run in what turned out to be a 10-5 defeat.

 

In these crazy times of 2020, the FW Rebels just want to play ball.  The masked men were feeling good after their 11-1 victory in Game 1.

 

The FW Rebels played in their second TSB World Series this year and were eliminated after a 4-3 loss to USA Prime Deacon during Gold Bracket play.  The Rebels had one string of bad luck after another that minimized the amount of game they would play.  They also gained valuable experience playing 13U Majors-level teams that will set them up well for future contests.  Here are the game recaps:

 

Game 1

FW Rebels 11

Academy Select Laurin 1

 

Karson Symonds' triple got the bats started early in the 2020 Travel Sports World Series.  Symonds had 2 hits and scored 3 runs in the Rebels 11-1 victory.

 

 

After a 2-week layoff, the FW Rebels went with a pitching by committee approach to the TSB World Series pool play.  Game 1 was against Academy Select Laurin and the pitching was stellar.  Jack Dalton, Charger Nguyen, Evan Smith, Coleman Peck, and Brady Franz shut Academy Select down to just 1 run on 4 hits in 5 full innings of work.  Nguyen & Franz struckout the side in their innings.  Offensively, the Rebels scored 3 runs in the top of the 2nd to take a 3-0 lead, and they never looked back.  Karson Symonds started the rally with a booming triple to left center field.  Drew Horstman knocked in Symonds with an RBI ground-out.  Brady Franz walked, Jackson Jordan singled, and Charger Nguyen walked to load the bases.  Coleman Peck was able to work a bases loaded RBI walk to make it 2-0.  Evan Swindell then added an RBI groundout to 1st to make it 3-0.  The Rebels added 3 more in the 3rd and 5 more in the 5th to put Academy Select away 11-1.  Quention Enos led the Rebels with 2 RBI while Karson Symonds scored 3 of the 11 runs.  Symonds, Horstman, and Nguyen each collected 2 hits.  Jack Dalton was credited as the winning pitcher.

 

Game 2

FW Rebels 7

Dallas Patriots Porter 0

Forfeit victory due to a Covid related illness.

 

 

Game 3

Frozen Ropes Ashby 7

FW Rebels 2

 

The FW Rebels went into Sunday pool play as the #2 seeded team (out of 42).  As the day moved on, more and more teams were getting to 3-0 and the Rebels coaching staff began to strategize different scenarios and what would be best for the team to make a deep World Series run in bracket play.  It was realized that if the Rebels lost to the FR Ashby Majors team, AND gave up at least 7 runs, they would earn the #1 seed in the Silver Bracket.  As luck would have it, the Rebels were defeated 7-2 and although it was a loss and a hard fought effort, the end result was satisfying.  Jackson Jordan, Quentin Enos, Karson Symonds, & Drew Horstman all pitched well on the mound.  Rebels defense was shaky allowing a few unearned runs.  At the plate Symonds went 1-1 with a double, RBI, and a run scored.  Drew Horstman also had an RBI single while Brady Franz & Jace Franke all had solid base hits.  Immediately after the game, the bracket schedules came out, and FW Rebels were #1 silver.  That lasted for all of 20 mins.  Covid struck another team and they had to exit the tournament...which forced teams to all move up a spot.  This moved the FW Rebels as the last seed in the Gold Bracket.  Unfortunate and unlucky.

 

 

Game 4

Texas Stix DIaz 13U Majors 13

FW Rebels 3

 

Brady Franz started on the hill for the Rebels and was brilliant through the first two innings.  Franz needed just 27 pitches to breeze through the first 6 hitters while striking out 3.  The Rebels scored 2 in the first inning.  With 1 out Jack Dalton & Evan Smith reached on back to back singles.  With two outs, Drew Horstman grounded up the middle and the shortstop made a sliding stop.  When the shortstop got to his feet and threw to first, Smith raced all the way home from 2nd to score two runs on the infield single.  The Rebels scored 1 more run in the third inning when Jace Franke singled with one out.  He then went to second after Dalton walked.  After a pitch in the dirt, Franke alertly took off for third and the catcher threw the ball into left field allowing Franke to score to make it 3-0.    Franz got the first two out in the 3rd inning and then ran into some trouble.  He hit the next batter with a pitch.  Then on a 2-2 pitch, threw a ball right on the outer corner at the knees but the umpire froze making it a full count instead of ending the inning.  The hitter then tripled to deep left center, while the next three hitters all walked, followed by another triple, and it was quickly 5-3.  Franz tripled himself with 1-out in the 4th but was stranded there.  Some shaky defense and wildness doomed the Rebels as the Stix tacked on 8 more runs to end the game 13-3 in the 4th.

 

Game 5

USA Prime Deacon 4

FW Rebels 3

 

An elimination game at 8am.  Quentin Enos started on the hill for the Rebels and ran into some serious control problems in the first inning hitting the 2, 3, 4, and 6 hitters with pitches to make it 1-0.  Two walks and a double scored another run for USA Prime off of Enos in the top of the 2nd.  The Rebel bats finally woke up in the top of the 3rd.  Coleman Peck led off with a single, and Evan Swindell walked.  With one out, Jace Franke walked, and Jack Dalton was hit by a pitch to make it 2-1.  Swindell was retired on a force play at the plate when Karson Symonds grounded back to the pitcher.  However, the next hitter, Brady Franz walked tying the score at 2.  The threat ended their though as Drew Horstman flew out on a nicely hit ball to right field.  USA Prime came right back to score in the bottom of the 3rd to make it 4-2.  The Rebels answered in the top of the 4th.  Evan Smith hustled out an infield single and Quentin Enos singled on a grounder to left.  With runners at the corner and none out, Charger Nguyen drove in Smith on a fielders choice that retired Enos at 2nd.  The Rebels threat ended there though.  Relief pitcher Jackson Jordan retired all 5 hitters he faced but the Rebels ran out of rallies and fell 4-3.

 

TOURNAMENT HIGHLIGHTS

JACE FRANKE - returned to action for the first time in 1 yr and hot .400 and reached base 6 times in 9 AB. Scored 3 runs, made diving play at 2nd base and played stellar in the OF.

JACK DALTON- Winning pitcher in Game 1 vs Academy Select.  Played through some arm soreness. Scored 2 runs and drove in 1.

EVAN SMITH - scored a run in every game with aggressive baserunning.  4 runs total in the World Series with 2 hits and a .500 on base percentage

KARSON SYMONDS- doubled and tripled in the series and hit .375. Scored 4 runs and drove in 2.  Made his pitching debut and was solid.  Also played well at 1b.

QUENTIN ENOS- .385 on base percentage, Scored twice and knocked in two runs. Bracket play opened up with one of his best defensive games at catcher. Appeared on the mound in 2 of the 4 games and struckout 4 in 2.2 innings.

DREW HORSTMAN- Hit .444 in the World Series with 4 RBI. Played well at 2b and made two pitching appearances striking out 2 in 1.2 innings.

BRADY FRANZ - Hit a team-leading .600 in the World Series while reaching base 75% of the time!  Dominant on the mound and some terrific catches in RF.

JACKSON JORDAN - .375 on base percentage at the plate.  Did not allow a run in his 2.2 innings of work.  Also didn;t walk a batter and struck out 2.

CHARGER NGUYEN- Hit .429 for the Rebels at the plate with a run scored and an RBI.  Played solid defensively at C and at 2b. Also had a .500 on base percentage and pitched well in both of his outings.

COLEMAN PECK- scored a run and had an RBI in the 4 games. Battled through an injured leg. Appeared in 2 games in the mound and also played SS, 3b, and 2b.

EVAN SWINDELL - .286 on base percentage and had an RBI.  Only struck out once in seven plate appearances.  Rested a sore foot.

CHRISTOPHER CALABRESE - Breezy battled through some arm issues.  Played solidly in RF the entire game vs FR Ashby Majors team. Hit the ball hard a couple of times but right at people.

After a lenthy layoff, the FW Rebels returned for their first tournament of the 2020 13U season.  The results were a 7-7 tie, a 7-6 walkoff victory, and a 7-5 loss.  Here are the recaps of each game:

 

Rebels pitcher Brady Franz fires a fastball as the team returned to action for their first 2020 tournament.

 

GAME 1

FW REBELS 7

TCR BOBCATS WHITE 7

 

The Rebels allowed a run in the first inning with Evan Smith on the hill after Bobcats-White hit a double and triple with 2 down.  The Rebels answered right back as Karson Symonds 2-out 2-run single gave the Rebels a 2-1 lead.  Brady Franz came into pitch and was solid for 2 innings.  The Rebels exploded for 5 runs in the bottom of the 3rd. Coleman Peck was hit by a pitch to open the inning.  Jack Dalton singled him to 2nd. Evan Smith reached on an error to fill the bases.  Quentin Enos singles in Peck & Dalton to take a 4-2 lead. Karson Symonds drive in another run to make it 5-2 and Drew Horstman knocked in a run as well reaching on an error.  TCR Bobcats white made an impressive comeback to tie it at 7.

 

 

GAME 2

FW REBELS 7

TCR BOBCATS HENNIG 6

 

Evan Smith blasts a ball to deep right giving the Rebels a come-from-behind 7-6 win over TCR Bobcats Hennig.  Smith was credited with an inside - the - park walkoff Home Run.

 

The Rebels fell behind early 4-0 but scored 4 of their own in the bottom of the 1st thanks to a sacrifice fly from Quentin Enos, and RBI single by Karson Symonds, and excellent baserunning from Evan Smith & Symonds.  After a hustling double by Enos in the 3rd, the Rebels took advantage of a Bobcat error to make it 5-4.  Bobcats Hennig scored a run in the 4th and 5th to take a 6-5 lead heading to the bottom of the final inning.  The Rebels never-say-die mentality was in full effect however when they came to the plate.  Charger Nguyen led off with a walk and Christopher Calabrese ran for him.  After Jack Dalton grounded out to send Calabrese to 3rd, Evan Smith stepped up to the plate.  Smith his a line drive just over the right fielder's head for a 2-run inside-the-park HR to give the Rebels a walkoff victory.

 

 Karson Symonds celebrates with Evan Smith after the Rebels walked it off against TCR Bobcats Hennig.

 

GAME 3

DALLAS TIGERS PEARSON  7

FW REBELS 5

 

The Rebels didnt make things easy on themselves gifting Dallas Tigers 6 runs on 5 walks and 5 Rebel errors to open the first inning. They definitely could have folded right then and there bu that's not the FW Rebels way of doing things.  They are never counted out of a ballgame.  Down 7-1 heading to the final inning, Drew Horstman doubled to lead off the inning.  Jackson Jordan followed with an RBI single to center.  Brady Franz hit a bomb to center scoring Jordan for a double.  The next hitter, Charger Nguyen, singled on an 0-2 pitch to make it 7-4.  With Evan Swindell at the plate, The Rebels pulled off a double steal to score Franz to make it 7-4.  After Swindell grounded to short, Christopher Calabrese roped a single to center to score Nguyen to make it 7-5. The rally ended their however and the Rebels exited the 1st tournament of the year with the 7-5 defeat.

The FW Rebels finished their 2019 13U AAA Fall Ball season with a very respectable 10-4 tournament record while also placing first in two of the four tournaments they played in.

This past weekend was their final tournament of the Fall season.  As always there were some thrills as the Rebels went 2-0 in pool play, but lost their Sunday bracket game to end the season.  Here are the game recaps:

 

 

Karson Symonds had a big day at the plate going 3-4 with a double, two triples and 3 RBI.  He also scored 2 runs including the game winner vs HVA Storm Wood.

 

FW REBELS 13       HVA STORM WOOD 12

 

The Rebels wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the top half of the first inning as Coleman Peck walked to open the game, and Jack Dalton crushed a triple to deep left field.  Dalton came around to score to make it 2-0 on an RBI ground out by Evan Smith. 

After HVA Storm Wood tied it at 2, the Rebels exploded for seven runs in the 2nd inning.  Drew Horstman opened the inning with a double to left.  Karson Symonds followed with a booming triple to deep right.  With Evan Swindell at the plate, Symonds scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-2.  With two outs, Coleman Peck & Jack Dalton hit back to back singles followed by a walk by Evan Smith to fill the bases.  Quentin Enos hit a long fly ball to right that the right fielder couldn't handle clearing the bases to make it 7-2.  Jackson Jordan singled in Enos and Jon Doko followed with an RBI single of his own to make it 9-2.

The score stayed 9-2 until the bottom of the 3rd when HVA Storm staged a furious rally to score 10 runs and take a 12-9 lead.  Still, the Rebels fought back.

With time winding down, Evan Smith led off the top half of the 4th with an inside-the-park Home Run to dead center to make it 12-10.  Quentin Enos singled and went all the way to 3rd on an error by the left fielder.  Jackson Jordan was then hit by a pitch and stole second with Jon Doko at the plate.  Doko then flew out to left field but it scored Enos to make it 12-11.  This set the stage for Karson Symonds' heroics.  Symonds blistered a triple deep over the left fielders' head to score Jordan and tie the game at 12.  On the relay throw to 3rd, the ball got away and Symonds hustled home for the go-ahead run.

Still, the Rebels had to hold the home-team Storm and Drew Horstman was on the hill.  Horstman  walked the leadoff hitter who then stole second and later went to third on a passed ball.  With the tying run at 3rd and the go ahead run at the plate, Horstman mowed down the next three hitters striking them all out and the Rebels won the game 13-12.

 

 

FW REBELS 8      TCR BOBCATS HENNIG 4

 

What an evening for Drew Horstman in Pool Play.  Horstman went 4-5 at the plate with a double, 2 runs scored and an RBI.  He also was the winning pitcher in game 1 vs HVA Wood striking out three straight hitters with the tying run at 3rd.  In the nightcap, Horstman made a highlight reel play at second base.

 

Coleman Peck started on the hill for the Rebels and allowed 1 run in 2 innings of work while striking out 5.  The Rebels down 1-0 in the bottom of the 2nd inning tied it up as Karson Symonds doubled home Drew Horstman who had singled to make it 1-1.

Quentin Enos then came into pitch and didn't allow a run in 2 innings of work.  This enabled the Rebels to put this game away with 5 runs in the 3rd and 2 more in the 4th.

Coleman Peck walked and stole 2nd to open the 3rd.  Jack Dalton followed with a deep line drive and hustled for a triple to make it 2-1.  With 1 out, Jon Doko singled in Dalton to make it 3-1.  Jackson Jordan & Quentin Enos were both hit by pitchers.  Courtesy runner Evan Smith scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-1.  Drew Horstman added an RBI single to make it 5-1 and another run scored on yet another wild pitch to make it 6-1.

The Rebels tacked on two more runs in the 4th without recording a hit.  Jack Dalton walked and stole 2nd.  Later Dalton went to 3rd on a wild pitch and scored when Evan Smith reached on an error by the second baseman.  Smith eventually scored on a wild pitch as well finishing the Rebels scoring at 8.

Coleman Peck, Quentin Enos, and Evan Smith combined for 8 strikeouts in 5 innings of work and only 1 earned run.

 

TRITON RAYS 6    FW REBELS 3

 

The Rebels had 9 hits in their 6-3 loss to the Triton Rays in bracket play including 3 from Evan Smith.  Smith had 3 singles and 3 stolen bases but the Rebels could only score in 1 of the 6 innings.

 

The Rebels earned the #6 seed after their 2-0 finish in pool play.  They took on the #11 Triton Rays.  For one of the only times this Fall season, the Rebels were challenged by a left handed pitcher.  The Rays lefty commanded the strike zone well with a fastball-curveball combination that limited the Rebels to only 3 runs in 6 innings.  The Rebels had their scoring chances as Evan Smith singled, stole second, and went to third on a wild pitch but was stranded in the 1st.  Jon Doko laced a single to center and Karson Symonds who was on 2nd base was thrown out at the plate on a perfect relay throw to end the 2nd.  Evan Swindell hit a leadoff single in the 3rd but was stranded.

Finally, in the 4th inning, down 4-0, the Rebels rallied.  Evan Smith singled to left and went to 3rd on a two-base error by the left fielder.  Quentin Enos crushed a drive to deep left for an RBI triple to make it 4-1.  Jackson Jordan singled in Enos to make it 4-2.  With two outs, Jon Doko blasted a bomb to deep left field for an RBI triple to make it 4-3.  Evan Swindell hit a grounder to 2nd to end the threat on a close play at first.

In the 5th, down 4-3, the Rebels went 1-2-3 and the 6th inning would be the final inning. A single, two walks and an error allowed the Rays to add to their lead and it was 6-3 heading to the bottom of the 6th.

Evan Smith led off with his 3rd single of the game and stole second and then third, but keeping up with the days theme, was stranded and the Rebels lost 6-3.

 

Another great season of Rebels baseball.  Bring on the Spring!

Evan Smith's 2-run Home Run Sunday vs Frozen Ropes Coggan got the Rebels on the board.

