Luke Morton (#35) of Waxahachie started off by getting 2nd Place in the tournament’s Home Run Derby. Luke hit two long balls out of the park to force the competition into two tie breaking rounds. After the two rounds of nail-biting tie breakers Luke just barely missed taking the #1 spot.

The Renegades kicked off the tournament with three games of pool play. Game 1 was against the Sherman Twins where Renegade Blake Laney (#21) of Midlothian and Tyler Welch (#10) of Ovilla both hit a home run and the Renegades beat the Twins 15-6.

Game 2 was against the “Colorado 5280 Baseballers”. The Renegades continued their domination with Tristen Spradling (#4) of Midlothian pitching an entire game and only allowing 2 runs in the 14-2 victory.

In Game 3 the Owasso Cowboys from Oklahoma tried to pin down the Renegades with no success. Renegades jumped out quick with a 9-1 lead with the help of a solo home run by Tristen Spradling. The Cowboys fought their way back by getting within two runs until Renegade John Byers (#12) of Italy hit a 2 run home run. The Renegades prevailed against the Cowboys with an 11-8 victory.

When the elimination brackets were posted, the Renegades were seeded in the #2 spot behind another great team from Texas, the Texas Beavers from Corsicana. In the first of the bracket games (game 4) the Renegades faced the “5280” from Colorado a second time.

Again the Renegades continued their march forward with a 13-8 win with the help of pitcher Eric Cadena (#3) of Waxahachie coming in to close the game with 3 strike outs in the last 2 innings.

In game 5, the Renegades faced off against the “Rio Rancho Rattlers” where the Rattlers jumped out early to establish a 9-1 foot hold on the Renegades.

However, the Renegades were not giving up, they were in Colorado to play baseball. Down by 5 in the 4th inning with two outs and bases loaded, Auston Moore (#7) of Waxahachie, gets a crucial 3rd out by back handing a ball hit up the middle and gunning the runner out at first.

This was the spark that started the rally. The Renegades bats came alive with Lane Bogy (#9) of Midlothian going 3 for 3 at the plate and Blake Laney stealing home to bring the Renegades within one. Eric Cadena hits a single up the middle to score Luke Morton (#35) tying the ball game.

Then John Byers (#12) hit a single to score Tyler Welch (#10) allowing the Renegades to come back to win against the Rattlers 11-10 in one of the most exciting comebacks of the tournament.

In game 6, the Renegades faced off against the Cheyenne Mountain Jets. In another comeback victory where Renegade catcher Jacob Norton (#25) of Waxahachie gets the out by blocking the plate on a runner trying to score in the last inning. Renegades win it 8-6 allowing them to push further into the winner’s bracket where they again faced the Sherman Twins.

The Twins were hoping to engineer a win and push past the Renegades in the Semi-Finals. Instead, it was the Renegades train that was moving full steam ahead toward the Championship and derailed the Twins. Bryce Todd (#13) of Midlothian, in as a courtesy runner for pitcher Luke Morton, scores one of seven runs in the 3rd inning allowing the Renegades to crush the twins early with a 17-9 victory.

The Championship match was the Ellis County Renegades vs. Texas Beavers. These were the top two seeded teams and they were both on fire. The Beavers had played 11 games and won 10 of them.

The Beavers having dropped one game early during bracket play had to climb back from the loser bracket to earn a chance at the title of World Series Champion. The Renegades, having dominated every game with no losses had firmly planted their names in the Championship match.

The Renegades started things off with Dylan Stone (#22) of Waxahachie bringing the heat from the mound. He struck out the first two batters he faced and held the Beavers to 0 runs in the first two innings. In the bottom of the first the Renegades scored 2 runs on a home run hit by Blake Laney.

The Renegades and Beavers went toe to toe in each inning answering score for score. Coach Jason Moore inserted Renegade closer Tyler Welch (#10) who took the mound and sat down the Beavers’ hitters in the top of the 6th inning. The Beavers were clinging to a one run, 8-7 lead as the Renegades ripped off their baseball mits and reached for their bats.

In the bottom of the sixth it was do or die for the Renegades. The Renegades needed one run to go into extra innings and two runs to win. The Beavers put in their ace pitcher whom the Renegades had faced earlier in the year and struggled with in past tournaments.

Auston Moore (#7) and Tristen Spradling (#4) lead off the batters by getting on base with a walk putting runners on first and second base. Then Lane Bogy (#9) stepped up to the plate with a tournament batting average of .696, and that’s when it happened. The pitch was low and Lane connected firmly sending the ball over the center field fence and landed it back in Ellis County, Texas for his first career out of the park home run. It was a special moment that Lane and his teammates will never forget.

The 3-run walk off home run gave the Renegades a 10-8 victory and earned the Ellis County Renegades the title of “2009 Super Series World Series Champions in the 12U Minor Division” with a record of 8-0!!!

Renegades Tristen Spradling, Tyler Welch and Lane Bogy were each named to the 2009 Super Series World Series All-Tournament Team for the 12U Minors Division.

Blake Laney took home the Tournament Offensive MVP award.

Coaches: Jason Moore, Dan Morton, Stephen Spradling, Randall Stone, and Gary Bogy

View and purchase photos of the Renegades

Coach Jason Moore and the Ellis County Renegades 2009 Baseball Team appreciate the Ellis County Community for supporting their team fundraisers and offers a special thanks to the following Renegades sponsors:

• Parrish-Hare Electrical Supply
• Marc Roux, M.D.
• Haight Construction Company
• Ellis County Sheriff Johnny Brown