Bedford Elite 12-U just straight-up snatched the 66th annual Monroe County Fair Baseball Tournament title, roaring back from a massive 7-2 hole to blast Ida Gold 16-10 in the championship game last Thursday, July 23. You talk about guts, you talk about heart, this squad had it all.
From Disaster to Dominance: Birkle’s Unbelievable Turnaround
You won’t believe how this championship started for Tyler Birkle. He was on the mound in the first inning, and man, it was a rough one. Four walks, a hit batter, two more hits, and *five* runs given up. Seriously, five runs in the first. Any other coach might yank a kid, but Bedford Elite’s Clifford Albain told him, “Don’t get down on yourself. We’ll come back and I’ll come back to you.” And he wasn’t wrong. Albain also told the whole team to “just stay focused and we would battle back.” That’s leadership, right there.
But Birkle wasn’t just a tough out on the mound later. His bat? It was absolutely nuclear for the comeback. Batting clean-up, the kid went 3-for-3 with a double, a single, and a triple, scoring four times! He was just a home run shy of hitting for the cycle, and Ida Gold was so scared of him in the final inning they intentionally walked him with runners on second and third. Talk about respect for the bat. Then, to cap it all off, Birkle came back in to toss the final inning and lock down the 16-10 win. What a story!
Squad Goals: The Relentless Grind of Bedford Elite
This wasn’t just a one-man show, either. Xander Rising was right there, hitting triple-doubles and driving in a run each time. Coach Albain said those two have been “doing it back-to-back all year.” Noah Norton, the No. 6 hitter, piled up three hits, three RBI, and three runs. No. 7 hitter Cashton Albain drove in four runs with two hits, and lead-off man Eli Sandin chipped in with three hits. This offense was relentless.
And let’s not forget the pitching that gave them a chance to climb out of that hole. After Birkle’s first inning, Norton stepped up with two strong innings. Then Rising came in and totally shut down Ida, throwing two hitless, scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth. Seriously, zero runs, zero hits. That’s how you swing momentum. This team even had to fight through injuries, rolling with just nine healthy players because they lost one two weeks ago and another last weekend. They started with only 11 on the roster! They just flat out battled. Coach Albain summed it up, “These guys were awesome.”
Last summer, this same group “kind of got beat up” in the tournament. This year? They worked hard, and it paid off big time. Ida Gold, an 11-year-old team that beat Ida’s 12-U squad to get to the final, played tough too. Tucker Ray hit a three-run double in the first and had two hits. Zeke Billau doubled home two runs, Nolan Wilson tripled in a run, and Easton Lehr had two hits. Their coach, Chris Cuolahan, was “really proud of these boys.”
This win? It’s not just a trophy. It’s a statement. This team, battling with only nine healthy players, overcoming a nightmare start, and turning around their fortunes from a tough tournament last year, showed everyone what hard work and belief can do. That kind of grit is what makes champions. What a performance by Bedford Elite!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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