 

The FW Rebels went 1-2 in the Baseball Nation Fall Championship tournament in Mesquite, TX.  They definitely got off to a rough start in Saturday pool play and had to battle some difficult elements.  Baseball is not an easy sport and it becomes even more hard without practice.  The Rebels only had a quick work out once in two weeks leading up to this tournament and the rust showed.  However, they battled back with an impressive win Saturday, and then a thrilling comeback Sunday.  Here are the recaps:

 

TEXAS TERROR 15         FW REBELS  3

 

The Rebels committed 11 errors in the game.  That's the equivalent to the other team getting to hit for an extra 3 2/3 innings.  Anytime a team finds themselves in a situation like that, they are in trouble.  The 8am game in 43 degree weather was hard to overcome but probably not as difficult as lack of practice.  Jackson Jordan started on the hill for the Rebels and with runners on 2nd and 3rd and none out, proceeded to strike out the 3 & 4 hole hitters.  4 errors later, Texas Terror was ahead 3-0.  In the bottom half of the first, Jack Dalton walked with 1 out and went to third when Evan Smith hit a ground ball that went through the legs of the Terror thirdbaseman.  Quinton Enos singled in Dalton to make it 3-1. Jackson Jordan crushed a ball to deep right field that scored Smith but was thrown out on a controversial call at 2nd base.  The Rebels defense fell apart with Coleman Peck pitching in the top of the 2nd and Terror scored 8 runs to go up 11-2.  Later, Christopher Calabrese scored on a balk but that was all the Rebels would do at the plate.  Drew Horstman pitched a very effective 2 1/3 innings of relief to slow down the Terror attack.

 

 

FW REBELS 10         PRO SOURCE HOLCOMBE 2

 

 Coleman Peck's 2-run 2-out single blew the game wide open vs Pro Source.  Peck had 4 RBI in the game.

 

 

Brady Franz & Jack Dalton combined to pitched 4 innings and allowed just 1 earned run on 2 hits to lead the Rebels to an easy victory over Pro Source.  The Rebels poor defensive effort was much better as they went from 11 errors in game 1, to just 1 error in this contest. 

In the 2nd inning with a 1-0 lead, Drew Horstman doubled to left center with 1 out.  Brady Franz singled in Horstman to make it 2-0. Evan Swindell walked and then stole second.  With 2 outs, Coleman Peck singled to right center scoring Franz & Swindell to make it 4-0.

The Rebels broke it wide open with a 6-run 3rd inning.  Evan Smith walked and Quentin Enos was hit by a pitch.  Jackson Jordan doubled in Smith to make it 5-0. Karson Symonds knocked in Enos and reached on an error.  Drew Horstman lined one sharply to right field to score Jordan but was thrown out at 1st.  Brady Franz singled and Christopher Calabrese walked setting the stage for Coleman Peck again who lined another 2-run single making it 10-0.  Brady Franz was the winning pitcher for the Rebels, his 1st in a Rebel uniform.

 

 

FROZEN ROPES COGGAN 10    FW REBELS 9

 

 The FW Rebels prepare to congratulate slugger Evan Smith on his Home Run vs Frozen Ropes.

 

The Rebels dug themselves into quite a hole in Sunday bracket play falling behind to Frozen Ropes Coggan 7-0 after 3 innings.  Many teams would have folded up shop at that point but that's not in the Rebels DNA.  Instead, they choose to fight. 

In the top of the 4th, Jack Dalton opened the inning by reaching on an error by the Frozen Ropes left fielder.  Evan Smith followed and wasted little time waking the Rebel bats up by crushing a 2-run bomb deep to right center to make it 7-2.  Frozen Ropes added another run in the bottom of the 5th to make it 8-2 and things looked bleak for the Rebs.

Jon Doko's double off of the left field wall was one of the big hits in the furious 7-run Rebel rally.

 

In the top of the 6th with time running out, the Rebels fought back.  Jack Dalton singled off of the pitcher's glove to open the inning.  Evan Smith followed with a double to left sending Dalton to 3rd.  Quentin Enos was hit by a pitch to fill the bases.  Jackson Jordan crushed a 2-2 curve ball deep over the center fielder's head to score Dalton & Smith to make it 8-4. Brady Franz hit an RBI ground out to second to score Enos to make it 8-5.  Drew Horstman bounced a singled to center to score Jordan and it was now 8-6.  Jon Doko crushed a towering fly to left that hit off the wall sending Horstman sliding into 3rd.  Karson Symonds grounded to the thirdbaseman who threw low to 1st and reached on the error that scored Horstman to make it 8-7.  With two outs, Christopher Calabrese stepped to the plate and got the count in his favor at 3-1.  He aggressively went after the 3-1 pitched and hit it over the right fielders head to score Doko & Symonds giving the Rebels an improbable 9-8 lead.

Credit to Frozen Ropes as well.  A leadoff walk and a 2-run home run ended the day and the tournament for the Rebels in the bottom of the 6th but the Rebels left feeling good with their stunning rally to even reach that point.

 

With one Fall Tournament remaining, the Rebels are 8-3 at 13U AAA.

 

 

The FW Rebels opened the 2019 13U Fall season with a tournament championship.  Although they went 1-1 in pool play this tournament, the FW Rebels won another championship title with a thrilling 10-9 victory to win their 2nd title in 2 weeks.

 

Here are each games recaps:

 

DALLAS TIGERS EAST TAYLOR  9                              FW REBELS 2

 

 

The final score was not indicative of the game but the Rebels experienced a poor 8-run 4th inning and never got to hot again to lose to the Tigers 9-2.  Evan Smith had an RBI double in the first inning and Jon Doko added an RBI double in the 2nd inning to give the Rebels a 2-0 lead.  Brady Franz tossed two shutout innings to open the game but 15 Tigers came to bat in the 4th inning to score 8 runs on two hits, four Rebel errors and seven walks.

 

 

FW REBELS 9      TEXAS STIX SCHWARTZ 5

 

The Rebels dug themselves into a 4-2 hole but busted out for six runs in the third inning to down Texas Stix 9-5.  In the 3rd, Jackson Jordan led off with a walk and stole second.  Jordan scored on an RBI double by Evan Smith.  After one were down and a Jack Dalton walk, Karson Symonds singled in Smith.  Drew Horstman laced a double to left center field to score Dalton & Symonds to make it 7-4.  Brady Franz reached on an error to score Horstman an then Jon Doko capped the scoring with an RBI double to make it 9-4.  Quentin Enos was the winning pitcher going 2 innings, allowing 1 unearned run and walking 1 while striking out 3.  The 1-1 pool play earned the Rebels the #8 seed out of 14 teams getting them the top seed in the Silver Bracket.

 

 

Jack Dalton's RBI single scored Evan Swindell for a walk off victory for the Rebels.

 

FW REBELS  7        KYA CHARGERS  6

 

The bats were slow to get going vs the KYA Chargers and the Rebels found themselves down 4-1 heading to the bottom of the 5th inning with time running out.  Evan Swindell got everything started with a single to open the 5th.  After one were down, Coleman Peck singled to move Swindell to 3rd.  Jack Dalton singled in Swindell to make it 4-2.  Evan Smith singled to center to fill the bases.  Then, Quentin Enos was hit by a pitch and Jackson Jordan walked to tie the game at 4. 

Neither team scored in the 6th setting up extra innings as time ran out.  In extra innings, the "California Rule" was in effect.  The bases were automatically loaded with 1 out.  A very tough situation for Rebels pitcher Jack Dalton to be placed in but he completed the inning admirably allowing just 2 runs. 

In the bottom half, the inning opened with Brady Franz at 3rd, Jon Doko at 2nd, and Evan Swindell at 1st.  Christoper Calabrese worked a walk after falling behind 0-2 in the count to make it 6-5.  Coleman Peck singled in Doko to tie the game at 6.  Then on the first pitch, Jack Dalton crushed a liner to center that flew over the center fielder's head to score Swindell and the Rebels were victorious with a 7-6 win.  Dalton was the winning pitcher allowing just 1 earned run in 4 innings of relief of Brady Franz who was solid for 3 innings.  The win sent the Rebels to their 2nd championship game in 2 weeks.

 

 

FW REBELS 10        TYLER GRAYS 9

 

Coleman Peck started on the hill for the Rebels and didn't allow a run in the first.  The Rebels were unable to score in the bottom of the first setting up a wild second inning.  Tyler Grays score seven runs on three hits, two walks, and one hit batter.  They also benefited from shaky Rebels defense as two errors were committed to start the inning.  Still, down 7-0 the Rebels stormed right back.  Jackson Jordan walked to lead off the inning but was retired at 2nd on a bullet to center by Karson Symonds.  Drew Horstman singled and Brady Franz followed with a booming RBI double to left.  Jon Doko smashed a hanging curveball to left to score Horstman & Franz to make it 7-3.  Evan Swindell & Christopher Calabrese walked to fill the bases.  Jack Dalton singled in Swindell & Evan Smith doubled to deep right center to score Calabrese & Dalton to make it 7-7.  The Rebels scored one more on an RBU single by Quentin Enos.

Enos then came in to pitch and calmed things down, in all Enos tossed 3 innings,struck out 4 and allowed 1 unearned run.  The Rebels found themselves down 9-8 heading to the bottom of the 5th.  Coleman Peck singled to get things started.  Jack Dalton singled sending Peck to 3rd.  With one out, Quentin Enos singled to right to score Peck but Dalton was thrown out at the plate to tie the score at 9.  Then Jackson Jordan hit a laser beam double to right center field to make the score Rebels 10 Grays 9.

The score stayed that way and Drew Horstman was brought in to close the game.  After retiring the leadoff hitter in the 6th, Horstman walked back to back hitters.  No fear!  Horstman got the next hitter to ground out to second baseman Coleman Peck and then got the final out on a ground out to third baseman Jackson Jordan to win the game and snag the championship.

 

 

The Rebels and their coaching staff proudly display the banner from winning the 13U D2 TSB Hit-N-Run Championship Banner

 

 

The FW Rebels wasted little time in adjusting to the new distances of 13U as they brought home the TSB Hit & Run Tournament at the D2 (AAA) level.  The Rebels outscored their opponents 40-10 and won by the scores of 12-1, 3-2, 13-3, and 12-4 in the Championship game.  Here are the game recaps:

 

POOL PLAY GAME 1

 

FW REBELS 12          DIRTBAGS SEDBERRY 1

 

Drew Horstman's RBI triple broke the game wide open in the 3rd inning.

 

Coleman Peck & Brady Franz are the two newest members of the FW Rebels organization and they were the first two pitchers to take the hill.  Neither disappointed as Peck tossed two shutout innings allowing one hit and striking out three,  Franz tossed two innings of relief and allowed an unearned run on no hits and he struck out two. Peck was the winning pitcher while Franz was rewarded the save as the score was 1-0 when he entered the game.

At the plate, Karson Symonds went 2-3 with two runs scored and three RBI while Jon Doko went 2-2 with a double and two RBI.  Coleman Peck scored three runs from the lead-off spot.  Drew Horstman boomed an RBI triple in the third to cap a five-run inning to put the game out of reach.

 

 

POOL PLAY GAME 2

 

FW REBELS 3              PTC ACES CUMMINGS 2

 

Evan Smith's walk-off RBI single scored Christopher Calabrese to lead the Rebels over PTC Aces 3-2

 

Over the course of FW Rebels' history, there have been quite a few walk-off hits.  Add another to the books as Evan Smith singled home Christopher Calabrese in the bottom of the fifth inning to down the Aces 3-2.  This was a pitching duel the entire way.

Quentin Enos got the start on the hill for the Rebels and didn't allow a run in his two innings of work. 

The Rebels took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second thanks to an error by the Aces third baseman.  Enos led off the inning with a single.  Brady Franz & Karson Symonds both grounded into a fielders choice leaving Symonds on first with two down.  After Drew Horstman walked, Jon Doko chopped a grounder to third that was thrown away enabling Symonds to score from second. 

Evan Smith came in to pitch in relief and allowed a run in the top of the third to make it 1-1.  The Rebels answered right back.  Coleman Peck led off with a walk and advanced to third on a single by Jackson Jordan.  With one down, Quintin Enos lined a bullet to right and the Aces right fielder made a sensational diving catch but Peck was able to tag up and score to make it 2-1.  In the top of the 4th, the Aces tied the game up on a steal of third and an error. Jackson Jordan came into pitch and with the bases loaded and two outs, he got the Aces 2-hole hitter to pop out to thirdbaseman Brady Franz to end the threat.  Jordan quickly retired two hitters in the top of the fifth and then allowed a single.  That runner was gunned down by catcher Quentin Enos attempting to steal second.

That set up Smith's fifth inning heroics.  Christopher Calabrese led off with a walk.  Coleman Peck lined a bullet to right field and was thrown out at first but it moved Calabrese to second.  Jackson Jordan singled then took second as the Aces were only worried about Calabrese at third.  With the infield drawn in, Evan Smith grounded a single to left to win the game 3-2.  The win earned the Rebels the #1 seed.

 

 

SEMIFINALS

 

FW REBELS 13              DBI BLACK SOX 3

 

 

Evan Swindell's two-out two-run single in the first gave the Rebels a 6-0 lead.

 

With the #1 seed, the Rebels were given a Sunday bye which placed them into the semifinals.  DBI Black Sox who were 2-1 in the tournament were their opponent.  Jack Dalton started on the hill for the Rebels and was dominant early.  At the plate, the Rebels wasted little time.  Coleman Peck & Jackson Jordan both singled to start the game.  Evan Smith then tripled deep to left center to give the Rebels a 2-0 lead.  Quentin Enos singled home Smith to make it 3-0.  Karson Symonds singled and then Jack Dalton hit an RBI single to make it 4-0.  The Black Sox then changed pitchers.  After Brady Franz walked to load the bases, Evan Swindell hit a two-out two-run single to left to give the Rebels a commanding 6-0 lead.

Dalton breezed through a 1-2-3 second inning.  The Rebel bats stayed hot.  Peck once again led off with a single and stole second.  With one down, Evan Smith crushed one down the left field line that landed about one foot fair for his second triple of the game to make it 7-0.  Quentin Enos singled in Smith to make it 8-0.  Jack Dalton singled in Enos and it was 9-0 Rebels.

The Black Sox got the first two hitters on in the third inning but Enos & Dalton teamed up to get the first out of the inning at the plate with the runner trying to score on a wild pitch.  Dalton then got the next two hitters to ground out to second baseman Drew Horstman to end the threat.

The Rebels went on to win easily 13-3 and were on their way to the championship game.  Dalton was the winning pitcher.  Coleman Peck, Jackson Jordan, Evan Smith, Quentin Enos, & Jack Dalton all had multi-hit games while Smith, Enos, Dalton, & Evan Swindell all had multi RBI games.

 

 

CHAMPIONSHIP

 

FW REBELS 12        PTC ACES CUMMINGS 4

Amazing Sunday for Rebels slugger Evan Smith who crushed 4 (!!!!) triples in the two games.

 

The championship was a rematch of the great 3-2 thriller from just 24 hours earlier.  Coleman Peck got the start on the hill for the Rebels and the Aces bats came out hot scoring two runs in the top of the first on three singles.  As usual, the Rebels stormed right back.  Peck led off with a single and moved to second on a Jackson Jordan ground out.  Evan Smith then laced yet another triple to left center scoring Peck.  Quentin Enos singled to right to tie the game at 2.  With two outs, Jack Dalton tripled on a hard liner to left to give the Rebels a 3-2 lead.  

Peck allowed a lead off single in the second inning but then started a nifty 1-6-3 double play with Jack Dalton & Karson Symonds.  In the top of the third, the Aces had two outs and a runner on third.  Peck's pitch eluded catcher Jon Doko who quickly pounced on the ball.  The Aces runner who thought he could score then tried to scurry back to third.  Doko threw to thirdbaseman Jackson Jordan who then threw to pitcher Coleman Peck and then to shortstop Jack Dalton who tagged the runner to end the inning.

With Quentin Enos on the mound, the Aces tied the game up at 3-3 in the top of the fourth. The Rebels fought right back though.  Jack Dalton singled to open the fourth.  Drew Horstman hit a liner to right and Dalton was caught in no-man's land and was thrown out at second.  Horstman then stole second.  With two outs, Jon Doko singled in Horstman to give the Rebels a 4-3 lead.

In the top of the fifth, with one out, the Aces leadoff hitter laced a triple down the left field line and scored on an RBI ground out to tie the game at 4.  This time the Rebels answered in a big way in the bottom half of the 5th.  Jackson Jordan led off with a double to right center.  With one out, Quentin Enos singled sending Jordan to third.  Karson Symonds singled to score Jordan to make it 5-4. Jack Dalton lined an RBI double to score Enos.  Drew Horstman singled in Symonds and then Brady Franz doubled to deep left to make it 9-4 and the Aces then changed pitchers.  Jon Doko capped off the scoring with an RBI double as well scoring Franz.

Brady Franz came in to pitch the sixth inning.  He got the first hitter to ground out to short and then the next two batters reached on an error and a walk.  That set up a beautiful big-league double play started by second baseman Coleman Peck and turned by shortstop Jack Dalton to end the inning.

The Rebels put the championship away with two runs in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double from Quentin Enos and an RBI single by Jack Dalton for a 12-4 victory.

 

 

#19 - COLEMAN PECK

#13 BRADY FRANZ

 

The FW Rebels are pleased to announce they have hired a dedicated pitching coach to their staff, as well as two new players to the roster.

