JPRD wins Dixie Boys Junior World Series

A national championship trophy is coming home to Jefferson Parish.

The JPRD East entry captured the 13-year old Dixie Junior Boys World Series at Bluffton, South Carolina. The JPRD team did it in dramatic fashion, defeating the West Seminole, Florida squad twice to capture the title in the 12-team event.

Facing elimination in the first game, JPRD trailed by five runs entering the final frame. After scoring three runs to cut the deficit to two runs, JPRD walked off with a 11-9 win when Archbishop Rummel ninth-grader Tyler Cook belted a grand slam home run to force a deciding game. Cook was 3-for-5 while Logan Bertucci was 3-for-3 with a home run. Catcher Brayden Marcotte went 2-for-3.

JPRD head coach Malcolm Robinson knew his team had a great shot with Cook coming to the plate with the bases loaded.

“Tyler is our best hitter, the guy we wanted at the plate,” Robinson said. “They made a play but bobbled the ball to extend the inning and that enabled us to get Tyler to the plate. He is so good and he came through in huge fashion as he did throughout the tournament.

In the championship game, JPRD won 14-9 to capture the national championship.

In the title game, Cook and Logan Bertucci homered for JPRD as part of an 11-hit attack. Logan Bourgeois, Matthew Knight and Cook each had a pair of hits in the championship. Cook hit five home runs in the tournament to lead the way.

JPRD had advanced, winning its district tournament in Thibodaux before capturing a state title in Bossier City. In the World Series, JPRD lost to Nacogdoches, Texas 3-2 in its opening game before winning six straight games, facing elimination in each, to claim the championship. JPRD beat Nacogdoches 10-7, gaining revenge, to reach the final against the Florida entry.

“It was some effort by our kids after losing the first game,” Robinson said. “They were a loose group who didn’t get too tight. They just went out and played. They kept at it, shared the pitching duties well and scored a bunch of runs. The team from Florida was undefeated. They were very good and very well coached, a classy operation. It was a huge win for us.”

The team consisted of young men who attend Christian Brothers, Rummel, Brother Martin and Jesuit. Players from Rummel included Cook, Joe Soileau, Marcotte, Bertucci, Ethan Klaypatch, Brady Brehm and Cole Bordes. Brother Martin students on the squad included Bourgeois and Simon Provenzano. Team members from Jesuit were Knight and Vinny LoGiudice. Cameron Francioni of Christian Brothers, who will attend Rummel, was on the squad while Gates Barre’ is also from Christian Brothers.

JPRD Results at Bluffton, SC
Nacogdoches, TX 3, JPRD 2
JPRD 16, Beaufort County, SC 6
JPRD 13, Searcy, AR 1
JPRD 10, Troy, AL 0
JPRD 10, Nacogdoches, TX 7
JPRD 11, West Seminole, FL 9
JPRD 14, West Seminole 9 (Title Game)