The Minutemen are champions of the 19th Annual Patriot Series — but the Dragons made them earn it in one of the wildest finals this tournament has ever seen.
Facing elimination math — the Dragons needed to beat the Minutemen twice — game one delivered instant history. With the Minutemen an out away from the title, a bang-bang force out at second base was too close to call, and the call went to the tournament's highest court: rock, paper, scissors. Brandon Potter threw rock. Max Smith threw scissors. Safe.
What happened next belongs in Patriot Series lore. Potter stepped to the plate, and Smith — refusing to let anyone else wear it — moved himself from shortstop to the pitcher's mound to face him. Potter hit a walk-off home run. Dragons 10, Minutemen 9, and suddenly it was a one-game season.
Game two belonged to the champions. Michael Salas delivered a dominant pitching performance, and Raymond — the rookie who homered in his first-ever Patriot Series at-bat in the opening round — put the exclamation point on the tournament with a late home run in the 4–1 clincher. The tournament's first home run and its last both came off the rookie's bat, and the Minutemen went back-to-back.
Tournament honors: MVP — Max Smith. Home Run Champion — Brandon Potter. Defensive Player of the Year — Brandon Potter. Pitcher of the Year — Michael Salas. Rookie of the Year — Raymond. Party Animal — to be announced.
Final home run tally: Brandon P. 16, Max S. 11, Paul H. 5, Brent (Colonels) 5, Michael (Vegas) 4, DJ 4, Drew B. 4, Bobby P. 2, Raymond G. 2, Mark H. 2, Brandon H. 2, Michael (Texas) 2, Jack 1.