By By Matthew Nascone
The Northwest Escambia Minor League team had a special season in 2006. The boys, who have been playing together since they were all 5 years old, were undefeated with a record of 17-0.
Coach Bodie Tullis said this was a special group of guys and he had a blast coaching them this year.
"We have a great group of boys here," he said. "I have coaching for six years and this is by far the best team I have ever coached."
Tullis is not just bragging on his players either, the proof is in the statistics. Every pitcher on the team posted an ERA of under 1.00 and the team had eight hitters bat over .300 on the year and three of those over .400.
Tullis said Justice Agerton (5-0), Reid Bell (4-0), Daulton Tullis (3-0) and closer Tristan Montgomery (2-0, five saves) all pitched well on the mound for NWE.
At the plate Agerton, Bell and Montgomery swatted over .400 and Tullis, Chasen Freeman, Wade Jernigan, Dusty Spicer and Brannon Freeman hit over .300.
As far as ratios of runs scored to runs allowed, the NWE Minors team crossed the plate 176 times and only allowed 34 runs, good for an average win of 10-2.
The team played teams in the Northwest corner of Florida, including another team from the NWE league, two teams from Jay, Fla., two teams from Flomaton, a team from Chumuckla, a team from Fidelis and a team from Molino, Fla.
The NWE Minors team will send 10 of their 13 boys to compete in the District All-Star Tournament June 24 in Crestview, Fla.
Agerton, Bell, Jernigan, Montgomery, Tullis, Brannon Freeman, Chasen Freeman, Thomas Aliff, Jordan Coon and Kevin Vaughan are the All-Stars.
If they win the districts they travel to the state tournament. There are 15 teams in the district tourney and Bodie Tullis said the team lost last year to the eventual champion 6-5.
"These kids play well together and we are ready to go to district and win it all," Tullis said.