On June 17, 2011, 14-U Mizuno Edge Baseball defeated the Digital Domain Mets by a score of 10-3 to win the Cal Ripken Experience High Tide Tournament in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Even before the actual games started, it looked like it was going to be the Edge's week as Zack Kone won the Home Run Derby by blasting a Ripken record 19 home runs in the hit off round.  The Edge also won the Turn Two Competition due to the great efforts of Matt Tayem (pitcher), Mac Nathanson (catcher), Nick Fergren (1st base), Dom Baldino (2nd base), Chad Fleischman (shortstop), and Matt Rothenberg (3rd base) who completed 4 double plays in an amazing 28.65 seconds. And then the Edge came in a close second in the accuracy throw Competition as Andrew Gottfried, Shane Levine, Richie Rocca, and Frank Fernandez were all deadly accurate.

 

In the games, the Edge went 9-0 and gave up just 20 runs in the process.  In Pool Play, the Edge defeated the Heat Orange (Florida), the South Cherokee Indians (Georgia), the Home Plate Chilli Dogs (Georgia), the Riverbats (Ohio) and the Lincoln Way Vipers (Illinois).  In the First Elimination Game, the Edge beat the Roswell Rockets 14-7 behind the hitting of Chad Fleischman (3 for 3 including a double, a triple and 4 rbis), Mac Nathanson (3 for 3 including a triple and 3 rbis), and Frank Fernandez (double, triple and 3 rbis).  In the Quarter Finals, the Edge defeated the Lumpkin County Indians 7-1 as Matt Tayem pitched a brilliant complete game 3 hitter.  In the Semis, the Edge blanked the highly touted Pro Ball Cobras 10-0 as Chad Fleischman hurled a masterful 2 hit shutout, Zack Kone went 3 for 3 with 2 runs scored and an rbi, Fleischman pounded a 2 run double, and Fernandez had 2 hits and 2 rbis. And then it was off to the finals where the Edge bested the Mets 10-3 behind the fine play of game MVP Frank Fernandez who pitched 5 strong innings and had 2 doubles and 2 rbis.  Kone had 3 hits, Nathanson had 2 hits and 2 rbis, Rocca had 2 key rbi bunt singles, and Rothenberg had a 2 run single.  Ferngren and Fleischman each started key late inning double plays and Gottfried closed the door in relief. 

 

For the tournament, Gottfried combined with Nathanson to throw a no hitter against the Chilli Dogs, he pitched a total of 5 scoreless innings, he closed the door in the Championship Game, and he was lights out in cf;  Rothenberg had 9 hits and a .529 on base percentage, he scored a whopping 14 runs, and he pitched 7 strong innings;  Kone had 14 hits and scored 12 runs, he batted .538 and had a .619 on base percentage, and he was outstanding at ss; Fleischman had 4 extra base hits and 8 rbis, he scored 12 runs, he pitched a total of 7 scoreless innings including his masterful shutout in the Semis; Nathanson had 4 extra base hits including a 3 run homer that sailed over the 370 foot sign, he scored 13 runs, he knocked in 12 runs, he had a .621 on base percentage, and he was great behind the plate; Fernandez pitched 4 scoreless innings in pool play, he silenced the Mets bats in the Finals, he had 11 hits including 6 extra base hits, he batted .524, his on base percentage was .630, and he had 13 rbis; Baldino had several key hits, knocked in 7 runs, and played a great 2nd base; Ferngren belted 7 hits, had 6 rbis and threw 4 solid innings against the Riverbats; Tayem had 4 hits and he gave up just 1 run in 10 sterling innings of pitching; Levine had 5 hits and scored 4 runs and pitched 4 shutout innings; and Rocca pounded out 8 hits and he scored 6 times and drove in 5.

 

Playing in the highly competitive FPBL best prepared the Edge for this great accomplishment.