By Staff
Staff reports
With the setting sun glinting off their trophies and toothy grins plastered across their young faces, the East Brewton 9-10 Mets shifted uncomfortably.
Three moms, armed with cameras and smiling even more broadly than their sons, pleaded for patience.
Free at last, the Mets scattered across R.L. Johnson Park to celebrate a 17-14 victory over the Braves in the East Brewton 9-10 league championship game.
The Mets had plenty to celebrate, after falling behind 9-0 after one inning only to mount a championship comeback.
The game, which barely exceeded the 90-minute time limit, included plenty of drama.
The Braves scored nine runs in the bottom of the first inning, and the Mets came back with eight runs in the top of the second to tie the game.
Then, trailing 14-12 and down to their final out in the top of the fourth inning, the Mets parlayed two hits, an error, a fielder's choice, a walk and several aggressive baserunning plays into a five-run, championship comeback.
With two outs in the top of the fourth, Zac Griffin reached on an infield hit, and Dominique Jackson then reached on an error, which sent Griffin to third.
Lowell Swain reached on a fielder's choice, driving in Griffin, and Lucas Agerton's double brought home two more runs. Agerton and Duncan Brittain also scored in the inning.
When the dust settled, the Mets held a 17-13 lead.
The Braves, though, were not finished.
Gregory Allen opened the bottom of the fourth with a double, and he later scored.
After two strikeouts, Michael Williams reached on an error, and catcher Dylan Godwin reached on a fielder's choice.
Then, with men on first and second, Taylor Elliott hit the ball back to the pitcher Zac Griffin.
Instead of throwing to first, Griffin chased Williams back to third base.
Griffin dove and tagged out Williams near the bag, as several Braves' parents protested the call.
The Mets immediately began a wild celebration.
In reality, the Braves' lack of pitching proved too much to overcome.
The league's rules allow a pitcher to throw six innings per week, and that forced Jones to use four different pitchers, including a couple who have hardly pitched at all this season, in the championship game.
Mets starter Zac Griffin, meanwhile, had four innings to pitch, and he got the complete-game victory. He also struck out nine.
Chris Griffin also praised the play of Josh Bailey and Landon Huff, two players who helped the team all season and earlier in the tournament but could not attend Friday's championship game.