17u Astros Win PG-East Cobb Invitational

The East Cobb Astros 17u Navy were named co-champions of the 17u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational, as the game was called in the top of the second inning due to lightning.

17u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational Co-Champions – 17u Astros

The Astros were unstoppable on their drive to the championship, having outscored their opponents in pool play 38-2.  While the offensive numbers are gaudy, Astros coach Kevin Baldwin praised his pitching staff.

“Our pitchers were absolutely dominant this week,” Baldwin said. “I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

And they continued their success into the playoff round, defeating the Duluth Huskies 17u by a score of 4-1, and then defeated the East Cobb Astros 16u X in the semifinal, 4-1.

MV-Pitcher Blade Tidwell got the ball in the semifinal and shined, limiting the dangerous 16u Astros lineup to just three hits over six innings. The Tennessee commit used his upper-80s to low-90s fastball to record six strikeouts and walk just one.

“Blade was awesome today,” Baldwin said. “He shut down a really, really good Astros 16u team.”

Zachary Murray, an LSU commit, put an exclamation point on the semifinal victory by striking out the side in the seventh.

At the plate, tournament MVP Ethan Stamps led the way going a combined 9-for-13 in the tournament. He added six RBIs, six runs, and three doubles. But he was especially clutch in the big games. In the Astros two playoff matchups, Stamps was 4-for-6 with three RBIs, two runs, and two doubles. The Astros also got steady production from Kaelen Culpepper, who added a hit and a run in the semifinal.

“He was crucial,” said Baldwin of Stamps, a Lipscomb commit. “Both Ethan and Blade had tremendous weeks.”

“I’m really excited about what this group can accomplish the rest of the way,” Baldwin added.

17u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational MVP – Ethan Stamps

17u Perfect Game-East Cobb Invitational MV Pitcher – Blade Tidwell

See full Perfect Game Article: https://www.perfectgame.org/