The 2007 Baseball Express Cape Cod High School Classic, presented by Under Armour had something for everyone. Whether it was a scout looking for the next superstar, a parent watching their son play on the biggest stage of his career, or even a passerby taking in great high school baseball in a town where college baseball is king.

With temperatures in the upper 80s and clear skies above, the Classic had perfect conditions for its annual game. In attendance were over 100 scouts, national cross-checkers and scouting directors. All of them were there to see the talent of the game, which in previous years produced players like Colton Willems (#22 overall pick in 2006), Josh Vitters (2006 Cape Cod Classic MVP #3 overall pick in 2007) and Phillippe Aumont (#11 overall pick in 2007). The 2007 rosters were sure to produce even more MLB talent.

The game started as it had in all previous years, with the Baseball Express Homerun Derby in the morning. And much like previous years, homeruns were tough to come by. After starting with six competitors the field was narrowed to two for the championship round. One representative from each team made the final. Representing Team One was Zack Cox (Pleasure Ridge Park HS, KY) who hit first in the championship round belting three homeruns over the left field fence. Zack’s competition representing the Baseball Factory team was Harold Martinez (Braddock HS, FL). Harold struggled early, going without a homerun in his first nine swings. However, as swing ten made contact, the ball blasted out of the park, which landed with a thunderous bang in the outfield bleachers. However, it was too little too late for Martinez who couldn’t manage a late comeback to over take Cox for the Baseball Express Homerun Derby Championship.

As the game got underway Quinton Miller (Shawnee HS, NJ) took the bump for the home Baseball Factory team. The game did not start the way he had hoped. Pablo Bermudez Jr. (Miami Springs HS, FL) led off taking a first pitch ball; however he would not take another pitch. On Miller’s second offering Pablo took a rip at the ball sending the pitch over the left field wall. However, the homerun was bittersweet because Pablo, who was hustling out of the box not knowing if the ball would get out, pulled his hamstring, sidelining him for the rest of the game. After this incident Quinton showed great maturity in calming down and retiring the next six batters he faced, four of them via the strikeout.

As the game rolled on, hits were tough to come by due to overwhelming pitching and first class defense. The Baseball Express Defensive Play of the Game was turned in during the bottom half of the fourth when Tyler Rahmatulla (Mater Dei HA, CA) hit a ball to the gap. He was hustling around the bases trying to leg out a triple, but a great relay and a strike thrown by Casey Kelly (Sarasota HS, FL) from the grass behind second base, nailed Tyler at third to end the inning.

Each team had a half inning on defense that they would like to forget. For the Baseball Factory it was in the fifth when three walks led to three runs in the inning. For Team One the inning they wish they had back was the seventh when a 5-2 lead was flipped to a 6-5 deficit on one error, three walks, and a triple giving the Factory squad four runs and their first lead of the game. This inning proved to be the final scoring chances for either team.

After the game the two MVP’s were announced. The Team One MVP was Jordan Swagerty (Prestonwood Christian Academy, TX) after a solid pitching performance allowing one hit and one run in two innings of work as well as hitting a pair of singles. For the winning Baseball Factory team L.J. Hoes took MVP honors. Hoes reached base three times and showed blistering speed on the base path and in the outfield.

Overall the third annual Baseball Express Cape Cod Classic, presented by Under Armour was a huge success.

Check back for a full list of scouts and college coaches in attendance.