Jeff Peck will take over the FW Rebels pitching staff and he brings plenty of experience with him.  Jeff was a Kansas City Royals draft pick out of Denton Ryan HS.  He elected to play at Texas Tech instead where he went 17-4 for the Red Raiders while in Lubbock.  Jeff then pitched professionally in the Independent Texas-Louisiana League from 1997-1999.  He pitched for the Rio Grande Valley Whitewings, Lubbock Crickets, and Ozark Mountain Ducks.  Peck was most recently the head coach of the 12U AAA Dirtbags.  His experience as a player and coach will be a fine addition to the Rebels staff.

Jeff's son Coleman will join the Rebels squad as well.  Coleman is an athletic ballplayer who has pitched, played middle infield, and outfield.  Last season, he played for the Dirtbags 12U AAA squad. 

The Rebels also picked up Brady Franz.  Franz played last season with Ntx Extreme so is very familiar with the Rebels organization after those two teams met six times during the season.  Brady was previously teammates with current Rebel players Drew Horstman & Jackson Jordan.  Like Coleman, he'll add plenty of versatility to the Rebels roster and will deepen the pitching staff.

Another thrilling FW Rebels season is in the books and with that, a Top 10 list of the best Victories from the season.  The Rebels started the season as a 12U AA team and were bumped to AAA in mid April.  There were some growing pains along the way but the season came to a close with a very satisfying 27-19 season.  Here are the top 10 victories of the season.

 

#10 FW Rebels 8   Ntx Extreme 4

Wednesday, May 22nd.  RYA Premier League Tournament Semifinal

It was no surprise these two teams would meet up in the Semifinals in the end of season RYA Premier League tournament.  These teams had already met twice during the season and Extreme won both in come-from-behind fashion and both were 1-run wins.  Jack Dalton started on the hill and gave up 4 runs in 3 innings and left with the game tied 4-4.  Quentin Enos was solid for 2 innings and didn't allow a hit while striking out 4.  Still, the game was 4-4 heading to the top of the 5th in what would be the final inning.  Jace Franke led off the 5th with a double, and scored on a Jack Dalton single.  Evan Smith then singled advancing Dalton to 2nd.  Jackson Jordan laced a run-scoring double to make it 6-4. Smith scored on an RBI ground out from Drew Horstman and Jordan came around to score on an error by the Extreme SS on a ball hit by Karson Symonds.  Enos breezed a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the 5th and the Rebels won 8-4.

 

 

#9 FW Rebels 1  BN Mavericks 11U Majors 0

Saturday, May 18th.  Pool Play USSSA Global State Championship

Once again this was a Jack Dalton start, followed by Quentin Enos in relief.  Both pitchers dominated the 11U Majors team.  Dalton hurled 3 perfect innings while Enos allowed 3 hits and 0 runs while striking out 3 in his time on the hill.  The Rebels bats were stymied by the Mavericks but in the bottom of the 6th, they were able to scratch across a run and win in walk off fashion.  Will Adams opened the 6th with a sharp line drive single to right field and he advanced to 2nd on a throwing error by the Mavericks right fielder.  After Evan Swindell popped out to 1st, Maverick management intentionally walked Jace Franke.  This set the stage for Jack Dalton who singled sharply to center, scoring Adams to win the game.  The Rebels celebrated on the field.

 

 

#8 FW Rebels 4   Rawlings Velocity Blue 2

Sunday, April 7.  Bracket Play Travel Sports Turf Wars

The weather forced pool play  to be postponed so it was a sprint to the championship in Sunday's pool play.  It was Ace vs Ace as the winner would be rewarded a spot in the Semi Finals while the loser would have a more difficult challenge.  In one of his more dominating performances on the season, Jack Dalton tossed 5 innings, and allowed 1 earned run while striking out 12.  Still, the Rebels had their hands full with Rawlings' starter and the score was 1-1 going to the bottom of the 4th.  Evan Smith opened the inning with a walk.  After stealing 2nd, Jackson Jordan grounded out to advance Smith to 3rd.  Drew Horstman singled in Smith on a hard hit ground ball to 3rd.  Singles by Karson Symonds, Jon Doko, and Quentin Enos plated another run to make it 3-1.  Rawlings scored a run in the top of the 5th to narrow the gap to 3-2.  Will Adams was hit by a pitch, and Evan Swindell walked to open the 5th.  Jace Franke singled in Adams to make it 4-2, and the game was called due to the time limit and the Rebels were on their way to another tournament championship.

 

#7 FW Rebels 15    Spring Branch Warriors 11U Majors 3

Sunday, June 2.  Clarence Mendel Memorial Tournament in Houston, TX.  Bracket Play.

This wasn't as much of a close game, but still the decisive victory gave the Rebels confidence in a prestigious tournament that would benefit them the rest of the season.  Spring Branch was a highly successful 11U Majors team and the last thing the Rebels wanted on this Houston trip was a "1 and done" Sunday.  Playing this game in Waller, TX in the middle of a cow pasture, the Rebels got to play on a real Field of Dreams.  They didn't waste much time even though they were all awake at 6am that morning.  The Rebels scored 6 in the first and 5 in the second to take a commanding 11-2 lead after 2 innings.  The day belonged to Quentin Enos who went 3-3 with a team record 7 RBI. Enos had a double and two triples in the contest.  Jack Dalton tossed a solid 3 innings to get the victory. Drew Horstman, Jon Doko, Evan Smith, and Evan Swindell also contributed RBI hits in the game.

 

 

#6 FW Rebels 2  Yukon (OK) Rangers 12U AAA 0

Monday, June 24.  TSB World Series Bracket Play, Game 1.

The Rebels opened bracket play of the TSB World Series vs a Solid 12U AAA team out of Oklahoma.  It quickly became an intense pitcher's duel.  Jack Dalton started on the hill for the Rebels and was dominant for 4 innings allowing just 3 hits while striking out 8 and walking 1.  Dalton also helped himself at the plate with an RBI triple in the top of the 3rd that scored Jace Franke to make it 1-0.  It appeared Dalton had an inside-the-park Home Run but somehow the field umpire overruled the play at the plate calling Dalton out with a triple instead.  Evan Smith led off the 4th inning with a missile to right center field that went all the way to the fence and with a head first slide into home, Smith had himself a Home Run to make it 2-0.  Quentin Enos was called in to shut the door which he did.  He threw the final 2 innings, struck out 4 and picked off the only baserunner to reach.  After a disappointing showing in Pool Play, the Rebels were off and running in the World Series.

 

#5 FW Rebels 9   Benbrook Lake Monsters 12U AAA 5

Tuesday, June 25. TSB World Series Bracket Play, Game 4.

This game started on the heels of a difficult 9-8 loss in the game before to Parker County Renegades.  While the Rebels were disappointed by the narrow defeat, they didn't have time to dwell on it as another loss, and the season would be over.  Adding to the intensity was some annoying behavior from Lake Monster fans who were watching and cheering on Parker County.  This was an elimination game and the Rebels came out swinging.  Quentin Enos hit a 2-out RBI single to score Jack Dalton who had walked.  Dalton was then the courtesy runner for Enos and stole 2nd then came around to score on an RBI single by Drew Horstman.  Lake Monsters came right back and scored 3 of their own in the 1st to make it 3-2.  In the top of the 2nd, Jon Doko led off with a double followed by an Evan Swindell walk.  With 2 outs, Doko & Swindell remained on base but the Rebels got hot with 2 down.  Jace Franke singled in Doko to tie the game at 3.  Jack Dalton singled to right to score Swindell & Franke to make it 5-3 Rebels.  After Evan Smith walked, Quentin Enos singled in Dalton to make it 6-3 and another run would score on a wild pitch to make it 7-3.  Rebels starter Evan Smith calmed and had a 1-2-3 2nd inning then allowed 2 runs in the 3rd.  In the 4th holding a 7-5 lead, Will Adams got a rally started with a 1-out bunt single.  Jace Franke singled to center advancing Adams to 3rd.  With 2-outs, Evan Smith helped his own cause with a 2-run double to right center giving the Rebels a 9-5 lead.  Jack Dalton was brought in to close things out for the Rebels and did just that.  The Rebels lived to play another day and ended the Lake Monsters season.

 

#4 FW Rebels 3  Keller Chargers 0

Sunday, March 31.  Mavs Ballpark Wood Bat SemiFinal.

The Rebels ran into a familiar foe in the Mavs Ballpark Wood Bat semifinal game in the Keller Chargers. Once again, both teams had their aces rested and ready to go.  Jack Dalton started on the hill for the Rebels and threw a 4-inning complete game no hitter.  Only two Chargers players reached base....both on walks.  Still, the Rebels had a challenge of their own as the Chargers starting pitcher was matching Dalton.  With 2 outs and none on in the bottom of the 2nd, Quentin Enos hit a majestic bomb deep to left that landed on an apartment rooftop to make it 1-0.  With Dalton throwing the way he was, it might as well been 10-0.  It remained 1-0 until the bottom of the 4th.  Time was running out and the Rebels needed to rally.  With 1 out, Drew Horstman singled to left.  Karson Symonds walked & Quentin Enos was hit by a pitch.  This set the stage for Jon Doko who hit a hard ground ball to short that wasn't fielded cleanly allowing Horstman & Symonds to score.  Time expired with Christopher Calabrese at the plate and the Rebels advanced to the championship game.

 

#3 FW Rebels 8  Ntx Bulls Broom 1

Sunday, March 31.  Mavs Ballpark Wood Bat Championship

The Rebels were riding high after their 3-0 victory over the Chargers in the semi final and now had to finish the job and take on Ntx Bulls Broom who they had just defeated in pool play 13-0 the day before.  Quentin Enos started on the hill for the Rebels and shut down the Bulls in the first 2 innings.  Jackson Jordan opened the bottom of the 2nd with a single to right.  It took some small-ball but the Rebels scratched across a run as courtesy runner Evan Smith stole 2nd, went to 3rd on a ground out by Drew Horstman, and scored on another ground out from Karson Symonds to make it 1-0.  The Bulls scored an unearned run off of Enos in the 3rd to tie it at 1.  Christopher Calabrese & Evan Swindell walked with 1 out in the 3rd.  Jace Franke singled to left to score Calabrese.  With 2 outs, Evan Smith doubled to center scoring Swindell & Franke and giving the Rebels a 4-1 lead.  Evan Smith came on to pitch in the 4th inning and shut the Bulls down.  The Rebels scored 2 more runs in the 4th on 5 walks to make it 6-1 and added 2 more in the 5th on a 2-run Evan Smith single to make it 8-1 and that was the final.  The championship was won!

 

#2 FW Rebels 5    Ntx Extreme 2

Monday, June 24.  TSB World Series Bracket Play, Game 2.

The fifth meeting of the season between the Rebels and Extreme was an important one.  The winner would move on to the next day in the TSB World Series.  The loser would have to play an elimination game immediately after.  Extreme had another advantage of getting a bye to face the Rebels who had just defeated Yukon 2-0. Quentin Enos started on the hill for the Rebels as he was already loose after closing out Yukon.  Neither team score in the 1st but the Rebels exploded for 4 runs in the 2nd inning.  With 1 out, Drew Horstman laced a single to center.  Then Enos crushed a fastball deep over the right fielder's head for a 2-run inside the park Home Run.  Karson Symonds & Jackson Jordan both singled and advanced on a wild pitch to make it 2nd and 3rd.  Evan Swindell had an 8-pitch at bat and hit an infield single between 1st and 2nd scoring Symonds & Jordan giving the Rebels a 4-0 lead.  Extreme has always been a team to battle back and they answered with 2 of their own in the 2nd.  Jace Franke hit a 1-out triple in the 3rd inning and scored on an RBI ground out from Jack Dalton to make it 5-2.  Controversy came in the bottom of the 4th with some odd ruling that since shortstop Jack Dalton had picked up the ball to flip to pitcher Enos, that Dalton had to come in to pitch.  So Dalton did come in and struck out the only batter he faced.  Drew Horstman then came on and retired six of the seven batters he faced to close the door and pick up the save.

 

#1  FW Rebels 7    Ntx Tribe Bryant 6

Sunday, March 24.  Bracket Play game in the DFW NIT Championship Tournament

Any bracket game has a sense of urgency and intensity knowing a loss sends you home.  The Rebels have always been known as a team that never quits and plays hard until the final out.  Ntx Tribe was a solid team with a reputation to always play well in tournaments.  The Rebels had a bye after their 2-0 pool play but Ntx Tribe did not seem like much of a reward.  Jackson Jordan started on the mound for the Rebels and breezed through the 1st inning.  Evan Smith smacked a line-drive Home Run over the right field fence in the bottom of the 1st to give the Rebels a 1-0 lead.  Neither team could score in the 2nd inning and then the Tribe rallied for 6 runs in the 3rd.  Jack Dalton came on to pitch in the 4th inning and had the job of keeping Tribe right where they were.  The Rebels scratched across a run in the bottom of the 4th on an RBI ground out from Jon Doko scoring Dalton who had singled. This made it 6-2.  In the bottom of the 5th, the Rebels added 1 more run thanks to back-to-back doubles from Karson Symonds & Quentin Enos. Dalton slammed the door shut and it was 6-3 heading to the bottom of the final inning.  With 1 out, Dalton and Evan Smith hit back-to-back doubles to make it 6-4. Then with 2 outs, Jackson Jordan clutched up with a single to right center to score Smith and it was 6-5.  This set the stage for Drew Horstman who swung at the first pitch and lined a missile to deep center field.  The Tribe center fielder looked like he might catch it as he jumped and had the ball hit his glove, then flew out of his glove and over the fence, for a game-winning 2-run walk off Home Run.  The Rebels lived to play another game (a 8-7 win over Wylie Rangers) and the season was off and running.  Horstman's heroics set the stage for what would be another magical Rebels season.

THE FINAL TOURNAMENT FOR THE 2019 12U AAA FW REBELS DID NOT DISAPPOINT. THE REBELS WENT 3-2 IN BRACKET PLAY WITH WINS OVER THE YUKON (OK) RANGERS, NTX EXTREME, AND BENBROOK LAKE MONSTERS.

 

 

The FW Rebels entered the season as a 12U AA team with a total of zero games vs AAA competition.  After going undefeated in their first three AA tournaments this Spring, the Rebels were bumped to AAA and a new level of competition was waiting for them.  By the end of the Travel Sports World Series, the Rebels collected three thrilling wins vs AAA teams and almost came back in dramatic fashion to defeat a 12U Majors team that eventually won the tournament.  Here is a recap of all eight games the Rebels played in the 2019 TSB World Series 12U Open Tournament:

 

POOL PLAY

Game 1

Academy Select Baseball-Jordan 9      FW Rebels 4

 

For game 1 of the World Series, the Rebels were the visiting team.  They wasted little time getting started.  Jace Franke & Jack Dalton opened with singles. With runners at 1st & 3rd, Franke scored on a balk to make it 1-0. After Jackson Jordan walked, Drew Horstman singled to righ field to score Dalton to make it 2-0.  Karson Symonds then walked.  Evan Smith hit into a fielders choice that scored Jordan and it was 3-0.  

 

Jon Doko was the surprise starter for the Rebels making just his second start of the season on the hill.  He was a strike throwing machine.  He did allow 2 runs on 3 hits in the first and it was 3-2 after 1.  

 

REBELS OUTFIELDER CHRISTOPHER CALABRESE MADE TWO IMPRESSIVE CATCHES IN THE WORLD SERIES. UNFORTUNATELY ANOTHER BALL HIT HIM IN THE BRIDGE OF THE NOSE TO COST HIM PLAYING VS DALLAS MUSTANGS STEGMAN.

In the 3rd inning, Quentin Enos singled in Jackson Jordan who had walked to give the Rebels a 4-2 lead.  It stayed that way until the bottom of the 4th.  With Doko on the mound, the Rebel defense fell apart.  The first batter of the innings for Academy Select reached on an error.  Two singles followed to make it 4-3.  The next hitter hit a sinking line drive to Christopher Calabrese.  The ball tipped his glove then hit his nose.  Calabrese had to be removed from the game.  The score was now 5-4 Academy Select.  Doko was forced to get extra outs and allowed two more singles and his first walk of the game, and then time expired with the Rebels falling 9-4.  

 

Doko only allowed 1 walk in 3.2 innings and just 3 of the runs he gave up were earned.

 

LP - Doko

Hitting Standouts- Jace Franke 2-3, R.  Drew Horstman 1-2, RBI.  Quentin Enos 1-2, RBI.  Karson Symonds 1-1, R.

 

 

 

EVAN SMITH STEALS 2ND JUST BEFORE SCORING THE REBELS FIRST RUN VS DALLAS MUSTANGS STEGMAN. THE FOLLOWING DAY, SMITH HIT HIS 4TH HR OF THE SEASON FOR THE REBELS WHICH LED THE TEAM.

Game 2

Dallas Mustangs Stegman 12   FW Rebels 2

 

Still stinging from the 7-run meltdown in the previous game, the Rebels came out flat vs Dallas Mustangs and proceeded to allow a 7-run first inning.  Evan Smith started on the hill for the Rebels and didn't make it out of the first inning.  Drew Horstman followed in relief and did an admirable job of keeping the game respectable.

