UMB caps off 15-0 season with league championship

Published 12:00 am Thursday, June 30, 2005

NATCHEZ &045; Suffice it to say it was a good day for the Washington household.

Father Joe Washington coached his United Mississippi Bank team to a 15-0 record and the 11-12 year-old T.M. Jennings league championship, capped off with a 7-0 win over Britton & Koontz Bank Wednesday night.

Son Javon Washington struck out 18 of the 19 batters he faced in Wednesday’s game and had two triples and scored three runs.

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Not too shabby.

&uot;My objective was for this team to go undefeated,&uot; Joe Washington said. &uot;I just wanted them to go out and play their best ball.&uot;

Javon was more understated in his remarks after the game.

&uot;It feels good to come out there and play your hardest and get a win like that,&uot; Javon Washington said.

After a scoreless first inning, UMB got things going with two runs in the second. Washington and Keenen McAllister walked on consecutive plate appearances and eventually came in to score on passed balls in what would become a theme for the night. The B&K pitchers struggled to find the plate throughout the game.

B&K’s Brian Isaac was the only batter to reach base in the game for his team, leading off the third with a hit.

UMB continued its scoring in the third when Washington hit a triple. McCallister walked

behind him and stole second. Both scored on Charles Gooseberry’s single to make it a 4-0 game.

In the fourth, UMB’s Jarius Gibbons singled and Travonta walked. Both eventually scored on passed balls. Washington hit another triple and came into score on a passed ball, putting his team up 7-0.

UMB loaded the bases in the fifth inning but could not bring in any runs.

&uot;Our best three players &045; Javon Washington, Keenen McCallister and Tradarrius Carter &045; had to step up and they did,&uot; Joe Washington said. &uot;I’m very proud of them. We couldn’t do this without my assistant coaches.&uot;

Washington closed out the game with two more innings of perfect ball, striking out the six batters he faced.

&uot;(Javon) had pitched four games before then and had done a good job,&uot; Joe Washington said. &uot;I just have to stay on him and get him to stay focused.&uot;

For B&K head coach Ronnie Brooks, it was a bittersweet night. His team lost for the fourth time this season to UMB, the team’s only losses in an 11-4 campaign.

&uot;That’s the only team we couldn’t beat,&uot; Brooks said. &uot;Their man on the mound had it. He’s the best pitcher in this league and we pitched our best pitcher just to get here.&uot;

Brooks was named the 11-12 All-Stars head coach. Joe Washington and Gene Banks will be assistant coaches for the team.