No-Hitter Carries East Marietta to Title

Jason Rooks was not perfect pitching for East Marietta in the District 2 Little League championship game today.

He gave up a walk on a 3-2 pitch in the second inning. And he allowed two batters to get the bat on the ball and ground out.

Otherwise, Rooks was as close to perfect as you’ll see on a Little League diamond, pitching a 16-strikeout no-hitter to shut out Milford in a 6-0 championship win at Sewell Park this afternoon.

He also hit leadoff for the East Marietta Giants, going two for two with a walk, a stolen base and two runs. He doubled and scored on a wild pitch in the first inning for the only run he needed.

Asked if he’s seen a better pitching performance, East Marietta Manager Harold Brannen said, “I can’t remember it.”

Rooks combined an overpowering fastball with a curve and a changeup that kept Milford’s 11- and 12-year-old hitters off balance. He recorded the first 10 and the final four outs on strikeouts.

“That’s why we took him,” Brannen said.

Milford shortstop Randall Quarles chopped a 2-2 pitch to shortstop Gabe Magerkurth for a groundout in the fourth inning to stop the strikeout streak. Milford pitcher Jamaal Combest grounded out to third baseman Jason Avers in the fifth for the only other non-strikeout out.

Combest also was the only base runner for Milford. He fouled off a 3-2 pitch, then drew the walk with two outs in the second inning. He reached second on a wild pitch, which gave him a good view when Rooks struck out Javon Robinson on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.

Rooks threw 88 pitches in the six innings as the temperature soared into the 90s, but he said his arm felt fine after his best pitching performance. He attributed his success to one word: “Focus.”

In addition to Rooks, East Marietta’s offense came from Avers, who had two hits, and Noah Cole, Joey Brinsmaid and MJ Sasapan, with one hit each. Sasapan and Jordan Phillips also drew walks that led to runs.

“The team played great today,” Rooks said.

The host Giants finished the District 2 tournament 5-0, but Milford was far and away East Marietta’s toughest foe. crushed Murphey Candler Blue, Murphey Candler Gold and Smyrna by a combined score of 61-13, but south Marietta’s Milford all-stars were almost as good, beating those three teams 46-12. (Video webcasts of the tournament are archived here.)

When Milford and East Marietta met in pool play Thursday, , and Rooks gave up two hits and a run in two innings before Jack Hardin took over for most of the game.

Combest didn’t pitch in that game, but he held East Marietta today to its lowest totals for hits (seven) and runs (six) of the tournament. He was just a bit wild at the wrong moments, surrendering three walks and a half-dozen wild pitches to give East Marietta a boost.

East Marietta’s next stop is the state tournament in Cartersville, starting with a game against the Walton National Little League, the District 10 champion, at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 23.

But getting to Cartersville isn’t the goal, nor is winning the state tournament to advance to the Southeast Region tournament in Warner Robins.

“Williamsport, that’s our goal,” Brannen said, referring to the Little League World Series in Pennsylvania next month.

Come back to East Cobb Patch on Monday for more photos and video from the post-game celebration, including Brannen's leap into the Sewell Park pool.