 

The Rebels finally got on the board in the 3rd inning down 9-0.  Jackson Jordan opened the inning with a walk.  Courtesy runner Evan Smith stole second base.  With one out, Evan Swindell grounded a ball deep into the SS hole.  Smith hesitated allowing the SS to throw to first and then took off, Swindell was out at first and they tried to get Smith at 3rd and threw the ball away to make it 9-1.  The Rebels added one more run in the 4th on an RBI single by Quentin Enos but that was as close as they would get.

 

 

LP- Smith

Hitting Standouts- Quentin Enos, 1-2, RBI.  Jack Dalton 1-2, R.  Jackson Jordan 0-0, BB  R.  Evan Swindell 0-1, RBI

 

 

 

JACE FRANKE WAS RED-HOT AT THE PLATE WITH A TEAM HIGH 11-HITS IN THE 8 WORLD SERIES GAMES INCLUDING 3-3 VS TEXAS STIX RED.

Game 3

Texas Stix Red 9     FW Rebels 6

 

 

The Rebels played their 3rd Pool Play game and a win could set them up nicely in improving their seeding.  Jackson Jordan got the start on the hill for the Rebels and Texas Stix scored 3 in the first inning.  A two-run HR by Stix in the top of the 3rd gave them a 5-1 lead.  The Rebels fought back though.  Jace Franke opened the 3rd with a single.  With 1 out, Evan Smith singled in Franke to make it 5-2. Quentin Enos, Drew Horstman, Jon Doko, & Karson Symonds all singled to give the Rebels a 6-5 lead.  Jackson Jordan & Evan Swindell walked to fill the bases but they were stranded there.

 

Heading to the top of the final inning, the Rebels held onto a slim 6-5 lead. A leadoff walk, 3 singles and 2 Rebel errors though doomed the boys from Ft Worth.  So after 3 pool play games, the Rebels were 0-3 which got them the 26th seed out of 28.  It would be an uphill climb for sure in bracket play.

 

 

LP- Jordan

Hitting Standouts- Jace Franke, 3-3, 2R.  Quentin Enos 2-3, R  RBI.  Karson Symonds, 1-2, 2RBI.  Jon Doko 1-2, R  RBI.

 

 

 

 

JACK DALTON BREEZED THROUGH 4 INNINGS OF WORK VS YUKON RANGERS TO PICK UP THE WIN.  DALTON STRUCK OUT 8 BATTERS IN 4 INNINGS WITH JUST 1 WALK.

BRACKET PLAY

Game 4

#26 Seed  FW REBELS 2    #23 Seed Yukon (OK) Rangers 0

 

 

The Rebels came into Monday knowing if they played like they had in Pool Play, this very well could be the last day of the season.  However, Jack Dalton & Quentin Enos were well rested to eat up innings and they did much more than that.  Dalton & Enos tossed a complete game shutout and the Rebels were able to get a couple of big hits to down Yukon Rangers 2-0.

Dalton started on the hill and went 4 innings, allowed 3 hits, 1 walk, and struck out 8.  He struck out at least two hitters in every inning he pitched.  In his final inning, the 4th.  Dalton allowed a lead off single then promptly picked the runner off.

The Rebels got on the board for the first time in the 3rd inning.  With 2 outs, Jace Franke reached on a sharp single.  Dalton then came to the plate and ripped one to center that was just out of the reach of the center fielder.  Franke scored and Dalton was sent home for an apparent inside the park home run.  It was a very close play at the plate and it appeared Dalton escaped being tagged.  The home plate umpire yelled "Safe" and the Rebels celebrated.  Yukon objected the call, and somehow the umpire out in the field 90 feet away from the play thought he saw Dalton's shoe was tagged and was called out.

Evan Smith led off the following inning with a smoked inside the park home run to right center.  This time there was no close play at the plate and the Rebels led 2-0.  This was Smith's 4th dinger of the season.

Quentin Enos came on to pitch the 5th inning and faced the minimum 6 in his 2 innings to record the save.  Enos allowed 1 hit as well and like Dalton, picked the Yukon player off base.  Dalton & Enos combined to strike out 12 in the 6 inning game.

 

WHAT A DAY ON THE HILL FOR QUENTIN ENOS.  ENOS GOT THE SAVE IN GAME 4 VS YUKON RANGERS AND WAS THE WINNING PITCHER IN GAME 5 VS NTX EXTREME.

 

WP- Dalton    SAVE- Enos

Hitting Standouts- Evan Smith 2-3, HR  R  RBI,  Jack Dalton 2-3, T, RBI,  Jace Franke 2-3, R. 

 

 

 

 

 

DREW HORSTMAN'S 1.2 HITLESS INNINGS SLAMMED THE DOOR SHUT ON ANY TYPE OF EXTREME COMEBACK.  HORSTMAN WAS CREDITED WITH THE SAVE.

 

Game 5

#26 Seed  FW REBELS 5    #18 Seed NTX Extreme 2

 

 

FW Rebels had already played Ntx Extreme four times this season in RYA Premier League action with NTX Extreme coming out on top in three of the games.  With Quentin Enos already lose from his 2 inning in game 1, the Rebels were ready to roll. 

Neither team scored in the 1st inning but the Rebel bats came alive in the 2nd.  With one out, Drew Horstman laced a single to center.  That sent up Enos who absolutely drilled a bomb deep over the right fielder's head for an easy inside-the-park HR.  On most fields it would have been an easy over the fence HR.  The Rebels weren't finished though.  Karson Symonds singled and Jackson Jordan doubled him the 3rd.  Evan Swindell had a 7-pitch at bat and chopped an infield single between 1st & 2nd scoring Symonds and Jordan who never hesitated to score from second and give the Rebels a 4-0 lead.  The Rebels tacked on an additional run in the top of the 3rd with a Jace Franke triple, and a Jack Dalton RBI groundout to short.

Enos was able to toss 3 innings on the hill and allowed 1 earned run and struck out 5 on 2 hits.  He was on his way out to start the 4th inning when the umpires ruled he had to be removed from the game since SS Jack Dalton picked up the ball before Enos.  Despite Rebel management protesting the call, Dalton was now in to pitch and he struck out the one hitter he faced on 3 pitches.  Dalton gave way to Drew Horstman.  Horstman dominated Extreme for 1.2 innings allowing 0 runs on 0 hits.  He added an exclamation point by striking out the final Extreme hitter with high heat.  The Rebels were 2-0, and onto Tuesday.

 

EVAN SWINDELL'S 2-RUN SINGLE EXTENDED THE REBELS LEAD TO 4-0 IN THE 2ND INNING.

 

 

WP- Enos   SAVE- Horstman

Hitting Standouts- Quentin Enos 1-2, HR  R  2RBI, Drew Horstman 2-2, R, Jace Franke 1-2, T  R,  Evan Swindell 1-2, 2RBI

 

 

 

Game 6

#19 Seed Parker County Renegades 9   #26 Seed FW Rebels 8

 

 

FW Rebels' fans will remember the first game of the season against a Majors team and the game was 1-sided as a 16-0 Rebels loss.  The Rebels were tested vs Majors teams a few other times so the meeting vs Parker County did not intimidate.  Jon Doko got the start on the hill again for the Rebels.  Unfortunately, defense let Doko down again as he gave up 6 runs in 2 innings of work but only 3 were earned.  However, a defensive highlight in the 2nd inning was a fly out to Will Adams in deep right field, and then an incredible 1-hop throw to the plate to nail the runner trying to score.

 

WILL ADAMS' DOUBLE PLAY FLY OUT AND THROW OUT AT HOME PLATE KEPT THE REBELS IN THE GAME IN THE 2ND INNING

Doko helped himself to get the Rebels on the board in the 2nd inning with a 2-out 2-run double down the left field line that scored Karson Symonds who had tripled and Jackson Jordan who had walked. 

Evan Smith came on to pitch for the Rebels and really calmed things down and did his job by keeping the Rebels in the game.  Down 7-2 to open the 4th, Smith, Quentin Enos, & Drew Horstman all hit doubles to open the inning to make the score 7-4.  Horstman scored on an RBI ground out by Karson Symonds.

Smith allowed yet another unearned run in the bottom of the 4th to give the Renegades an 8-5 lead.

In the top of the 6th, the first two Rebel hitters were retired on ground outs.  Down 8-5, with 2 outs in the last inning, the Rebels did what they always do....and fought til the end.  Quentin Enos & Drew Horstman hit back to back singles.  Then Karson Symonds blasted a double deep to center to cut the score to 8-7.  That brought Jackson Jordan to the plate who promptly singled to center to score Symonds to tie the game.  Jordan went to 2nd on the throw to the plate.  Jon Doko flew out to center to end the inning but with the score tied at 8, Evan Smith trotted back out to the mound.  Renegades were able to scratch across one run to win the game 9-8.

 

 

KARSON SYMONDS 2-RUN DOUBLE AND JACKSON JORDAN'S RBI SINGLE WITH 2 OUTS TIED THE GAME UP AT 8 IN THE 6TH INNING.

 

 

 

LP- Smith

Hitting Standouts- Karson Symonds, 2-3, D, T, 2R 3RBI, Jackson Jordan, 2-2, R  RBI, Drew Horstman 2-3, D 2R RBI, Quentin Enos 2-3, D 2R RBI

 

 

 

Game 7

#26 Seed  FW REBELS 9   #25 Seed Benbrook Lake Monsters 5

 

 

JON DOKO HAD A TEAM-HIGH THREE DOUBLES IN THE WORLD SERIES AND ALSO PITCHED EFFECTIVELY MAKING 4 APPEARANCES ON THE HILL.

Just like Monday, the Rebels had a pitcher warm and loose to open the second game of the day.  Evan Smith who pitched brilliantly vs Parker County would start on the mound vs Lake Monsters. 

The Rebels scored 2 runs in the first inning thanks to a Jack Dalton walk and singles by Quentin Enos, Drew Horstman, & Karson Symonds.  Lake Monsters answered right back with a 3-run first inning to take a 3-2 lead.

Still, the Rebels were not finished and exploded for 5 runs in the second.  Jon Doko nailed a double to deep left to open the inning.  Evan Swindell followed with a walk to place runners at 1st and 2nd and none out.  But after a pop out and strikeout it appeared the Rebels might waste the scoring opportunity.  Instead, Jace Franke singled in Doko.  Jack Dalton singled in Swindell & Franke to make it 5-3.  Evan Smith walked and Dalton came home on ball four when the ball got by the Lake Monster catcher to make it 6-3.  Quentin Enos' RBI single plated Smith and the Rebels were up 7-3.

Smith showing signs of fatigue was aided by two nice plays in the second.  With 1 out, Karson Symonds laid out to snag a line drive at 1st base.  Then, Christopher Calabrese made a solid over the head grab to end the inning.

Jackson Jordan came in to pitch in the 3rd inning and left with the bases loaded and the Rebels holding a slim 7-5 lead.  Jon Doko came into pitch and did an amazing job to end the rally without any more runs scoring.  Doko made a nice play on a ball hit back to him and then getting the out at the plate.  Jace Franke then made a nice running catch in right center to end the threat.

In the top of the 4th (and final) inning, with 1 out, Will Adams reached on a bunt single.  Jace Franke followed with a single as well.  Then, with 2 outs, Evan Smith doubled both Adams & Franke home to make it 9-5.

Jack Dalton was called in to close things out and he allowed a couple of harmless hits but struck out the side.  Rebels move onto Wednesday!

 

 

WP-Smith

Hitting Standouts- Quentin Enos, 2-2, R  2RBI,  Jace Franke 2-3, 2R RBI,  Jack Dalton 1-2, BB 2R  2RBI, Evan Smith 1-2, D, BB R  2RBI

 

 

 

EVERY SEASON MUST END, AND IT RARELY DOES WITH A TITLE, BUT THE REBELS HAD AN AMAZING RUN IN THE TRAVEL SPORTS WORLD SERIES THAT CAN PREPARE THEM DOWN THE ROAD.

 

Game 8

#18 Seed NTX Extreme 5     FW Rebels 3

 

 

A rematch of Extreme was on the menu for Wednesday.  Drew Horstman started on the hill for the Rebels after he impressively shut down Extreme on Monday. 

The theme of this game for the Rebel offense was leaving runners on base or not capitalizing on scoring chances.  In the 1st inning, Jace Franke & Jack Dalton walked to open up the game.  Still, the Rebels could only score 1 run on a Quentin Enos ground out. 

The score stayed that way until the bottom of the 3rd inning when Extreme scored 1 run on a couple of walks and a wild pitch to tie the game.  Horstman ended up throwing 3 innings and allowed just 1 run.

In the top of the 4th, once again two Rebels got on base to open the inning.  Jack Dalton singled and stole second.  Dalton scored on an RBI single to right by Evan Smith to make it 2-1.  With 1 out, Drew Horstman helped his own caused by smacking a double to left center field to make it 3-1.  The Rebels rally ended there however.

Jackson Jordan opened the bottom of the 4th and left with 1 out and the bases loaded with the Rebels holding a 3-2 lead.  Jack Dalton, who was allowed to get just 2 outs was brought into pitch.  Dalton struck out the first batter he faced but the tying run scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-3.  Extreme was able to take a 4-3 lead before Dalton struck out the final hitter.

Time was running out, and the Rebels had one last chance.  Jon Doko was plunked by a curve ball to open the inning and Evan Swindell followed with a 4-pitch walk.  But, it was not meant to be as a ground out to 3rd, a strikeout, and a ground out to 2nd ended the inning, and the season for the FW Rebels.

 

LP- Jordan

Hitting Standouts- Evan Smith, 1-2, R  RBI,  Jack Dalton 1-1, BB R,  Drew Horstman 1-2, D RBI, Jon Doko 1-1, D D RBI, Jon Doko 1-1, D

EVAN SMITH SCURRIES BACK TO 3RD ON A BASES CLEARING TRIPLE VS NTX NATURALS.  KARSON SYMONDS(34) & JACKSON JORDAN(27) SCORED ON THE PLAY

 

The FW Rebels started the USSSA June Bug Tournament with one of their more impressive wins of the season, downing tourney favorite Ntx Naturals 10-4. Unfortunately, that momentum didn't carry over to the second game as the Rebels blew a 9-3 lead allowing seven runs vs the Melissa Cardinals without recording an out to fall 10-9.  The 1-1 mark placed the Rebels as the #7 seed out of the 13 teams.  Rains cancelled bracket play so the Rebels finished 7th overall.

 

 

FW REBELS 10       NTX NATURALS 4

 

 

Things got off to a slow start as the Rebels allowed 4 runs in the first inning to dig themselves into a 4-0 hole.  However, the Rebels would not allow another run the remainder of the game.  The bats came alive early answering with six runs of their own in the first.  Jace Franke led off with an infield single.  Then, Jack Dalton, Drew Horstman walked followed by RBI walks from Jon Doko & Karson Symonds. With the score 4-2, Jackson Jordan crushed a bases clearing double that scored Horstman, courtesy runner Evan Swindell, and Symonds.  The Rebels added one more run as Quentin Enos singled home Jordan. 

Quentin Enos came into pitch in relief of starter Jack Dalton with the bases loaded and two outs with the score still 6-4 in the 2nd. Enos got the Naturals 6-hole hitter to pop one to short centerfield where Jace Franke made a nice sliding catch coming in on the ball to end the Naturals threat.

The Rebels added three more runs in the third inning.  With one out Karson Symonds walked and Jackson Jordan singled.  Evan Smith then stepped to the plate and smashed a triple to right center field to make the score 8-4. Quentin Enos hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Smith.

Enos was extremely effective on the mound.  He pitched 2.1 innings, didn't allow one hit and the only baserunner he allowed, he picked off first.

 

 

EVAN SMITH HAD A REMARKABLE DAY AT THE PLATE WITH 3 TRIPLES AND 6 RBI. ABOVE IS RIGHT AFTER THE CONNECTION OF ONE OF THOSE TRIPLES.

 

 

MELISSA CARDINALS 10     FW REBELS 9

 

This will go down as one of the more disappointing defeats of the season for the Rebels. They had leads of 5-1 after the first inning, 7-1 after they hit in the second, and 9-3 heading to the bottom of the third.  Unfortunately, 11 walks and 2 hit batters by 4 Rebel pitchers just couldn't get it done.  In the 3rd inning alone, the Rebels walked 8 of the 10 Cardinal hitters. 6 of those scored. 

The Rebels definitely hit well enough to win this game.  They scored five in the top of the first, all with two outs.  Jon Doko doubled in Jack Dalton who had singled to make it 1-0.  Karson Symonds hit an infield single and Jackson Jordan walked to fill the bases.  Evan Smith followed with a bases clearing triple to make it 4-0. Quentin Enos singled in Smith to finish the scoring.

In the 2nd inning, Jace Franke scored on a wild pitch, and Drew Horstman singled in Jack Dalton.  The Rebels scored two more runs in the 3rd inning on a double by Jackson Jordan, another triple from Evan Smith, and a double by Quentin Enos.  The Rebels were ahead 9-3 heading to the bottom of the 3rd but couldnt hang on and lost 10-9.

