Colt .45s win national championship

TEAM MEMBERS are, front row, from left, Scott Stonestreet, Sam Carriere, Dillon Boudreaux, Andrew Massa, Chase Haslett, Hosh Hanberry and Brandon Lucich (Bat Boy). Back row, from left, coach Troy Desentz, Jake Roussel, Dylan Lucich, Garrett Lee, Jared Har

The Colt .45s Baseball team, a select traveling baseball organization from the River Parishes, recently won a Super Series 14-Under National Championship at the Fountain Bluff Sports Complex in Liberty, Missouri.

The team is made up of 14-year-olds from Destrehan, Norco, Luling, Des Allemands, Montz, LaPlace, Gramercy and Cutoff. Their overall season record was 45-14-2.

The Colt .45s were 2-0-1 in pool play and received the fourth seed heading into double elimination play of the tournament. They lost the first game to the Dallas Panthers, but came back to win the next six games sending home the Tahlequah Cardinals, Missouri Rebels, Lee's Summit Panthers, Keller Sabercats, Texas Bulldogs and the Grayson Gators. This secured them a shot at the undefeated Texas Jax for the championship.

The Colt .45s defeated the Texas Jax twice (12-3 and 12-2) to win the national championship. According to the tournament director, in the three years that this tournament has been held at the Fountain Bluff Sports Complex, this is the first time a team has come from the loser's bracket to win the tournament.

The Colt .45s had four players chosen for the All-Tournament team. Sam Carriere of Destrehan was named the Most Valuable Player.

The other All-Tournament players were Matt Smith of Montz, Jared Harrell of Des Allemands and Dillon Boudreaux of Luling.