Sunday could not have gone much better for Stanford commit Drew Bowser.
In the Perfect Game All-American Classic Home Run Challenge, Bowser knocked seven out of the park in the championship round to defeat Arkansas commit Cayden Wallace.
Later in the day, he was named the MVP of the West team’s 4-2 win at Petco Park in San Diego, California.
Bowser boomed a double off the wall and scored the West’s first run of the game, and then scored the go-ahead run in the seventh off a double by Louisville commit AJ Vukovich.
Vukovich advanced to third on the throw to home, and then he came around to score on a pass ball. In the end, the West completed a three-run frame to take a 4-1 lead.
For much of the game, it was a pitching battle.
Oregon State commit Mick Abel and Virginia commit Nate Savino both pitched scoreless first innings, and Daxton Fulton, a Vanderbilt commit, struck out the side in the third. Texas commit Jared Kelley hit 99 mph, which tied an event record, according to Perfect Game.
The first run of the game came not by dominant hitting, but by savvy base running — and great speed — by East team player and FIU commit Mario Zabala.
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Zabala stole second base. As Jared Jones was preparing to throw the next pich, Zabala took off for third. Jones’ throw was errant, allowing Zabala to come home.
Then the power shined through as Bowser drove the ball off the wall for a double and came around to tie the score at one. The West put on its three-run seventh inning and rolled to a 4-2 win.
With the victory, the West has now won four straight and eight of the last nine classics.
