Introducing The Ultimate Baseball Championship, Presented By Baseball America

Baseball America is excited to announce the inaugural Ultimate Baseball Championship, a premier travel ball tournament featuring eight of the best teams in the country.

A collaborative initiative developed by coaches from The Dirtbags, Canes Baseball, East Coast Sox, Elite Squad, Five Star National, Florida Burn, Orlando Scorpions and Team Elite, the event will take place from July 12-15 at the Hoover Met Complex in Hoover, Ala.*

*The event was originally planned to take place at South Carolina’s Founders Park in Columbia, S.C., before the coronavirus pandemic.

“Throughout the years of competing at this level I think that some of the higher end programs have gravitated to one another through elite competition,” said Canes Baseball President and 18U head coach Jeff Petty. “The desire is there for us to play one another as much as possible in a highly competitive environment. I personally know what I am in for if I match up against any of these other 7 teams, and that is a dog fight.

“We know we are going to be playing some of the best players in the country, and our team better be ready to play high level baseball if we are going to compete. The mutual respect we all have for one another is certainly there as well.”

The tournament, sponsored by Baseball America, will follow an ACC Baseball tournament format, with two pools of four teams competing. The top two teams from each pool will advance to a championship, single-elimination bracket while the bottom two teams will compete in a losers bracket. Each team will be guaranteed five games.

“This event will mirror East Coast Pro, PDP, PG National in terms of talent as the teams represented boast roasters made up of numerous top 100 type players,” said Orlando Scorpions General Manager Matthew Gerber. “Throw in the fact that this event will have the added component of competition, it has all the makings of an evaluator’s dream. All of us want to prepare our players to play the game at the highest level they can, and having the opportunity to compete against the very best will give our players a true measuring stick.”

The east coast based programs are annually among the most competitive teams in the country, while major league scouting departments will be drawn to the draft talent that is routinely strewn throughout the rosters.

The event will give players a chance to compete at a high level during a point in the summer where showcase-style events dominate the calendar.

“The East Coast Sox are excited to be competing against the best players and teams across the country,” said East coast Sox Vice President and Director Joe Caruso. “Watching the God-given talent that will be on display will be humbling for our players and organization. We are honored to be a part of the UBC.”

See the tournament format below:

Format

• Two pools of four teams each
• Three pool play games: top two teams advance to championship semifinals; bottom two teams advance to silver semifinals
• Four-team single elimination bracket. Loser of semifinals will play a consolation game
• 10 Minute In/Out if wanted
• Pool play two hour time limits. No new inning after two hours. No time limit in playoffs
• Find third site to allow for pregame BP before every game
• Blind draw to determine pools
• Tie Breakers:
1. Head to head
2. Run Differential
3. Runs Allowed
4. Coin flip