FROM STAFF REPORTS

ALBERTVILLE – The Chelsea Steal Dawgz finished seventh in the Dizzy Dean 9U state tournament held over the July 4 weekend in Albertville. The Steal Dawgz nearly upset Springville in their final game that would have put them in the final four of the tourney.

Third baseman Judah Talley blasted a three-run home run in the second inning to give the Steal Dawgz a 7-4 lead heading into the third inning against Springville. Centerfielder Camden Harper’s acrobatic diving catch with two outs and the bases loaded in the fourth inning kept the game tied at 7-7 and had the standing-room-only crowd on their feet.

It wasn’t meant to be for the Steal Dawgz however, as despite timely hits by second baseman Matson Davis and outfielder Gabe Pendley in the game,  Springville used a four-run fifth inning to seal the victory.

“The kids did a great job all weekend,” Steal Dawgz coach Mike McNamee said. “That Springville team beat us 15-0 just two weeks ago and here we were tied in the fourth inning with some chances ahead of us. I think we struck out 13 times when we played them two weeks ago and we had one strikeout in the state tournament matchup.”

After the game, the talk around the park mostly centered around the catch made in centerfield by Harper.

“What do you say about something that unbelievable,” Steal Dawgz third base coach Jeff Fulgham said. “I mean the bases were loaded and we see that ball come off the bat and we are immediately thinking that the worst case scenario is about to happen. (Harper) tracked it for what seemed like 100 feet and dove and made the best catch most of us watching have ever seen.”

To advance to the fourth round of the tournament, the Steal Dawgz defeated a pesky Arab team. Nursing a one-run lead in the second inning, right fielder Austin Jones blasted a two-strike changeup to the right field wall to score two runs and give the Steal Dawgz a 3-0 lead. In the next inning, catcher Cameron Cobb hit one over the centerfielder’s head with the bases loaded that resulted in a three-run triple to give the Steal Dawgz a comfortable lead.

Everybody contributed to the Steal Dawgz success but none more so than shortstop Chase Lackey.

“He’s our captain,” McNamee said. “He’s a quiet kid, but he’ll make a great play and show a little emotion. The other kids feed off seeing him having fun.”

The key to the Steal Dawgz summer success started on the pitching mound. Talley, Luke Butts, Branson Ganus, Reeves McNamee and Cobb all threw multiple innings for the team.

“Our pitching was fantastic,” assistant coach Billy Lackey said. “They kept us in a whole lot of close games throughout the course of the season. We felt like we could pitch with anybody in the state and for the most part, we did.”

The Steal Dawgz still have some unfinished business left this season. Left fielder Jacob Fulgham needs just two steals to break the Chelsea 9U postseason steals record at 37. “I hope we get a chance to get him the record,” McNamee said.

McNamee is hoping his team gets another tournament under their belts before the summer is over.

“We definitely want to play at least one other tourney and maybe two, “McNamee said. “We lost one of our best players in Mason Mitchell with a pulled hamstring the very first week of practice. He was able to come back at the state tournament and play at about 60 percent. I’d love for that kid to get to play a full weekend healthy for us.”