East Cobb’s Cayden Hunter drives in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning.
By Rich Bevensee
Making their only road trip of the summer, the East Cobb 17U Patriots of Georgia stumbled into Diamond Nation in Flemington looking for some semblance of offense.
The Patriots won only a single game in the first two weeks of the season, a troubling stat stemming from the fact that scoring runs had become a major chore, getting outscored by nearly 40 runs in eight games.
It seemed those offensive woes would continue two games into their Diamond Nation visit, as Wladyka Continental’s Selden Kolkebeck was striking out Patriots at a dizzying pace Tuesday evening.
But Kolkebeck took a seat after reaching his pitch count, and East Cobb seized the opportunity to wake its bats.
Jonathan Bemus had a two-run single to fuel a three-run rally in the fifth inning, and Cayden Hunter singled home what proved to be the winning run in the top of the seventh as East Cobb secured a 4-3 victory over Wladyka in Week 2 of the 17/18 Wood Bat Super 17 Invitational Powered by Victus.
There are no playoffs for the Super 17. The top five teams earn a berth in the Top 25 Showcase at ‘The Nation’ in August.
“After a big win like this, everyone is hyped up and ready to get after it again,” said Bemus, a rising senior at Alexander High in Douglasville, Georgia. “It’s a great feeling to win. When we lose we kind of get down, but after a win and ending our three-game losing streak, I think we can capitalize on this.”
East Cobb (2-6-1) scored four runs only one other time this summer, 10 days ago against Complete Game-Prupis at Georgia Highlands College.
“This is what we’ve been looking for,” East Cobb coach DeAndre Bowens said. “Long trips away where you don’t know anyone but your team, that’s what really brings teams together. It’s different when you’re out of your comfort zone. The trip will be good for team chemistry.”
Bowens said he figured it was only a matter of time before the Patriots began to show the talent they bring to the roster. He said he and assistant coach Dobbs Bowden have only begun to get to know the players in these first two weeks of action.
“We’re just meeting the guys for the first time – our first practice was the first week of June – so getting them to buy into what we believe and at a quick rate, it’s difficult,” Bowens said. “There’s going to be a learning curve. Getting them to buy in is only a matter of time.”
At the outset it seemed East Cobb was in for another offensively challenged performance. Kolkebeck, a 6-4, 200-pound righty and a rising senior at Old Tappan, faced the minimum over his four innings of work and struck out 10 by using a high-80s four-seam fastball as well as a mid-70s slider and low 80s changeup.
And the college scouts were noticing, huddling behind the backstop with their radar guns and notebooks. Kolkebeck said he has received interest from Northeastern, Army, St. John’s and Columbia.
“When I’m out there I’m trying to do my thing, what I was raised to do and what I love to do,” Kolkebeck said. “But it’s a dream come true. Ever since I was a little kid I dreamed of playing Division 1 ball, of playing pro ball. I’m very excited.”
Wladyka first baseman Selden Kolkebeck picks off East Cobb’s Nathan Taczy in the fifth inning.
Kolkebeck threw 52 pitches and wished not to exceed a 60-pitch limit as prescribed by Wladyka program director Jim Wladyka, so he handed off to lefty Colin Van Es.
And East Cobb saw its chance to pounce.
“Yes, oh my gosh, it was definitely a relief for us to see him gone,” Bemus said of Kolkebeck. “It was really challenging seeing a Division 1 pitcher who can start off with breaking pitches and then capitalize on that fastball. They brought in a new guy after a dominant right-handed pitcher and I’m glad our team got on him early.”
Trailing 1-0, East Cobb began its comeback in the fifth by loading the bases with one out. Miles Trojanoski forced a run home with a walk before Bemus roped a two-run single into left for a 3-1 Patriots lead.
East Cobb starter Lincoln Park wasn’t as dominant statistically as his Wladyka counterpart but nearly as effective, holding Wladyka to one run on one hit and three walks through his first five innings.
In the bottom of the sixth Wladyka scored twice against Park to tie the game. Mike Pellegrino singled up the middle to drive in a run and James Musco scored the game-tying run on a wild pitch.
Park exited after 5⅓ innings having yielded three runs on three hits and four walks, and he struck out seven.
Tyler Charles relieved Park and faced just one batter over the minimum over his 1⅔ innings of work, allowing one walk.
In the top of the seventh, Nathan Taczy and Billy Freund opened with singles and Hunter laced a one-out pitch into left to drive in Taczy with the eventual game-winning run.
East Cobb (1-1), which bowed 5-3 to the Jersey Shore Wildcats on Monday, will face MP Citius on Wednesday and Locked in Baseball Expos Blue on Thursday.
Wladyka (1-1), which knocked off Complete Game Colonials 2026, 4-0 on Monday, will face Spartan Baseball 26s on Wednesday and Complete Performance Baseball Academy on Thursday.