 

That was the final USSSA tournament for the FW Rebels this Spring Season.  Here is a Re-cap:

 

THE FW REBELS WENT UNDEFEATED IN USSSA 12U AA TOURNAMENTS AND FINISHED A VERY RESPECTABLE 6-5 IN AAA TOURNAMENTS

 

DFW SELECT30 SUPER NIT 12U AA  (4-0)

MAVS BALLPARK WOOD BAT SHOWDOWN 12U AA  (5-0)

LONGHORN LAUNCH FEST 12U AAA (2-1)

DFW GLOBAL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP 12U AAA (1-1)

CLARENCE MENDEL MEMORIAL 12U AAA  (2-2)

JUNE BUG BLAST 12U AAA (1-1)

 

OVERALL (15-5)

AA TOURNAMENTS (9-0)

AAA TOURNAMENTS (6-5)

 

0 SuperT

A FEW OF THE REBELS ARRIVE AT THE EMBASSY SUITES IN HOUSTON BEFORE THE WEEKEND TOURNAMENT

LEFT TO RIGHT - JACK DALTON, KARSON SYMONDS, QUENTIN ENOS, JON DOKO, JACKSON JORDAN, EVAN SMITH, EVAN SWINDELL

 

By popular demand, the FW Rebels hit the road for the Clarence Mandel Memorial Tournament in the Houston area over the weekend.  This as a 17-team 12U AAA level tournament.  Overall, the Rebels went 2-2 in the tournament scoring 40 runs in the four games while allowing 29.  Offensive numbers were plentiful after a 21-2 opening game win vs Vendetta Black Baseball out of Victoria, TX and a 15-3 whooping over the 11U MAJ Spring Branch Warriors to start out bracket play Sunday.  Through 2.5 innings, the Rebels held a 4-2 lead over Mariucci Elite Baseball in the quarterfinals but they ended up losing that game 12-4 to the eventual tournament champions.  The 4-runs score vs Mariucci was the most any team scored against them in the tournament.  Here are the game-by-game write-ups.

 

Pool Play Game 1 vs Vendetta Baseball Black 12U

FW Rebels 21          Vendetta Baseball Black 12U 2

 

THE FW REBELS GET IN A PRE-GAME PRAYER BEFORE GAME 1 OF THE CLARENCE MENDEL MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT

 

The Rebels announced their presence with authority with a convincing 21-2 victory.  A 10-run first inning and an 11-run second inning had the mercy rule step in prior to the third inning even beginning.  The Rebels sent 14 men to the plate in the 1st inning.  Jack Dalton went 2-2 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI in the first inning alone.  Evan Smith also went 2-2 in the first inning.  The Rebels followed that up with 16 batters to come to the plate in the 2nd inning.  This time it was Drew Horstman, Karson Symonds, & Jon Doko to go 2-2 in one inning.  Doko went 2-2 with 2 doubles & 4 RBI in the 2nd inning alone.  For the game, every single Rebel had at least 1 RBI.

Extra base hits in the game came from Jack Dalton & Jace Franke who both tripled, while Jon Doko (2), Karson Symonds, Quentin Enos, and Christopher Calabrese all doubled.  Calabrese barely missed his first career HR with a blast to the 220-ft fence down the left field line.

Jackson Jordan was the beneficiary of all the offense picking up his 8th win of the year.  Jordan needed just 29 pitches for the complete game.

 

 

 

Pool Play Game 2 vs Whitecaps Baseball 12U AAA

Whitecaps Baseball 12      FW Rebels 0

 

The Rebels were able to scout the Whitecaps during the week and quickly realized who their ace pitcher was.  Well, it just so happened that the Whitecaps used their ace vs the Rebels in the day's second game for both teams.  The game was scoreless heading to the 2nd inning when the game just got away from the Rebels to which they never recovered.  Evan Smith started on the hill for the Rebels and looked dominant early, but just couldn't grab that 3rd out in the 2nd inning.  With two outs, and Whitecaps holding a 1-0 lead, they rallied to tack on seven more runs on 3 hits, 3 walks,  a hit batter, and two Rebel errors.  Still, Whitecaps kept their ace in there in the 2nd and 3rd inning and extended their lead to 12-0.  Jace Franke, Drew Horstman, and Karson Symonds all singled for the Rebels but that was it.  If there was an poetic justice.....the Whitecaps who took the #2 seed (while the Rebels snagged the #10 seed) were one and done in the Sunday bracket play without their ace throwing another inning.

 

 

 

 

Bracket Play Game 3 vs Spring Brach Warriors 11U MAJORS

FW Rebels 15        Spring Branch Warriors 3

 

FW REBELS' QUENTIN ENOS CELEBRATES HIS HUGE BASES CLEARING TRIPLE IN THE 1ST INNING VS SPRING BRANCH WARRIORS WITH JACK DALTON & JON DOKO.

 

Once again, the Rebel bats came alive early in a convincing 15-3 victory.  The visiting Rebels scored six runs in the first.  Jace Franke hit the first pitch of the game up the right center field alley for a leadoff triple.  The following hitter, Jack Dalton walked.  On the first pitch to Drew Horstman, Dalton went to steal 2nd.  The Warriors catcher attempted to get Dalton at 2nd while Franke alertly took off to score and made it 1-0.  Horstman then singled in Dalton to make it 2-0.  After Jon Doko walked, the Warriors made a pitching change (there would be many more).  On a ridiculous balk move, a left handed pitcher picked Doko off of 1st base.  Rebels protest went nowhere.  Karson Symonds & Jackson Jordan then both walked to fill the bases.  With two outs, Quentin Enos stepped to the plate not realizing the huge day that lay ahead for him.  Enos crushed a fastball to deep right center to clear the bases for a triple.  The Warriors attempted to thrown Enos out at 3rd, and the throw went into the Rebels dugout to make it 6-0.  The Warriors scored an unearned run against Rebels starter Jack Dalton in the bottom of the 1st.  Still, the Rebels answered right back in the top of the 2nd, all with two outs.  With two down, Drew Horstman reached on an error by the 3rd baseman.  Horstman then stole second.  Jon Doko smashed a single off of the 3rd baseman's ankle that trickled out into left field to score Horstman.  Once again, Karson Symonds & Jackson Jordan walked to fill the bases.  This set the stage for Evan Smith who grounded a single to center to score two runs to make it 9-0.  Quentin Enos followed with another triple, this time a laser beam over the right fielder's head to make it 11-0. Once again, the Warriors score a run in the bottom of the inning and added another in the bottom of the 3rd to make it 11-3.  The Rebels were able to put them away in the 4th.  Jon Doko led off the inning with a double deep to left.  Karson Symonds singled to center advancing Doko to 3rd.  Jackson Jordan walked to fill the bases.  Evan Smith then walked to make it 12-3.  Up stepped Quentin Enos again who knocked in two more runs with a bullet double down the right field line.  After Christopher Calabrese walked to fill the bases, Evan Swindell singled on a sharp liner to right to score Smith to cap off the Rebels offensive day.  Dalton went three innings for the Rebels to up his record to 6-4 on the season.  Jace Franke tossed a scoreless inning in relief to end the game.

FW REBELS QUENTIN ENOS SHOWS OFF THE LINEUP CARD FOR THE GAME IN WHICH HE WENT 3-3

WITH 2 TRIPLES, A DOUBLE AND 7 RBI TO LEAD THE REBELS OVER SPRING BRANCH WARRIORS 15-3.

 

 

 

Quarterfinals Game 4 vs Marucci Elite 11U MAJORS

Marucci Elite 12       FW Rebels 4

 

Marucci Elite were the #1 seed of the tournament and came into the game with an overall record of 26-6.  Still, the Rebels started fast once again.  Jace Franke walked to open the game and moved to second on a Jack Dalton ground out.  Drew Horstman singled to right center to drive in Franke to make it 1-0.  Jon Doko blasted a double deep down the left field line sending Horstman to third.  Karson Symonds singled in Horstman to make it 2-0.  Jackson Jordan hit an RBI ground out to make it 3-0.  Believe it or not, those 3 runs were already more than any other team had scored against Marucci in the tournament so far.  Quentin Enos started on the hill for the Rebels.  Marucci scored two runs in the first but only one was earned after a leadoff triple.  Marucci changed pitchers in the 2nd inning but the red-hot Enos greeted him with a double to right field.  It turned out to be the last hit that pitcher would give up, and the last hit of the Rebels tournament.  With courtesy runner Evan Smith on second, Christopher Calabrese was plunked in the helmet by a curve ball.  With a full count to Evan Swindell, Evan Smith attempted to steal third and was safe, and the ball went into left field allowing Smith to score to make it 4-2.  Enos didn't allow any runs in the 2nd inning so it was 4-2 entering the 3rd.  Three Rebel batters reached base in the 3rd but they were unable to score.  Jack Dalton was hit by a pitch but was caught stealing.  After Drew Horstman flew out to deep left, Jon Doko was hit by a pitch.  Horstman ran for Doko.  Karson Symonds walked and they both advanced on a wild pitch.  Still, they never advanced so it remained 4-2.  Enos allowed the 10-hole hitter to lead off the inning with a little dribbler down the third base line that the Marucci batter questionably beat out after Jackson Jordan's throw.  The next hitter homered to center to tie the game at 4-4.  Then Enos was doomed by suspect defense, and plain bad luck.  Marucci would only hit one more ball hard that inning but they still put up six runs total to take an 8-4 lead.  The Rebels, out of gas, went 1-2-3 in the 4th and after Marucci scored 4 more runs in the bottom of the 4th, the game was called.

 

 

ALL IN ALL IT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL ROAD TRIP FOR THE FW REBELS WHO PLAYED HARD, HAD FUN, PLAYED AS A TEAM AND CREATED COUNTLESS MEMORIES.

BOTTOM ROW LEFT TO RIGHT - DREW HORSTMAN, KARSON SYMONDS, JACK DALTON, JACE FRANKE

BACK ROW LEFT TO RIGHT - JACKSON JORDAN CHRISTOPHER CALABRESE, EVAN SMITH, QUENTIN ENOS, JON DOKO, EVAN SWINDELL

 

 

The FW Rebels couldn't hang on to a 5-2 lead and were soundly defeated 11-5 to force a winner-take-all RYA Championship game next week vs Ntx Extreme. Extreme was able to score 2 runs in the 3rd and 7 in the 4th while shutting the Rebels bats down to win 11-5.

The game started out on a positive note as Jace Franke opened the game with a walk and with one out, Evan Smith singled him to 3rd.  Cleanup hitter Jackson Jordan smacked an RBI single to left to make it 1-0.  Drew Horstman followed with a Sacrifice Fly to score Smith to make it 2-0.  Jordan, with heads up base-running tacked on a 3rd run following a wild pitch to make it 3-0.  Extreme scored 2 in the first, all with 2 outs.  In the top of the 2nd inning, Will Adams hit an RBI ground out to score Quentin Enos who had doubled to lead off the inning.  The Rebels final run occurred in the top of the 3rd when Jack Dalton scored on an Evan Smith RBI single.

Still, Extreme rallied for 9 runs in the final two innings on 9 hits and were aided by 5 Rebel errors.

This sets up a 3rd and decisive game 3 next week vs Extreme for the RYA Premiere Championship.

THE FW REBELS TEAM CELEBRATE THE 2-RUN HOME RUN OF JON DOKO IN THE 2ND INNING.....

AND YET AGAIN THEY DO THE SAME TO EVAN SMITH WHO'S OPPOSITE FIELD BOMB MADE THE SCORE 4-1.

The FW Rebels used timely defense, clutch hitting, and a couple of Home Run bombs to down Ntx Extreme 8-4.  The win places the Rebels into the RYA Championship game where they will have to be defeated twice in order not take the title. 

Things started quickly for the Rebels in the first inning with Jace Franke leading off with a single and moving to second on a balk.  With one out, Evan Smith singled in Franke to make it 1-0.

 

EVAN SMITH AND JON DOKO BOTH SHOW OFF THEIR HOME RUN BALLS AFTER THE REBELS 8-4 VICTORY OVER NTX EXTREME. IT WAS THE 3RD HOME RUN OF THE SEASON FOR BOTH SLUGGERS.

In the second inning, Karson Symonds laced a double to right field to open up the inning.  Jon Doko followed with a majestic blast to left field to make the score 3-0.  It was Doko's 3rd Home Run of the season.  Extreme was able to scratch across a run in the 2nd inning to make it 3-1.

Evan Smith then crushed his 3rd Home Run of the season with an opposite field blast to make it 4-1.

Jack Dalton started on the hill for the Rebels and was effective for two innings and ran into some trouble in the 3rd.  After one out, a walk, and error, and a walk got the rally started.  A single and a walk would follow to make it 4-4.  Second baseman Drew Horstman made an amazing catch to end the inning and save two runs. 

Quentin Enos came on to pitch in the 4-4 tie game and struck out 4 in his 2 innings of work.  Jace Franke made a sliding grab in centerfield to save a run in Enos' first inning of work.

Franke led off the top of the 5th with a booming double to the left center field ally.  After stealing 3rd, Jack Dalton ripped a single to right to make it 5-4.  Evan Smith followed with a single that moved Dalton to second.  Jackson Jordan then doubled to left to make it 6-4. Drew Horstman followed with an RBI ground out to make the score 7-4.  Karson Symonds knocked in a run when he reached on an error by the shortstop who let the ball go between his legs.

Enos got Extreme on a strikeout, strikeout, and ground out to short to end the game.

The win pushed the Rebels to 20-10 on the season.

THE REBELS' JON DOKO DRILLED A THREE-RUN DOUBLE TO PUT THE REBELS UP 7-5 IN RYA PREMIER PLAYOFF ACTION. BELOW, THE REBELS CELEBRATE TAKING THE LEAD.

 

 

The FW Rebels fell behind 4-0 but stormed back to win their first playoff game of the RYA Premier League over the Ft Worth Sharks 15-5.  Jackson Jordan was the winning pitcher going 3 innings allowing 1 run on 1 hit while striking out 2.  His record improved to 7-3 on the season with the Win.

The Rebels scratched across two runs in the first on an RBI triple by Jack Dalton and RBI double from Drew Horstman.  Christopher Calabrese singled in Quentin Enos to add the Rebels 3rd run in the second inning.  Still, the Rebels were down 5-3 heading to the bottom of the 3rd.  Jack Dalton led off with his 2nd triple of the game.  After Evan Smith & Jackson Jordan walked, Dalton was thrown out at the play on a ground ball to the second basemen by Drew Horstman.  Karson Symonds walked to make it 5-4 setting the stage for Jon Doko.  Doko cleared the bases with a 3-run double to give the Rebels a 7-5 lead.  With two out Christopher Calabrese walked.  Will Adams was then caught looking at the plate but hustled down to first when the catcher dropped the ball to extend the inning.  Evan Swindell jumped on the opportunity by lining a 2-run single to right field to make it 9-5.  Jace Franke singled in Adams to finish off the inning with the Rebels ahead 10-5.

Rebel bats stayed hot in the next inning as they tacked on 5 more runs thanks to hits by Dalton, Smith, Horstman, Symonds & Doko and a walk from Jordan.  After Enos hit a run scoring ground out to score Symonds, the 10-run rule was in efffect.

The next opponent in the Winner's bracket will be Ntx Extreme who have defeated the Rebels 7-6 & 9-8 this season.

FW REBELS' #22 WILL ADAMS CELEBRATES JACK DALTON'S WALK OFF SINGLE ALONG WITH KARSON SYMONDS & QUENTIN ENOS TO DOWN BN MAVERICKS 11U MAJORS 1-0.

The FW Rebels started slowly Saturday and lost in a blowout to PTC Aces 13-1, but bounced back nicely to win their second game of the day 1-0 to the BN Mavericks.  Wildness and poor defense contributed to the 13 Aces' run.  The Rebels only run of game 1 was scored on an RBI double by Jon Doko that followed a Quentin Enos hit by pitch.

 

The Rebels re-grouped for game 2 and got their best pitching performance of the season with a 6-inning combined shutout from Jack Dalton & Quentin Enos.  Dalton was perfect for 3 innings not allowing a runner and striking out 1.  Enos hurled the final 3 innings and allowed 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3.  The Rebels played error-free baseball and were aided by a double play lineout to Drew Horstman, a pickoff of first by Enos, and a clutch Jon Doko throw to third baseman Jackson Jordan to cut down a Mavericks player attempting to steal in the top of the 6th.

 

FW REBELS' JACK DALTON LACES A LINE DRIVE GAME-WINNING SINGLE TO CENTER FIELD TO SCORE WILL ADAMS FROM 3RD

The score remained tied going to the final inning.  Will Adams led off with a bullet single to right.  Adams then scurried to second when the right fielder threw the ball away. With Evan Swindell at the plate, Adams took 3rd on a wild pitch.  Swindell barely missed a walk-off single that dribbled foul, and then popped out to the first baseman for the first out.  Mavericks then decided to intentionally walk lead off hitter Jace Franke.  The infield and outfield were brought in.  This set the stage for Jack Dalton who laced an RBI single to center to score the winning run.

The Rebels win raised their season record to 18-10.

