CRESTVIEW — It was a championship game 20 years in the making Saturday at the Justin Richards Scholarship Baseball Tournament.
Just what was the game of historic proportions?
Justin Richards championship photos>>>>
It was an all Bulldog battle the first time in history. Crestview Gray and Crestview Red couldn’t have been more evenly matched. Each team swept through the tournament undefeated meaning the tie-breaker would decide the home team.
Only the tie-breaker was runs allowed and each team had only allowed four runs in their four previous games. So with by the flip of a coin the Gray team would be the home team.
The Bulldog pitching that had ruled the tournament ruled the championship game as well.
An inside-the-park home run by Bryant Berry for Gray in the fourth inning was the only score as of the game giving the Gray the 1-0 win.
A short time later Gray and Red were a united Crestview Bulldog team lifting the championship trophy and Anita and Ronnie Richards, the parents of the late Justin Richards, looked on with smiles on their faces.
Berry wasn’t born when Justin Richards lost his life, but Berry was quick to pay tribute to the former Bulldog.
“It means everything to me,” Berry said. “I didn’t know Justin personally, but from everything I’ve heard, he was just a great person and I want to come and play for him.”
If Red team center field Austin Polk had not originally taken a step in on Berry’s hard hit ball the game might have ended in a scoreless tie.
Coach Tim Gillis decided to give the speedy Berry an opportunity to touch all the bases.
“Bryant runs so good sure we are going to take a chance and score him,” Gillis said. “There were some discrepancies there as to whether he was out or save. I thought they might have got him.
“But the umpire (recently graduated Bulldog Nate Gerard) called him safe. I said, ‘You have to live with the call.’ We had a great time.
“It was a great tournament.”
Gillis expects the tournament to pay dividends for the program later on.
“I think it’s a great stepping stone for us,” he said. “Everything is a new day when you come out to work Monday morning. We’ve got six JV (junior varsity ) games next week and then we are playing in a tournament in Pensacola starting Friday.
“Our guys showed me some good stuff and that’s what it’s all about.”
The two Crestview teams punched their tickets to the championship game in impressive fashion Saturday.
Red 10, Northview 2:
An early wakeup call couldn’t slow down a Red offens that was hitting on all cylinders.
Corey Armstrong had a two-run double and Zach DeGraaf had two hits to lead the Red attack.
Dayne Justice worked four innings on the mound to get the win. John Michael Gillis one inning.
Gray 9, Niceville 0:
Gray team members shared the wealth as nine different players scored in big win over the Eagles.
Aided by Niceville errors the Bulldogs scored five runs in the second inning, three in the third and one in the fourth.
Matt Bottom had a two-run single in the second. Matt French had a two-run double in the third.
Colter Hancock and Cooper Martin teamed up on the mound to shut out Niceville.
Email News Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview makes history in 20th Justin Richards Touranment (PHOTOS)