Robbie Culpepper helps East Cobb (GA) Tigers to Title in Continental Amateur Baseball Association World Series 

By Michael Alpert
30 Aug 2000
The Atlanta Journal - Constitution (Gwinnett Extra), Page JJ; 4
(Copyright, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution - 2000)

Coach David Hartley had an uncanny confidence in his East Cobb Tigers, even before they traveled to Homestead, Fla., to play in the Continental Amateur Baseball Association World Series earlier this month.

And when they eked out a 13-inning win in a semifinal, he had little doubt his squad was the best among 16 in the tournament. His 18-under team of 25 players, then went on to rebound from an initial loss in a double-elimination final and bring home the championship it missed by one game in Hartley's first season as coach a year ago...

Hartley might have sensed his Tigers (38-17), most of whom are high school graduates preparing for freshman seasons on college scholarships, were in for something big once they had won the Summer Baseball Classic in Panama City, Fla. They already had finished third in the Prospects.com Invitational in Leesburg, Fla., during the regular season.

He knew North Gwinnett graduate Robbie Culpepper would be an invaluable pitcher in the stretch run for his traveling team, before he departed for Jacksonville University. Culpepper finished the summer 4-3 in 10 starts, including a key complete-game win in the second round of Series elimination play against Ohio's Midland Indians.

After the Tigers had finished 7-0 in pool play and had beaten Florida's Treasure Coast Cardinals in the opening game of double elimination, Culpepper scattered five hits and struck out seven against the Indians to advance the Tigers to the semifinals against Connecticut Select.

The Tigers conquered their biggest challenge in that semifinal, as they survived a bases-loaded jam in the 11th inning and won 3-2 on an infield single in the 13th. The Tigers went on to lose 8-5 to New York's defending champion Bayside Yankees in the first game of the finals before rebounding to beat the Yankees 5-4 for the title.

Culpepper put winning the Series on par with helping North to a best-ever 24-11 finish and an appearance in the Class AAA state semifinals against Columbus this spring.

"This series was probably more exciting, but what we did in the high school season was more of a culmination," he said. The Tigers, he said, "really came together as a team in just a summer"...

Culpepper Ancestry: Robbie's ancestry is currently unknown to Culpepper Connections. If you know it, please let us know.