Bridgewater Reds Win Home Run Derby

By Dean Barker

Bridgewater’s team of Noah Cornwell and Jake Ariey (replacing Dylan Horne) were able to score fourteen points in the final round and take the 2023 RCBL Home Run Derby on Saturday, July 8 at Montezuma Ruritan Field. 

“It was all about the pitching (from Derek Shifflett), I didn’t really have to do much work,” Cornwell said. “The pitches were all in the perfect spot. Derek behind me did all the work, I didn’t really do anything.”

Shifflett was happy to give up home runs to help the cause. 

“(Cornwell’s) the best hitter in the league, I’m proud of myself,” Shifflett said.

Stuarts Draft’s Cody Bartley and Ryan Cooper led the first round with ten. Grottoes’ Cam Irvine and Daryl Lambert were in second at six. The Shockers’ Kaden Spaid and Zach Stiles, the Reds, and Montezuma’s Tristan Gordon and John Mason were tied at five. The Shockers and Reds advanced after a playoff. Elkton’s Ryan Wright and Abe Turner had three. Broadway’s Austin Whetzel and Josh Veney had two. Clover Hill’s Alex Knicely and Lane Lough had zero.

The Diamondbacks put six across in the second round. Bridgewater had the second best with four. The Shockers narrowly missed a trip back to the final after winning last year, only getting three in the second round. Grottoes did not manage to put anything across.

Stuarts Draft looked like they were on their way to a title with eight in the finals, but the Reds clobbered the ball to score fourteen and win the Home Run Derby.

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