- Border Wars Champions
In their first full tournament since the North Carolina Super NIT, the Richmond Braves National got back on the winning track by winning the Triple Crown VA/NC Border Wars this past weekend in Rocky Mount, NC. The newly formed Braves have won three of the four tournaments they have played in and are now 24-3 on the season. Thirty-six of the top teams from Virginia and North Carolina showing up to compete for the Border Wars title, including the NC Cleveland Indians, SBA Canes, Tidewater Drillers, Wake Rays, RBA West, and more!Knowing the eventual champion would have to win 4-5 games on Sunday against top competition, the Braves knew this tournament would stretch the limits of their 11-man roster. Pitching strategy became an important component right off the bat in Saturday pool play and the Braves accomplished their goal of making the Sunday Championship bracket by going 1-1 with a 10-2 win against Southern Pitt Diamondbacks and a 7-3 loss to returning champion The Fayetteville Generals Elite.
The reward, however, was a first round game against VA powerhouse the Tidewater Drillers. Hunter Meade started an early rally with a 2-run home run and the Braves got a big game from leadoff Kyle Horton who went 3-4 with 4 RBIs, 3 Runs, a Home Run and a double. Lefty ace Ryan Kennedy came in to close the door and the Braves pulled out an 11-3 win in 5 innings to setup a match-up against No. 1 seed The Lake Norman Copperheads. After jumping to an early lead the Braves held back a rally and pulled out a 6-5 game to move on. The third game of the day offered little reprieve against the Wayne Mavericks, a solid AAA team out of NC with a 3-1 record against Major teams. After a strong 7-2 performance the Braves were set for the semi-finals where two of North Carolina’s top teams sat between the Braves and the championship: SBA Canes and the NC Cleveland Indians.
The Braves managed the weekend well, however, and had their two aces Ryan Kennedy and Kyle Horton available and ready to go. Kennedy and Horton pitched 10 shutout innings of 2-hit ball with Kennedy leading the way to a 7-0 victory over the SBA Canes and Horton pitching the complete game shutout in the finals against the NC Cleveland Indians.
With a strong offensive weekend from Wesley Clarke and Horton, and timely hitting and defense from the rest of the team, the Braves won five games in a single day against great competition and moved one step closer to becoming the team they hoped to be. This tournament was great preparation for the upcoming Virginia Super NIT in the Braves backyard, where they get to battle top teams such as Gallagher Select and the Tri-State Arsenal.
Article published by: Youth1.com; Thanks to Matt Carl.