 

FW REBELS' LEFT FIELDER EVAN SWINDELL FOULS ONE BACK DURING THE REBELS 9-8 LOSS TO NTX EXTREME

 

 

The FW Rebels busted out of the gate and claimed a 7-1 lead over Ntx Extreme but they couldn't hold the lead and lost 9-8 on a 5th inning walk off.  The Rebels allowed 5 unearned runs that enabled Extreme to get back into, and eventually win the game.

Things started out great for the Rebels as Jace Franke & Jack Dalton hit back to back doubles to open the game. Evan Smith followed with an infield single and cleanup hitter Jackson Jordan singled in two to make it 3-0.  Drew Horstman singled sending Jordan to 3rd.  Jordan then scored on a balk to make it 4-0. Quentin Enos hit a sacrifice fly to center later in the inning to score Horstman and it was 5-0.

The Rebels tacked on two more in the 2nd.  Jace Franke walked with one out and scored on an RBI single by Jack Dalton.  With two outs, Dalton scored on a balk to make the score 7-1.  The Rebels only would score one more run the rest of that game, all thanks to Franke who doubled with one out in the 4th, went to 3rd on a wild pitch, and scored on yet another wild pitch.

Although the Rebels allowed 5 unearned runs on 4 errors, there were some defensive highlights in the game.  Jack Dalton made an incredible relay throw to Quentin Enos at the plate to cut down a run ending the 3rd inning.  Enos also had two consecutive pickoffs in the 5th inning, but the second time, the runner was called safe which was unsuccessfully disputed by the Rebels.  That run would then score the winning run.

FW REBELS SLUGGER JON DOKO IS CONGRATULATED BY COACH MARK SWINDELL FOLLOWING HIS 2-RUN HR WHILE HIS TEAMMATES WAIT TO GREET HIM.  DOKO'S BOMB GAVE THE REBELS AN 8-7 LEAD OVER THE NTX BULLS WOOD MAJORS. DOKO FINISHED 3-3, WITH 3 RBI.

 

The first game of the season had the FW Rebels paired up with NTX Bulls Wood Majors and the Bulls won easily 16-0.  Things weren't as easy for the Bulls in the rematch as it took a 7-run last inning rally to break an 8-8 tie for the Bulls to pull away and win 15-8.  Rebels catcher Jon Doko had a huge day at the plate going 3-3 with his 2nd Home Run of the season and 3 RBI. Doko's RBI double in the first gave the Rebels a 4-1 lead.  Evan Smith went 1-3 with 2 RBI. 

The Rebels scored 5 in the first with Jace Franke leading off with a single.  The next hitter, Jack Dalton was hit by a pitch, and that was followed with a single from Drew Horstman.  With the bases loaded, Jackson Jordan was hit by a pitch to make it 1-1.  Karson Symonds & Evan Smith both followed with run scoring ground outs to make it 3-1.  Doko drove in Jordan with a double and courtesy runner Smith capped the scoring off by coming home on a wild pitch.

With the Rebels down 7-5, they came back again in the bottom of the 3rd.  Jackson Jordan walked to open the inning.  With one out, Evan Smith singled in Jordan to make it 7-6.  That set the stage for Doko who crushed a 3-0 fastball deep into the night to take an 8-7 lead.

Jackson Jordan & Evan Smith battled through 4 innings holding the mighty Bulls lineup to just 8 runs.

The FW Rebels played in the TSB Strikes Against Cancer tournament over the 5/4-5/5 weekend in Highland Village & Melissa TX.  While the on-field results weren't what the Rebels would have liked, or they have grown accustomed to......the weekend will still be considered a success based upon the tribute these boys displayed for loved ones affected by cancer.

 

 

 

Here are brief recaps of each game:

 

C3 Futures Worley  10      FW Rebels 5

 

Quentin Enos started on the hill for the Rebels and very easily could have thrown 2 shutout innings.  Unfortunately a lead-off walk in the first, and 3 Rebel errors in the 2nd inning allowed C3 Futures to score 4 easy runs.   The Rebels scored 2 in the top of the 2nd.  Jackson Jordan led off with a single.  With one out, Enos was hit by a pitch to make.  Karson Symonds was the courtesy runner for Enos.  Evan Smith blasted a double over the right fielder's head to tie the score at 1.  Jon Doko added an RBI ground out to make it 2-1.  After C3 Futures went up 4-2, once again the Rebels stormed right back.  Evan Swindell led off the inning with a walk.  With two outs, Swindell advanced to 2nd, and 3rd on wild pitches.  Drew Horstman hit a routine grounder to short but the shortstop threw high allowing Swindell to score from 3rd to make it 4-3.  Jackson Jordan walked setting the table for Karson Symonds who crushed a hanging change up deep over the left fielder's head for a 2-run double to give the Rebels a 5-4 lead.  Jordan came in to pitch in relief taking over for Enos who had to leave the game with a left elbow injury.  Shortstop Jack Dalton made a sensational play with no outs and a runner on 3rd.  Dalton ranged deep down the left field line for an amazing running catch.  He then threw to C Jon Doko who tossed it back to Drew Horstman at 3rd for the double play.  The Rebels went quietly in the top of the 4th.  The wildness took over on the pitcher's mound as the Rebels walked 6 batters and allowed 2 hits in the bottom of the 4th enabling C3 Futures to score 6 runs, and win 10-5.

 

 

Aledo Baseball Club 5    FW Rebels 0

 

The Rebels were shutout on opening day this season when they squared up against NTX Bulls Wood, a Majors team.  They were shutout for the second time this season in their night game vs Aledo.  Evan Smith started on the mound for the Rebels and was solid for 3 innings allowing just 1 run.  It was 1-0 in the top of the 4th when the Rebels had their best scoring chance of the night.  Jackson Jordan lined a single to right to open the inning.  Drew Horstman ran for Jordan.  Karson Symonds followed with a double up the right center field ally to place runners on 2nd and 3rd with none out.  With 1 out, Jon Doko stepped to the plate and smacked a liner to deep center.  Unfortunately the Aledo centerfielder made a nice running grab, wheeled and threw to 2nd to double off Symonds.  Aledo put the game away in the bottom half of the inning by scoring 4 runs.  The Rebels snagged the #19 seed (out of 24) and they were placed into the Silver bracket.

 

 

American Freedom 12U AAA   11    FW Rebels 4

 

The Rebels were the home team in this silver bracket semifinal contest.  Freedom scored two first inning runs but the Rebels answered right away as well with Jack Dalton scoring on a wild pitch after he had walked, and Karson Symonds hit a deep sacrifice fly to score Jackson Jordan who had also walked.  Freedom tacked on an unearned run vs Rebels starter Jack Dalton in the 2nd inning to make it 3-2. A walk and an error led to three more Freedom runs in the 4th to make it 6-2.  The Rebels fought back.  Jordan walked with one away.  Symonds reached on an error by the shortstop.  Drew Horstman followed with a single to right to make it 6-3 and Evan Smith added an RBI ground out to make it 6-4.  Bad luck struck Dalton in the top of the 5th.  Dalton struck out the first hitter.  Than the next hitter hit a sky-high popup to 2nd that was lost in the sun.  The next hitter grounded out, and Dalton should have been out of the inning 1-2-3.  Instead, 5 runs came around to score and the Rebels tournament was over with an 11-4 defeat.

While the results on the field could have been better, the FW Rebels 11-man roster is filled with class, and fine young men.  It was not as much of a weekend for baseball as it was for recognizing those who have battled cancer, some victorious in their fight, and some who weren't as fortunate.  The FW Rebels tip their caps again for.....

 

QUENTIN ENOS -    DAD

CHRISTOPHER CALABRESE -  PAIGE

JACK DALTON -  BRAD

EVAN SWINDELL -  ELLIE EBY

DREW HORSTMAN -  AUNT JEN

JON DOKO -  NANA MIRA

EVAN SMITH - CHUCK

WILL ADAMS -   BARBARA

JACKSON JORDAN -  MARY

JACE FRANKE -  BILLY

KARSON SYMONDS -  RACHEL

 

 

The FW Rebels were only supposed to play one game Wednesday night, a rain-out makeup from the previous week vs the Ft Worth Sharks.  Instead, they were able to get another game in vs the North Texas RailRiders and they came out on top in both.  First was a sluggish 9-6 win over the Ft Worth Sharks followed by a decisive 11-5 victory over the RailRiders.  Here are the recaps:

 

FW REBELS 9      FT WORTH SHARKS 6

 

The Rebels bats came out slowly Wednesday vs the Sharks but they used a 7-run 5th inning to pull away with a 9-6 victory.  Evan Smith started on the mound for the Rebelsand pitched around a single and three walks to throw up to scoreless innings.  In the first, Smith struckout the 4 & 5 hole hitters with runners in scoring position to escape.  Then, with runners on 2nd and 3rd in the 2nd inning, a ball was grounded back to Smith who threw to Karson Symonds at 1st who ran across the diamond to tag out the runner who was on 2nd who went to 3rd, not knowing the runner on 3rd was still there.  

At the plate, with one out in the first Jack Dalton singled and stole second.  He scored on a 2-out RBI single from Jackson Jordan to make it 1-0.  The score stayed that way until the top of the 3rd.  Christopher Calabrese led off with a walk, and then scored on a 2-out RBI double by Jace Franke. 

The Sharks battled back to score three runs in the 4th to take a 3-2 lead.  Then the Rebel bats came to life.  In the top of the 5th, with one out, Calabrese, Will Adams, and Evan Swindell all walked to fill the bases.  The Sharks made a pitching change and the first pitch the new hurler threw plunked Jace Franke in the back to make it 3-3.  Jack Dalton followed with a 2-run single to make it 5-3.  Quentin Enos doubled in Franke to make it 6-3.  After Jackson Jordan was hit by a pitch, Drew Horstman laced a 2-run single to center to make it 8-3.  Karson Symonds capped off the scoring with an RBI double to make it 9-3.

Jackson Jordan pitched three innings in relief to earn the Win while Drew Horstman closed things out in the 6th.

 

 

FW REBELS 11    NORTH TEXAS RAILRIDERS 5

 

Drew Horstman stayed loose and started on the hill in the nightcap.  He tossed a dominating 2 innings, not allowing a hit and striking out 4.  The Rebel bats woke up a little earlier in this game.  Jace Franke led off with a booming double off of the left field wall and came around to score on a Jackson Jordan sacrifice fly.

The Rebels basically put the game away in the 2nd inning with a 7-run explosion.  They were aided by 5 walks and a hit batter.  Jon Doko was hit by a pitch to open the inning and Evan Smith & Christopher Calabrese both walked.  Will Adams hit an RBI groundout to SS to make it 2-0.  Evan Swindell walked to load the bases.  Jace Franke singled in Smith to make it 3-0.  Calabrese scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-0.  Then Jack Dalton walked to fill the bases, followed by Jackson Jordan who walked bringing in Swindell to score.  Drew Horstman doubled in Franke & Dalton to make it 7-0.  Karson Symonds finished up the inning by reaching on an error to score Jordan. 

Christopher Calabrese made his season pitching debut and threw strikes and battled the entire inning.

In the top of the 4th, the Rebels ran into the RailRiders pitcher who shut them down in the RYA championship game in the Fall of 2018.  They made sure that performance was not repeated.  Evan Swindell had an 8-pitch at bat to lead off the inning and walked.  Jace Franke followed with a single to center.  Jack Dalton then crushed a line drive triple down the right field line to make it 10-5.  Jackson Jordan singled in Dalton and then Drew Horstman doubled for the 3rd time on the night.  That's when the lightning came and the game was called.  Horstman was the winning pitcher.

CHRISTOPHER CALABRESE (LEFT) & JACK DALTON (MIDDLE) CONGRATULATE WILL ADAMS (RIGHT) AFTER SCORING THE WINNING RUN VS USA PRIME RAIDERS 6-5 IN POOL PLAY ACTION.

 

The FW Rebels played in their first AAA tournament after they were promoted to that division two weeks ago.  Saturday pool play started off just like any other Rebels tournament as they went 2-0 with a 6-5 Win over USA Prime Raiders Jordan & 17-3 over HVA Storm McMahen.  The win over the Storm was their 14th consecutive tournament victory which is really unheard of.  The 24-team tournament featured 7 teams that went undefeated in pool play and the Rebels ended up as the #6 seed for bracket play.  Rebels magic was alive and kicking in their bracket game vs Frozen Ropes Perea but ultimately they fell just short losing 6-5 vs the #5 ranked AAA team in Texas.  Here is a recap of the three weekend games:

 

FW REBELS 6      USA PRIME RAIDERS JORDAN 5

 

Jack Dalton got the start on the hill for the Rebels and allowed a scoreless 1st inning.  In the bottom half of the inning, Dalton singled, stole second...and then advance to 3rd on a wild pitch, and then scored on a wild pitch to put the Rebels up 1-0.  The Raiders scored 2 runs in the top half of the 2nd and the Rebels answered with 1 run in the bottom half after Drew Horstman scored on a wild pitch.  Horstman had singled to reach.  The score stayed that way until the 4th inning when the Raiders scored 2 runs to take a 4-2 lead.  In the bottom of the 4th, Dalton walked with 1 out.  Then with two outs, Jackson Jordan ripped a double down the left field line to make it 4-3. Horstman followed with a run scoring single to tie the game at 4.  The Raiders scored a run off Quentin Enos in the top half of the final inning without recording a hit.  An error, a hit batter, and a walk enabled the Raiders to take a 5-4 lead heading to the final inning. Jon Doko got things going with single.  Karson Symonds pinch ran and stole second.  Enos hit a sharply hit ball to the right fielder who was able to throw him out at 1st but it advanced Symonds to 3rd.  Christopher Calabrese singled sharply to right center to tie the game at 5.  Will Adams & Evan Swindell both had lengthy at bats that led to walks to fill the bases with one out.  Jace Franke then hit a ground ball to the SS and with the infield playing in, he threw home to the plate to retire Calabrese. However, the catcher tried to get a double play and threw wildly to 1st allowing Adams to score the winning run.

 

 

FW REBELS 17    HVA STORM MCMAHEN 3

 

The Rebels' bats came alive in their second game of the day as they scored 17 runs on 13 hits while walking six times.  That was more than enough for Rebels' starter Jackson Jordan who allowed 1 run in his 2 innings of work while Jace Franke finished things up on the mound.  Every single Rebels player either knocked in a run or scored a run.  They were led by Drew Horstman who went 2-3, with 3 runs scored and 4 RBI.  Karson Symonds had a perfect game at the plate going 3-3 with a double and 2RBI.  Jace Franke went 2-2 with a double a walk and 3 runs scored.  Jon Doko smashed a triple to left and finished 1-2 with 2 RBI and a run scored. The win over the Storm was the 14th straight tournament win on the season for the Rebels.

 

 

FROZEN ROPES PEREA 6   FW REBELS 5

 

The Rebels were paired with one of the better AAA teams in the area and both teams threw their aces.  Jack Dalton and the Raiders pitcher simply dominated as neither team was able to score a run in the first three inning.  Dalton faced 10 batters in the first three innings while the Raiders pitcher was perfect.  With two outs in the 4th, the Raiders scratched across a run after a single, a balk, and another single.  Will Adams opened the bottom of the 4th with a walk.  Adams stole second and went to third on a wild pitch.  With two outs, Jack Dalton walked and courtesy runner Jace Franke came on and stole 2nd.  With Evan Smith at the plate, the Raiders ace uncorked a wild pitch allowing Adams to score.  On the same play the catcher threw the ball away and it enabled a hustling Franke to score all the way from 2nd.  The score stayed that way going to the final inning.  Frozen Ropes rallied for five runs thanks to two Rebel errors, three singles, and a hit batter.  The score was Ropes 6 Rebels 2 heading to the bottom of the last inning.  Jon Doko got hit by a pitch to open the inning and Karson Symonds ran for him.  Quentin Enos had a great at bat and singled to left.  It was the first Rebels hit of the day.  Christopher Calabrese followed with a single of his own that scored Symonds to make it 6-3.  Enos & Calabrese moved up on a wild pitch.  Will Adams battled and hit an RBI ground out scoring Enos to make it 6-4.  With two outs, Jace Franke smacked a single to center to score Calabrese to make it 6-5.  Franke stole 2nd and then Jack Dalton walked on 4 pitches.  That's where the Rebels magic came to an end.  All of the walk-off's this team has experienced the last two years and it was too much to ask for today.  Still, this was a great ballgame and the Rebels now know they are exactly where they belong.

The FW Rebels are undefeated playing AA teams this season, but they have struggled to get into the win column vs teams classified AAA or higher.  On Thursday night, the Rebels had a 5-2 lead heading into the final inning but allowed 5 runs losing by a final score of 7-6.  The highlight of the game was a majestic 2-run Home Run by Jon Doko in the 2nd inning which gave the Rebels a 2-1 lead at the time.  It was Doko's 1st Home Run of the season and it's possible it still hasn't come down yet.  Doko & Jackson Jordan led the way with 2 RBI each. 

The Rebels were tied 2-2 heading to the bottom of the 4th and Jack Dalton got things started with a leadoff infield single to 3rd.  Dalton stole 2nd and then Evan Smith hit a ground ball to the secondbaseman who made a solid throw to first but the firstbaseman flat out dropped the ball.  Smith stole second and he and Dalton both came in to score on a 2-run single by Jackson Jordan to make it 4-2.  Drew Horstman ran for Jordan and stole second.  Horstman advanced to 3rd on a groundout by Karson Symonds and then scored the 5th Rebels run on a wild pitch.

