Seeking to repeat as USSSA Global State champions, the Birmingham Giants traveled to Cullman to compete in the 2019 Global USSSA State tournament on saturday. In their first pool play game, the Giants were matched up with the Hustle Factory. Starting slowly the Giants offense never really got on track despite hits from Mason Jones (2), Brayden Helms (2), Cam Buford (1), Will Shoults (1), Landon Coleman (1), Brayden Wainwright (2), Luke Francis (1), Miles Sanders (2), Taj Salaam (1), and Brons Anderson (1) the Giants fell 13-5.
In game 2 of pool play, the Giants were matched with the Cullman Crusaders. A 7 run first inning, guided the Giants to a 20-5 win. At the plate hits came from Mason Jones (3), Brayden Helms (2), Cam Buford (2), Will Shoults (2), Brayden Wainwright (2), Landon Coleman (2), Luke Francis (2), Miles Sanders (2), Taj Salaam (1), Ethan Passmore (1), Brons Anderson (2),and Tanner Egan (2) to lead the Giants to victory. The win seated the Giants at 1-1, but with a scewed bracket, left the Giants easily with the toughest road to the finals.
In their first game of bracket play, the Giants were matched with the TC Tusk. Hits from Mason Jones (3), Brayden Helms (2), Cam Buford (2), Will Shoults (3), Brayden Wainwright (4), Landon Coleman (2), Luke Francis (3), Miles Sanders (2), Taj Salaam (1), Brons Anderson (2), and Tanner Egan (1) powered the Giants to the extra inning win in what was the match up of 2 of the strongest teams.
The win moved the Giants to the next round of bracket play to again face the Hustle Factory. Carrying their momentum from the first bracket game, the Giants scored 7 runs in the first frame and never looked back in the 14-9 win against maybe the best hitting team in the tournament. Hits from Mason Jones (4), Brayden Helms (2), Cam Buford (3), Will Shoults (2), Braeden Wainwright (1), Landon Coleman (2), Luke Francis (2), Miles Sanders (1), Taj Salaam (3), Ethan Passmore (1), Brons Anderson (1), and Tanner Egan (3) led the Giants to victory.
In their semi final bracket play game the Giants Giants offense started fast and got faster, running up 19 runs in the 19-11 win. Mason Jones (2), Brayden Helms (1), Cam Buford (3), Will Shoults (1), Braeden Wainwright (3), Landon Coleman (2), Luke Francis (1), Miles Sanders (2), Taj Salaam (2), Ethan Passmore (3), Brons Anderson (2), and Tanner Egan (2) all had hits to lead the Birmingham Giants to the Global State finals for the 2nd year in a row.
In a championship game that the Giants controlled for 4 2/3rd’s innings, a poorly maintained field causing a rubber ball like hot that stole the 3rd out from the Giants, cost them as the next pitch went out of the park, and after leading the entire game the Giants came up on the short end of a 10-9 game. Hits from Mason Jones (1), Brayden Helms (2), Cam Buford (1), Will Shoults (1), Braeden Wainwright (3), Landon Coleman (1), Luke Francis (1), Miles Sanders (1), Taj Salaam (2), Ethan Passmore (2), and Brons Anderson (2) all had hits as the Giants closed out their final game of their 8u campaign.
