Top Dawg Player of the Week: Vol. 5 / The Spring 11U June & July Gems

During our preseason workouts and our in-season competition, the Dawgs organization is always looking to acknowledge our players for acting or playing in a way that embodies our mission and core values.

One of the ways that we award our players for “Embracing the Standard” and exemplifying our vision for the development of outstanding players and young men is through our “Dawg of the Week” belt award. This award is intended to be awarded each week the team has tournaments and a regular basis through off-season activities.

The “Dawg of the Week” award is voted on by our coaches and our staff after consideration of the most recent tournament or off-season period.

To win the award, the player must “Embrace the Standard” by exhibiting the traits and values that are core to the Dawgs organization, including leadership, accountability, excellence determination and a winning attitude.

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Jackson Showcases His Skills at the Plate and on the Mound!

On the weekend of June 13th and 14th, the Dawgs 11U played in the USSA Summer Shootout tournament and delivered a respectable but disappointing 3-1 weekend. 

The Dawgs came out fast winning its first 3 games in dominating fashion winning by a combined score of 41-8 before losing its quarterfinal game 5-2. 

While a number of Dawgs put up strong offensive numbers for the weekend, Jackson’s overall performance earned him the “Dawg of the Week” belt for the weekend.

Overall, Jackson delivered at the plate with 2 hits, drove in 2 runs and scored 2 more while also delivering on the mound with 2 very strong innings without allowing any runs, hits or walks.    For Jackson, his strong weekend was a continuation of his outstanding play from the weekend prior.

Jackson throws a strong 2 innings to pave the way for a Dawgs 15-1 victory on June 13 at Lindsay/Lyons Park

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Weston Explodes at the Plate to have a Big Father's Day Weekend!

Father’s Day weekend provided the back-drop for the Dawgs 11U’s first Perfect Game Tournament (PG Double Play Classic).

Overall, the Dawgs had a really disappointing weekend by their standards going 1-2 and losing in its first Sunday bracket game for the only time all season. 

The weekend was nowhere near a total loss as some players really started to find their groove offensively, which set the Dawgs up for a nice run for the remainder of the spring/summer season. 

No players started heating up more than Weston, who used the  Father’s Day weekend  to start wreaking havoc on opponents at the plate. For the weekend, Weston went 3 for 4 for with 2 walks generating 2 extra-base hits , including a ground rule double to go with 4 RBI’s and 3 runs scored.

Weston smashes a ground rule double for the Dawgs on Father's Day to help keep the Dawgs comeback alive on June 21 at KNLL

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Brody's Bat and Stellar Defense Drives the Dawgs to the Championship!

Baseball is a game of ups and downs, adversity and perseverance and the 11U Dawgs, as a team, and the players, individually, have been learning that as they continue to play the game.

The team players had some of those lessons reinforced during the Nations Triple Play Class tournament the weekend of June 27th and June 28th.

For the weekend the Dawgs captured the second place ring going 4-2 and bounced back from a tough loss in their second game on Saturday to go on a Sunday run coming up just short in the final.  The weekend was punctuated with a Sunday full of big pitches, plays and at-bats and the Dawgs got rolling.

For the weekend, Brody was awarded the “Dawgs of the Week” belt as he fought off a tough time the previous weekend to bounce back in a big way in the filed and at the plate. Brody’s great defense led to two signature defensive plays in a tightly contested semi-final game.

In that game,  Brody made a great play at 2B with the infield in to get off a quick throw to gun down the tying run at home to preserve the Dawgs lead and then turning  an athletic double play in the last inning  to seal the win.

Brody’s glove wasn’t the only thing on display, as he went 5 for 10 on the weekend while smashing a double in the championship game. The Dawgs wound up losing a tight game in the finals, but again learned some lessons which would let bounce back to beat the same team a few weeks later to capture a championship in their last tournament of the spring/summer season.

Brody comes up clutch all game at 2B for the Dawgs to propel them into the Championship on June 28 at Doss Park

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Luke the Leadoff Man gets the Ball Rollin' for the Dawgs with some Clutch Hitting!

After a quick tournament break, the Dawgs 11U got back at it the weekend of July 18th and 19th in the USSSA Ultimate Championships tournament and turned in a 3-1 effort finishing 3rd on the weekend. 

Luke, who came into the weekend on a  hot streak at the plate provided crucial at-bats in tight games and set the table for the hitters after him. Luke being the leadoff man was able to work counts in his favor by getting 2 hits and walking 3 times over the weekend.

Luke had a double while providing 3 RBI and scoring 3 times, he also added a stolen base. Luke got the start game 1 and was able to pitch a quality 2.1 innings over the weekend.

Luke with a clutch full count bases loaded single that plated 2 Dawgs to take the lead on a June 18 game at Scrap Yard Sports

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