Shaky defense enabled the Extreme to score 5 runs in the 5th off of pitchers Jackson Jordan & Quentin Enos.  Still, the Rebels fought back in the bottom half of the last inning.  With one out, Quentin Enos doubled to right center.  Jack Dalton walked and stole 2nd.  Pinch runner Will Adams scored on an RBI ground out by Evan Smith to make it 7-6 but that's where the Rebels rally ended as Jackson Jordan flew to center to end the game.  The Rebels fell to 13-3 on the season.

REBELS REMAIN UNDEFEATED IN AA TOURNAMENT PLAY AND FLASH THEIR RINGS, YET AGAIN.

 

The FW Rebels had an adventurous weekend that resulted in yet another tournament championship.  All in all, the Rebels started four games this weekend, but due to weather and lightening, were only able to complete two of them.  Both of those games were against Rawlings Velocity Blue who were ranked in the Top 10 in Texas by USSSA.  The Rebels swept Rawlings 4-2 and 11-2.

Jack Dalton was masterful on the hill in the 4-2 Rebels victory.  Dalton went 5 innings, allowed 2 unearned runs, and struckout 12. Dalton pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the first inning allowing just one run to score, that batter had reached first on catcher's interference.  That 1-0 lead held up until the bottom of the 2nd.  Drew Horstman reached on a leadoff walk then stole second.  He was then able to make it to third on a dropped strike three where Karson Symonds was thrown out at first. Jon Doko grounded out on an 0-1 pitch to gt the tying run to score.  It stayed 1-1 til the bottom of the 4th.  Evan Smith walked to open the inning.  Smith stole second than went to third on a Jackson Jordan ground out.  Drew Horstman singled in Smith on a hard hit ball to third.  Horstman stole second but was gunned down at the plate from centerfield after a Karson Symonds single.  Jon Doko singled in Symonds to make it 3-1.

Rawlings added an unearned run in the 5th to make it 3-2.  Will Adams led off the bottom of the 5th by getting hit by a pitch.  Evan Swindell followed with a walk.  The next hitter was Jace Franke who singled in Adams to give the Rebels a 4-2 lead.  Time expired and the game was over.  Dalton was the winning pitcher improving his record on the season to 5-2.

 

Rawlings earned their way to a re-match with the Rebels in the semifinals but this time, the game was no contest.  The Rebels exploded for six runs in the first and five in the second and won the game 11-2.  Jackson Jordan went the distance for the Rebels improving his record to 4-0 on the season.  Jordan threw 4 innings, allowed 3 hits, 1 walk and 3 strikeouts.  Evan Smith went 2-3 at the plate with 2 runs and 2 RBI while Quentin Enos went 2-2 with 2 RBI as well.  Enos did a nice job catching and threw out a runner at second in the first inning.  Christopher Calabrese added a 2-run single as well to break the game wide open in the first.

 

The championship game paired the Rebels vs Ntx Gators.  Quentin Enos started on the hill for the Rebels.  He allowed a leadoff walk that was eliminated when trying to steal second with a great thrown from catcher Jon Doko.  The next Gators hitter blasted a home run deep to left.  However, he failed to touch 1st base so when the Rebels appealed, he was called out.  In the bottom of the 1st, with one out, Jack Dalton hit a missile off of the right center field wall for a single.  Dalton stole second.  With two outs, Jackson Jordan had a sensational at bat and won the war with a hard hit single to right to score Dalton.  In the 2nd inning, lightening came and the tournament was called.  Since the Rebels earned the #1 seed, and were ahead, they were rewarded the tournament championship.

 

In 11 tournament games, the FW Rebels are a perfect 11-0 on the season.

The FW Rebels impressive 11-game winning streak came to an end Tuesday at the hands of the NTX Bulls 12U AAA.  It was the second game this season the Rebels have lost and both losses have come against teams in a higher classification.  This game though featured a furious last inning comeback that had to have left the Rebels feeling good about themselves afterwards.

Down 6-2 heading to the top of the last inning, the Rebels scored four runs, all with two out.  Things got started as Will Adams walked with one out, and Jace Franke walked with two outs.  Up stepped Jack Dalton to the plate who had an incredible seven-pitch at bat that resulted in a two-run triple that was blasted up the right center field ally to cut the score to 6-4.  With Evan Smith at the plate, Dalton hustled home on a wild pitch to make it 6-5. With a 3-1 count, Smith crushed a deep towering fly to right field that cleared the fence to tie the game up at 6. 

The Bulls were able to scratch across a run in the bottom of the last inning on a sacrifice fly to center to win 7-6.  Still, the Rebels "never say die" attitude was on fall display once again.  The Rebels are now 11-2 on the season as they head to tournament play this weekend.

THE FW REBELS GO 5-0 TO WIN THE USSSA 12UAA MAVS BALL PARK WOOD BAT CHAMPIONSHIP

 

Dominant pitching, outstanding defense, and timely hitting enabled the FW Rebels to go undefeated in the USSSA 12U AA Dallas Mavs Ballpark Wood-Bat Tournament this weekend.  The Rebels are 9-0 in tournament play so far this season in two tournaments.  This was the first USSSA tournament the Rebels have won and they did so in impressive fashion.  Here are the game-by-game recaps:

 

FW REBELS 4       FRISCO BRUINS 2

 

Evan Smith started on the hill for the Rebels and went three dominating innings.  Smith allowed no runs on no hits, walked just one and struck out six.  With a four-run lead, Jace Franke finished things off and he too, didn't allow a hit but two unearned runs scored in the fifth and final inning.  Franke struck out five in his two innings of work.  At the plate, Jon Doko singled in Jackson Jordan in the bottom of the second to give the Rebels a 1-0 lead.  The Rebels struck for three more in the bottom of the third with Karson Symonds & Quentin Enos delivering RBI singles. 

 

 

 

DREW HORTSMAN'S 2-RUN HR CAPPED A HUGE 13-0 REBELS VICTORY OVER NTX BULLS. HIS TEAMMATES MOB HIM AT HOMEPLATE.

 

FW REBELS 13       NTX BULLS 0

 

The final score was not indicative of how close this game was. The game was just 2-0 heading to the top of the 5th inning when the Rebels exploded for 11 runs while sending 15 batters to the plate.  In the first inning, the Rebels got everything started with two outs.  Evan Smith singled and then stole second.  Jackson Jordan singled him home to give the Rebels a 1-0 lead.  In the 3rd inning, with two outs, Evan Smith reached on a dropped ball by the Bulls firstbaseman.  Jackson Jordan delivered again with a run scoring double to give the Rebels a 2-0 lead.  Meanwhile, Jordan was cruising on the mound as he allowed only one hit over three innings while walking two and striking out five. Quentin Enos followed Jordan in the 4th and struck out two in his first inning of work.  Then the fireworks came in the 5th.  Once again it was the Evan Smith-Jackson Jordan duo as Smith led off with a single, stole second....and scored on another Jordan single to make it 3-0. Karson Symonds singled and he & Jordan scored on a two-run double by Jon Doko making it 5-0. Quentin Enos & Christopher Calabrese walked to fill the bases.  Will Adams singled sharply to right scoring Doko & Enos to make it 7-0.  Evan Swindell followed with a single to center to score Calabrese to make it 8-0.  After Swindell stole second, Jac Franke singled to left center scoring Adams & Swindell and it was 10-0.  This brought Drew Horstman to the plate who crushed a fastball over the left field wall for a two-run home run to make it 12-0.  It was Horstman's 2nd home run of the season. Doko added another RBI single scoring Karson Symonds completing the 11-run outburst.  Enos go the Bulls to go 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 5th to earn his first save of the season.  The Rebels earned the #2 seed for Sunday bracket play.

 

 

FW REBELS  3       FRISCO BRUINS 1

 

The #2 seeded Rebels got a re-match with the #7 seeded Bruins to open up bracket play Sunday.  In the bottom of the first, Jace Franke led off the game legging out an infield single to third.  Franke stole second and went to third on a wild pitch.  With two outs, Franke was still on third when Jackson Jordan walked.  Pinch runner Evan Smith came in and stole second.  This set the stage for Drew Horstman who lined a single to left that scored Franke & Smith.  Jackson Jordan started on the hill and breezed through the first three innings.  In the top of the 4th, with a 2-0 lead, Jordan began to show signs of fatigue. The Bruins opened the inning with two singles and a walk, and then the next hitter walked with the bases loaded to make it 2-1.  With none out, and the bases still loaded, Jordan was able to get the next three hitters to hit infield pop ups to end the inning.  Jordan led off the bottom of the 4th by walking.  Pinch runner Evan Smith came in and stole second.  Drew Horstman reached safely by hitting a hard hit ball to short that advanced Smith to third. With Karson Symonds at the plate, the Bruins pitcher uncorked a wild pitch scoring Smith to make it 3-1.  With one out, and Horstman at third and Symonds at second following a walk, Jon Doko laced a liner but the Bruins shortstop made a nice back handed grab and doubled Horstman off of third ending the inning with a 3-1 score.  Jack Dalton came on to pitch the 5th inning and quickly got the first two Bruin hitters to ground out to second.  The next hitter reached on a mis-played ball in right field and then Dalton walked the three & four hole Bruin hitters to load the bases.  With two outs, the bases loaded, and a two run lead, Dalton reached back for a little extra and struck out the next hitter to end the threat.  Time expired while the Rebels were hitting and the game ended with a 3-1 victory.  Jackson Jordan got the win and Jack Dalton earned the save.

 

 

SEMIFINALS

FW REBELS 3      KELLER CHARGERS 0

 

The Rebels were paired up against #3 seed Keller Chargers in the semifinal game and this was a masterful pitcher's duel.  Jack Dalton started on the hill for the Rebels and the ace of the Chargers' staff went up against the Rebels.  Both pitchers looked like all it would take is one run to win the game.  In the bottom of the 2nd of the scoreless game, with two out, Quentin Enos absolutely destroyed a solo Home Run deep into the Dallas skyline to give the Rebels a 1-0 lead.  Dalton made sure that was enough by hurling four no-hit innings while walking just two and striking out six. In the bottom of the 4th, with one out, Drew Horstman singled to left.  Karson Symonds then walked followed by Enos getting hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Jon Doko then hit a hard grounder to short and there was some miscommunication around second.  This allowed two Rebels to score to make it 3-0.  And that was the ballgame.  Jack Dalton earned the win on the hill for the Rebels as they moved on to the Championship game.

 

CHAMPIONSHIP

FW REBELS 8    NTX BULLS 1

 

The NTX Bulls won three consecutive games after losing their tournament opener 13-0 vs the Rebels.  This earned them a spot in the Tournament Championship game.  Quentin Enos got the start on the hill for the Rebels and he was aided by some incredible Rebels defense.  In center field, Evan Smith made a diving catch to rob a Bulls hitter of extra bases to open up the game.  Jack Dalton looked like a Major-League shortstop with a beautiful play up the middle with an off-balance throw to first.  In the bottom of the first, all three Rebel hitters struck out and it was game-on.  Smith made another leaping grab in center to open the top half of the 2nd.  Jace Franke made a nice over the head catch down the left field line to close out the 2nd. The Rebels got on the board in the bottom of the 2nd manufacturing a run.  Jackson Jordan singled to open the inning.  Pinch runner Evan Smith stole second and went to third on a Drew Horstman ground out.  Karson Symonds did his job with an RBI ground out to third to make it 1-0.  In the top half of the third, the Bulls tied it up with an unearned run off of Enos.  The Rebels, who consistently fight back, battled for three runs in the bottom half of the third.  Christopher Calabrese & Evan Swindell both had clutch at-bats and drew walks.  With one out, Jace Franke smoked a liner off the left field wall to score Calabrese.  With two outs, Evan Smith doubled on a hard hit ball to center scoring Swindell & Franke to make it 4-1.  Smith was brought in to close things out.  He had an easy top of the fourth only allowing a walk.  In the bottom of the fourth, the Rebels added some insurance thanks to some Bulls wildness.  The Bulls walked five hitters that inning and allowed two more runs to score to make it 6-1.  Smith didn't allow a hit in the top of the 5th and was aided by a terrific play by Drew Horstman at second and a nice catch by Will Adams in right.  In the bottom of the fifth, Smith added his second two-run double of the game to make it 8-1 and that was all she wrote.  The Rebels won 8-1 and came out on top as Champions of the tournament.  Enos was the winning pitcher and Smith got the save on the hill.

 

 

PLAYER HIGHLIGHTS

 

Jace Franke - hit .417 with 5 runs and 3 RBI.  Played stellar defensively and pitched 2 solid innings.

 

Jack Dalton - his no hitter got the Rebels into the Championship game and his save slammed the door in Game 1 Sunday.  Made some great plays at SS.

 

Evan Smith -  Smitty hit .333 and with 4 runs scored and 4 RBI....which all happened in the championship game.  Won Game 1 on the hill Saturday and picked up the save in the championship.  His diving catch in centerfield got the championship started on the right foot.

 

Jackson Jordan - Hit .556 in the tournament with 5 runs scored and 3 RBI.  Pitched a solid 7 innings total to earn 2 wins, struck out 10 with only 5 hits and 4 walks allowed.

 

Drew Horstman- Hit .364 with a Home Run Saturday. Also scored 3 runs and drove in 4.  Played great at 2b and 3b.

 

Karson Symonds - Hit .500 for the tournament and reached base 9 times in 12 plate appearances!  Scored 5 runs and drove in 2.  Was solid at 1b.

 

Quentin Enos - Hit .429 and hit the majestic blast to left field in the semifinals vs Keller Chargers.  Started on the hill in the championship game and allowed 1 unearned run in 3 innings.  Picked up the save vs the Bulls Saturday.

 

Jon Doko - Hit .444 in the tournament while knocking in a team high 6 runs.  Was hampered by a sore knee Sunday which kept him at DH but battled through the first game.

 

Christopher Calabrese - Got on base over 30% of the time and scored 2 runs while knocking in 1.  Was flawless in the outfield and had the funniest line of the weekend.

 

Will Adams - Hit .333 for the tourney and contributed a clutch 3 RBI while scoring a run.  Stayed confident and played a great RF during the championship game.

 

Evan Swindell - Had a .333 on base percentage in the tournament and scored 2 runs while contributing an RBI single Saturday. Was solid in LF.

The FW Rebels were a couple of players short Thursday night but that didn't stop them from extending their winning streak to 6-games with a 12-6 victory over the North Texas Rail Riders.  The Rebels rebounded from a shaky top-half of the 1st inning with the Rail Riders plating 3. No fear as the Rebels answered immediately with 7 runs in the first inning and 5 more in the second and that's all they needed. 

Jace Franke singled to open the game followed by a walk from Drew Horstman.  Franke scored on a wild pitch to open the Rebels scoring. With 1 out, Jon Doko singled in Horstman. Jackson Jordan walked, and Karson Symonds singled to load the bases.  Quentin Enos worked out a bases loaded RBI walk to tie the game at 3.  This set the stage for the red-hot Christopher Calabrese who laced a bases clearing triple and gave the Rebels a lead they would never relinquish.  Evan Swindell followed with a sharp single to left that scored Calabrese.

Luke Cornell came back to play and promptly singled and scored in his first at bat.

Jon Doko, Evan Smith, Jace Franke, Jackson Jordan, and Quentin Enos all had an inning on the mound and the Rebels ended up winning 12-6.

THE FW REBELS FLASH THEIR RINGS EARNED BY GOING UNDEFEATED IN THE 12U AA DFW 30 NIT TOURNAMENT IN PLANO.

 

 

The FW Rebels definitely opened the 2019 Tournament season in grand fashion by going undefeated in the DFW30 NIT Championships. Unfortunately, due to weather, the actual championship game could not be played but the Rebels will be rewarded with rings since they made the championship and finished top-2.

 

GAME BY GAME RECAPS

 

FW REBELS 19    BN SAINTS 5

The Rebs exploded for seven runs in the top half of the first inning and never looked back crushing BN Saints 19-5.  Evan Smith started on the hill for the Rebels and was dominant in the first inning striking out all three hitters faced. The Rebels added four more runs in the 2nd inning to go up 11-0 and then the skies opened making thing super difficult for Smith and the Rebel defenders.  Still, they fought through it and won easily.  Jack Dalton, Evan Smith, Jackson Jordan, Quentin Enos, & Will Adams all had multi hit games wihile Dalton, Smith, Jordan, Enos & Evan Swindell all had multiple RBI.  Jace Franke was newly inserted into the leadoff sport and responded by reaching base all three times and scoring three runs.  Smith was the winning pitcher.

 

FW REBELS 15   NTX PIRATES 0

Pitchers Jack Dalton & Jackson Jordan combined on a 1-hitter as the Rebels shutout NTX Pirates 15-0. Leadoff man Jace Franke had the biggest hit of the game with an inside-the-park grand slam that scored Christopher Calabrese, Will Adams, & Evan Swindell.  Franke finished the game 2-3, with 5 RBI. Drew Horstman, Evan Smith, Jackson Jordan & Quentin Enos all had multi-hit games.  Dalton was the winner on the hill with his two shutout innings.  The Rebels finished pool play 2-0 and earned the #2 seed.

