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JAMESTOWN, N.Y. -- The Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series featured some of the best talent in the country and the world. Every single player competing at the tournament was talented, but a few over the course of the week separated themselves from the pack.
Voted Most Valuable Player of the tournament was no surprise, Colin Thompson from tournament-winning Middle Atlantic Region champion Atlantic Shore, New Jersey. Thompson was picked as the best player as he helped his team at the plate, on the mound, at shortstop and any way his coaches asked.
"He kind of makes us go," Atlantic Shore head coach Mike Gill said about Thompson. "Leadoff, shortstop, came in to pitch. We asked him to do a lot for us."
Thompson had a .538 batting average, .600 on-base percentage and 1.177 OPS. He had 14 hits, seven RBIs and scored nine runs.
Three players from the host Krusaders worked their way on to the all-tournament team. Chase Haglund was honored at third base, Nash Luther was recognized in the outfield and Blake Herman was named as a utility player. Haglund's slash line was .450/.476/.600 along with a 1.076 OPS. He had nine hits, including three doubles, with two RBIs and eight runs scored. Luther was .500/.500/.611 with a 1.111 OPS on nine hits with six RBIs and six runs scored. Herman carried a line of .400/.526/.533 for a 1.060 OPS. He picked up six hits, including two doubles, and drove in seven runs while scoring six.
The pitchers on the team of the tournament included Freddy Melton of Norwalk, Connecticut and Aidan Ralph of Atlantic Shore. Melton and Ralph both were integral parts of their teams making it to the championship game.
Elvin Pascual of Norwalk was named the first baseman of the tournament, helping drive the Norwalk squad to the championship game. Pascual had a line of .524/.600/.667 with a 1.267 OPS on 11 hits, six RBIs and seven runs scored.
Joining Luther in the outfield was Tyler Barrows of Eau Claire, Wisconsin and Gavin Harper of Tallahassee, Florida. Barrows hit .444/.500/.611 with a 1.111 OPS on eight hits with six RBIs while scoring four runs. Harper had a line of .600/.667/.733 with a 1.400 OPS on nine hits with five RBIs and three runs scored.
The catcher of the tournament was Colby Tadder of Tallahassee. Tadder hit .444/.474/.611 with a 1.085 OPS on eight hits with eight RBIs and four runs scored.
Rounding out the team of the tournament was Mason Little of Puyallup, Washington at second base. Little hit .571/.700/.571 with a 1.271 OPS on four hits with one RBI and four runs scored.
The Defensive Player of the Tournament was Gavin Harper of Tallahassee, who had a perfect fielding percentage throughout pool play of the tournament.
The Jamestown Krusaders were honored with the Team Sportsmanship Award.
All-Tournament Team
P: Aidan Ralph (Atlantic Shore) and Freddy Melton (Norwalk)
C: Colby Tadder (Tallahassee)
1B: Elvin Pascaul (Norwalk)
2B: Mason Little (Puyallup)
3B: Chase Haglund (Jamestown)
SS: Colin Thompson (Atlantic Shore)
OF: Nash Luther (Jamestown), Gavin Harper (Tallahassee), Tyler Barrows (Eau Claire)
U: Blake Herman (Jamestown)
All-Defensive Team
P: Noah Betker (West Fargo, North Dakota)
C: Austin McGraw (Eau Claire)
1B: Matt Wagner (Atlantic Shore)
2B: Myles Mott-Smith (Tallahassee)
SS: Nate Dietz (Tallahassee)
3B: Blake Bugher (Eau Claire)
OF: Matt Rinaldi (Norwalk), Mark Metcalf (Tallahassee), John Ganci (Western New York)
U: Alika Ahu (Hawaii Kai)