However, eighth-grader Josh Hooper scored on a balk by Ravens pitcher Ryan Vincion to break a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the sixth. Fellow Siegel eighth grader Carson Lester shut the door for the 5-4 victory.

“I just had so much adreline and I threw it as hard as I could and it went over plate,” Lester said of his save in the seventh. “We just sealed the deal.”

Before that four-run sixth inning by the Cavs, Rockvale Ryan Vincion had silenced the bats with only giving up one hit, a single by Lester in the first. However, Siegel used what got them this far to make their comeback by playing “small” ball.

Kyle Clary walked to begin the inning, and then John Ross Dewberry singled to left. Mitch Glass, then hit a dribbler that went past the Rockvale pitcher to load the bases. Hooper, then hit a pop fly to left, but the fielder dropped it and it scored Clary. The bases were still loaded, and Jacob Key laid-down a perfect squeeze to score pitch-runner Nick Schilitz take made it a 4-3 game. Leadoff hitter, Colton Gibson singled up the middle that brought home Glass to tie the score.

“We were not the better team in the first six innings, but we were able to hang in there and put pressure on their defense and good things happened,” Siegel head coach Mike Tobitt said.

Eighth-grader Blake Benefield added “We were not going to quit. It was pure joy to win the championship.”

It was the first tournament title for Siegel since 2006. However, Tobitt knew coming into game it would be showdown that would not be decided until the final pitch.

“They are a really good team,” he said. “There was hardly any difference between the two teams.”

Both teams spilt the season series with each team winning one game apiece.

However, four Rutherford County teams have a short turn around from this week’s tournament. On Friday, each of them has to play a sectional game. Siegel is the defending sectional champions. Lester said he hopes to build on this win in preparation for the sectional game.

Tobitt added he wants to continue using “small” ball to help win games, like they have been doing during the regular season.

“That has been our success all year by playing small ball,” Tobitt said.

As for the Ravens, they scored a run in the first and in the second. They tacked on two more in the fourth when Garrett League scored on a single by Brad Woodson and Connor Latham used a squeeze bunt to bring home Drew Kilgore to take a 4-0 advantage.

Team photo above:

Front row: Jacob Caroll, Alex Carignan, Jacob Key, Christian Fogerty, Trey Campbell, Chris Williams, Chase Melton, Carson Simmons, Ben Gober, Jordan Middleton, Josh Hooper
Second row: Coach LaDuc, Wessley Duffield, Hunter Uselton, Caleb Pardue, Mitch Glass, John Ross Dewberry, Kyle Clary, Josh Allen, Colton Gipson, Justin Winn, Coach Tobbitt
Third row: Coach Dziduch, Blake Benefield, Collin Stoecker, Carson Lester, Nick Schiltz, Coach Wesley Tobbitt