 

FW REBELS 7   NTX TRIBE BRYANT 6

One of the best features of the 2018 FW Rebels was their never-say-die attitude no matter what the score.  After a few blowout victories, they hadn't been tested in 2019 yet.  They were tested in bracket play and passed with flying colors.  Evan Smith got things started on the right foot with a missile line drive Home Run to right field that gave the Rebels a 1-0 lead.  That was still the score in the top of the 3rd when the Tribe scored 6 runs on 5 hits including a 2-run HR off of Rebel starter Jackson Jordon.  Only 3 of the 6 runs were earned.  Jack Dalton was able to come in and slam the door on the Tribe as they would not score another run the rest of the way.  So, the Rebels started chipping away.  In the 4th, Jon Doko hit a run-scoring groundout that scored Jack Dalton to make it 6-2.  In the 5th, Karson Symonds & Quentin Enos hit back-to-back doubles to make it 6-3.  That set the stage for one of the more dramatic final innings in Rebels history and there have been a few.  With one out, and the Rebels down 3 runs, Jack Dalton doubled to right.  Evan Smith followed with his own double to make it 6-4.  Jackson Jordan then singled in Smith to make it 6-5.  Up to the plate stepped Drew Horstman.  Horstman wasted little time crushing a hard liner to deep center.  The tribe center fielder looked like he might have a play on it, but it hit his glove and went over the fence for a game-winning walk-off 2-run bomb.  The Rebels all mobbed Horstman at home plate as they were all on their way to the semi-finals.

 

FW REBELS 8   WYLIE RANGERS 7

Fatigue and the late afternoon sun were also an opponent of the Rebels in the semifinals.  The Rebels, as they have in every tournament they have ever played....made the semi's.  Evan Smith started on the hill and battled hard through some control problems to eat up three innings.  Drew Horstman entered midway through the 3rd to calm things down and the Rebs were down 3-1 heading to the bottom of the 3rd.  Jace Franke opened the inning with a hard single off of the center field wall.  Jack Dalton followed with a single and Evan Smith walked to load the bases.  The next hitter, Jackson Jordan, fought off a tough two-strike pitch to drop one into right field for a bases-clearing 3-run double.  Jon Doko singled advancing pinch-runner Evan Swindell to 3rd.  Swindell then scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3. Horstman walked and Doko was able to score on a Karson Symonds ground out. Quentin Enos capped off the scoring with an RBI single to make it 7-3.  The Wylie Rangers fought hard in the final inning and scratched out 4 runs to tie it up at 7.  Once again, magic would strike.  After two were out, Jack Dalton singled.  Evan Smith stepped into the box and with Dalton running, singled sharply to right center.  Dalton motored around third and slid home with the winning run as the Rebels won their second consecutive walk off.  Dalton was the winning pitcher in both games Sunday.

 

DEFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE TOURNAMENT-

Jace Franke's double play catch in CF with a bullet throw to Jackson Jordan at third vs NTX Pirates.

Smooth pickoff and successful rundown pulled off with pitcher Quentin Enos, firstbaseman Karson Symonds, and SS Jack Dalton vs BN Saints.

Running grab by Drew Horstman up the middle vs NTX Pirates.

Evan Smith's diving catch in right field vs NTX Tribe.

Will Adam's over the shoulder grab near the wall vs NTX Tribe.

Jace Franke's sliding catch in shallow center vs NTX Tribe.

Jace Franke's throw toC Jon Doko to gun down an NTX Tribe runner attempting to score.

Jackson Jordan's smooth running grab in RF vs NTX Tribe.

Jack Dalton's snag of a potential single up the middle while he was pitching vs NTX Tribe.

Jackson Jordan throwing to Quentin Enos at 3rd for a caught stealing.

Jackson Jordan picking a runner off of 1st base and Karson Symond getting the out with a nice throw to Drew Horstman at 2nd.

 

Individual Player Highlights

Jace Franke hit .444 with a home run, 7 runs scored and 5 RBI.

Jack Dalton went 8-11 with 8 runs scored and 3 RBI.

Evan Smith went 7-11 with 7 runs scored and 8 RBI. He hit for the cycle in the tournament.

Drew Horstman hit .500 with the dramatic walk off HR and 4RBI.

Jackson Jordan went 7-8 at the plate with 6 runs scored and a team leading 9 RBI.

Karson Symonds hit .444 with 2 doubles and 4 RBI.

Quentin Enos went 6-7 with 3 doubles and 2 triples and 5 RBI.

Christopher Calabrese hit .400 and reached base safely 6 out of 9 plate appearance.

Will Adams had a .556 on base percentage and scored 3 runs.

Evan Swindell had a .429 on base percentage and knocked in 2 runs while scoring 4.

Jon Doko played just Sunday and had a key hit while scoring a run and knocking in 1.

 

The first win of 2019 was an impressive 12-2 win over the Ft Worth Sharks that saw the FW Rebels bang out 14 hits. Jace Franke led the way going 2-2 with 2 triples and 2RBI while Jon Doko added a double, triple and 2 RBI as well.  Jackson Jordan started on the hill and was the winning pitcher allowing 1 earned run over his 2 innings of work while striking out 4.

Christopher Calabrese got everything started in the first inning with a booming leadoff double over the left fielder's head.  Jack Dalton followed with an RBI single.  After Dalton stole 2nd, Drew Horstman singled him home.  Evan Smith added an RBI single that scored Horstman to make it 3-0.  Doko kept the rally going with a deep fly to left that the right fielder couldn't handle for an RBI triple.  Doko them scored on an errant pickoff attempt at 3rd to make it 5-0.  With 1 out. Karson Symonds reached on an infield single.  Then with 2 outs, Jace Franke crushed a fast ball for a triple to left center and the Rebels were up 6-0 after 1.

The Rebels, who were up 6-1 heading to the bottm of the 3rd, added 5 more runs that inning.  Doko led off with a walk and pinch runner Smith stole 2nd.  Jordan then laced a line drive single to right to make it 7-1. Symonds grounded to second moving Jordan into scoring position.  Quentin Enos followed with an infield single that knocked in Jordan.  This set the stage for Franke who added another RBI triple almost in the identical spot as the first.  Will Adams single home Franke to make it 10-1.  After Adams stole second, Evan Swindell hit a grounder to second and was thrown out at first but the hustling Adams came all the way home to score.

Doko & Hortsman finished things up on the mound for the Rebels who are now 1-1 on the young season.

The FW Rebels have set their roster for the 2019 season with the additions of Jace Franke & Quentin Enos.  Franke previously played for the KYA Chargers in the Spring of 2018.  Enos played for the North Texas Kings in the Fall of '18 and the Dirtbags (Sedberry) in the Spring of '18. Enos played for coach Mark Swindell at 8u & 9u.  Both players offer versatility which should add flexibility to the roster and defensive positioning.  Franke will wear #33 and Enos will wear #00.

It was a special 29-13 season for the FW Rebels.  That's a .690 winning percentage.  Still, some of the wins were more thrilling, heart pumping, and satisfying than others.  The 11 Rebels fought every game to the very end which created some incredible come from behind victories.  In other games, the Rebels played flawlessly to knock off some top local teams.  Here are the Top 10 victories of 2018:

 

#10 FW Rebels 5   Burleson Rampage 2

Sunday, June 3.  Semifinal Game in Bring the Heat Tournament in Burleson.  Winner to Championship.

 This was the second game of the day on Sunday (Bracket Play) in the Bring the Heat tournament that the Rebels would end up winning.  Jack Dalton started on the mound and was dominant.  It was one of his best pitching performances of the season going 4 innings, allowing 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8.  Out of the 63 pitches he threw, 40 were strikes.  It was exactly the outing the Rebels needed on the way to the tournament championship.  Dalton also went 2-2 at the plate with a double and an RBI.  Evan Smith & Jackson Jordan also provided RBI singles in the game. Drew Horstman pitched the final inning and allowed just one run with the game ending on a popout to Smith at 3rd.  The Rebels were on their way to their 2nd championship game of the season.

 

 

#9 FW Rebels 16   Dallas Raiders Crockett 4

Sunday, April 15.  Tax Man Tournament at DBat Midtown.  Winner to the Semi Finals.

 This wasn't as much of a good ballgame, but what it was enabled the Rebels to feel confident in themselves and believing they were a good ball club.  After going 0-2 in pool play, the Rebels got a rematch vs the Dallas Raiders who beat them the night before 7-2.  Jack Dalton set the tone by crushing an 0-2 fast ball over the right centerfield fence for a leadoff home run. The Rebels banged out 15 hits in the game led by Dalton & Drew Horstman who collected three each.  Luke Cornell, Evan Swindell, and Christopher Calabrese each scored two runs in the game while Will Adams & Evan Smith both drove in two.  On the mound, Evan Smith threw four effective innings allowing three runs on just three hits.

 

#8 FW Rebels 6   Keller Chargers 1

Sunday, June 3.  Bring the Heat Tournament in Burleson.  Winner to the Semi Finals.

 A couple of teams from Keller both had the Rebels on their radar to start this season.  One of those games didn't go so well for the Rebs but the bracket play 6-1 victory over the Chargers was an all around well-played game.  Jackson Jordan was sensational on the mound pitching five innings and striking out eight.  He allowed just one run.  Jordan also provided one of the bigger hits in the game with a two-out two-run double in the first inning.  Evan Smith & Karson Symonds both went 2-2.  Both of Symonds' hits were clutch two-out singles. What made is all sweeter was the annoying behavior from the opposition which even the umpires thought was over the top. 

 

#7 FW Rebels 13    Burleson Rampage 10

Sunday June 17.  Gene Campbell Memorial Tournament in Arlington.  Winner to Semi Finals.

 This was easily one of the more challenging games of the season for the Rebels as not only did they have to face a difficult opponent, but they had to overcome the most ridiculous small strike zone they experienced all season.  With all of that, the Rebels were down 8-4 heading into the final inning.  A nine-run explosion gave them a 13-8 lead and they held on to win in comeback fashion 13-10.  Jack Dalton went the distance in the difficult conditions and pitched much better than his final line score.  Jon Doko, Evan Smith, Jackson Jordan, and Karson Symonds all collected two RBI in the game while every single Rebel either scored, or knocked in a run.

 

#6 FW Rebels 4   Southern Elite 2

Sunday, April 22.  Carlile Cup Tournament in Duncanville.  Winner to the Semi Finals.

Southern Elite was one of the better teams the Rebels faced all season and this was a terrific baseball game.  In the first inning, starter Jack Dalton pitched out of a bases loaded, nobody out situation as he struck out the cleanup hitter and got the next batter to ground to second baseman Luke Cornell who alertly tagged the runner and then threw to first for a nifty double play.  Dalton ended up tossing a complete game allowing two runs in four innings with five strikeouts.  At the plate, Drew Horstman went 2-2 with a double and two RBI. 

 

#5 FW Rebels 10    Ntx Extreme 9

Thursday, April 26.  RYA Premier League battler for 1st place.

 This is the only non-tournament game on the list.  However, the come-from-behind victory over the 11U AAA Ntx Extreme team basically won the RYA Premier League for the Rebs.  This was a revenge game as the Extreme downed the Rebels 16-10 in the season opener.  This time, the Rebels jumped out of the gate and took an 8-3 lead after four innings. Jack Dalton pitched the first four innings allowing two earned runs while walking just two and striking out six.  Still, Extreme stormed back with three in the fifth and three in the sixth to take a 9-8 lead.  The Rebels would not die however.  With one out, Drew Horstman singled to center.  This was Horstman's fourth hit of the day. The next batter, Michael Asante walked setting the stage for Evan Smith.  On a 1-1 count, Smitty crushed a fastball over the left fielder's head clearing the bases to give the Rebels a 10-9 win.  This game gave the Rebels the confidence to know, no matter what, they are always in a game.  Many comeback victories occurred starting with this one.

 

#4 FW Rebels 8   Colleyville Trouble 7

Sunday, June 10.  Ring Chaser tournament in Burleson, Winner to Semi Finals.

 Colleyville Trouble was a 10U AAA team who had defeated a very solid Benbrook Lake Monster squad to reach this quarterfinal game vs the Rebels.  After two innings, the Rebels held a narrow 2-0 lead.  Starter Jack Dalton got tired in the Texas sun in the third inning and Trouble rallied for five runs. Once again, the Rebels came right back.  Dalton singled and scored on an Evan Smith double to make it 5-3.  Jon Doko drove in Smith and then the game was tied up again on an RBI single by Will Adams.  The game was 5-5 going to the final inning.  Colleyville scored two in the top of the inning on a Home Run and an RBI single to make it 7-5.  The first two hitters for the Rebels both got out to start the bottom half of the final inning leaving them with just one out to play with down two runs.  They would not give up.  Dalton singled sharply to center followed by a hard hit single to left by Drew Horstman.  Jon Doko walked to load the bases.  Evan Smith followed with an RBI single to left making it 7-6.  Jackson Jordan was down to an 0-2 count but battled back to draw a walk.  During his at bat, Horstman scored the tying run on a wild pitch.  This set the stage for Karson Symonds who singled to shortstop and a thrilling 8-7 walk-off victory. Dalton went 3-3 in the game with three runs scored.  Symonds was 2-3 while Smith & Jordan added two RBI.

 

#3 FW Rebels 8   Bullets 7

Saturday, June 2.  Pool Play in Ring Chaser tournament in Burleson. 

The Rebels knew the Bullets would be a tough game as the Bullets had been playing in nothing but AAA tournaments leading to this tournament.  Jon Doko crushed a mammoth two-run Home Run in the third inning breaking a 5-5 tie.  Jackson Jordan pitched a solid two innings of relief but the Bullets were able to tie it up at 7 in the top half of the last inning.  The Rebels would only need to score a run in the bottom half of the inning to win the game.  Evan Swindell led the inning off with a four-pitch walk. With one out, Drew Horstman hit a ground ball that forced Swindell out at second.  With two outs, Michael Asante confidently strolled to the plate with Horstman at first.  With Horstman runniing on the pitch, Asante laced a liner that landed just fair down the right field line and rolled all the way to the wall.  Horstman sprinted home to give the Rebels a thrilling 8-7 walk-off victory.  This was Michael Asante's final day as a Rebel and he went out in grand style with the walk-off triple.

 

#2 FW Rebels 12    Southlake Miller 11

Sunday, June 3.  Bracket play game in Ring Chaser tournament in Burleson.

The Rebels had many come-from-behind victories this season, but none was more improbable than the 12-11 victory over Southlake Miller.  Shaky defense allowed Southlake to build themselves a comfortable 11-5 lead after two innings of play.  Jack Dalton came on to pitch the third inning and calmed things down with a scoreless frame so it was 11-5 heading to the bottom of the final inning.  Southlake brought in a hard throwing pitcher but he had problems finding the strike zone.  Jackson Jordan was hit by a pitch to start the inning followed by walks to Karson Symonds & Will Adams.  With the bases loaded, Luke Cornell hit an infield single to make the score 11-6. With one out and Evan Swindell batting, Adams scored on a wild pitch making it 11-7.  Swindell followed with an RBI ground out to score Cornell to make it 11-8.  So with two outs, Dalton smacked an RBI single to make it 11-9.  This set the stage for Evan Smith who hit the most dramatic Home Run of the year deep over the left field wall scoring Dalton to tie the game up at 11.  Still, the Rebels weren't finished yet.  Jon Doko crushed a line drive single to left and was run for by Swindell.  Jordan then nailed a double to left center moving the potential winning run to third.  Symonds was the next batter and he hit a hard grounder towards second on a 1-0 pitch that went into right field scoring Swindell and winning the game 12-11.  Once again, the never-say-die Rebels fought all the way back to win a game that looked like they were out of.

 

#1  FW Rebels 9    FW Mavericks 6

Sunday, June 3.  Championship game for the Bring the Heat tournament in Burleson.

And finally, the championship game.  Once again, the Rebels would have to come from behind in order to win their first tournamet of the season.  The Mavericks scored four runs in the bottom of the first to take a 4-0 lead.  That lead held up until the third inning when the Rebels began to rally.  Jack Dalton walked to start the inning and went to third on an Evan Smith single.  Dalton then scored on a Jon Doko single to make it 4-1.  Jackson Jordan was then hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Karson Symonds then walked to make the score 4-2.  Will Adams followed with a hard hit single to left scoring Drew Horstman who ran for Doko.  Luke Cornell also walked to make it 4-4 and Christopher Calabrese singled to give the Rebels their first lead at 5-4.  Jackson Jordan & Evan Smith pitched brilliantly in relief not allowing a hit or a walk in three innings. The Rebels added a run in the fourth as Will Adams doubled on the first pitch he saw.    With one out, Calabrese walked.  Adams was then able to score with Evan Swindell batting on a wild pitch to make it 7-4.  After Swindell was retired, Dalton blistered a 2-2 pitch over the center field fence to give the Rebels a 9-4 lead.  Dalton was brought onto pitch the final inning and allowed a couple of runs but got the final hitter to ground out to shortstop Drew Horstman to win the game, and the tournament.