Ex-Rougher hurler helps squad take title

By Kenton Brooks
Phoenix Sports Writer

July 09, 2008 11:59 pm

— Scott Robison had an idea how good a pitcher Trever Bowden was, but he didn’t realize how good until Wednesday.
Bowden, who graduated from Muskogee High School in May, struck out six batters and pitched a six-inning complete game victory in leading his team, 4 Love for the Game, to a 10-1 victory over the Arizona Redhawks at the Native American Baseball Invitational championship in Phoenix.
“I had talked to (assistant) coach (Mike) Adair at Muskogee and he told me Trever had a good change-up,” Robison, the assistant coach on 4 Love of the Game, said. “I knew he had a good fastball, but I wasn’t sure how effective his change-up would be. He had those kids (on the Redhawks) messed up.”
Named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, Bowden finished with 14 strikeouts in 10 innings and didn’t yield any earned runs.
4 Love of the Game was formed after a tryout brought out 96 players and a team of 16 players were picked for the squad. NABI is a non-profit organization that helps Native American kids get opportunities who may not have the chance to participate in tournaments and camps.
Bowden is one of five area kids on 4 Love of the Game. The others were Wes Newman, John Hamilton and Michael Vieira of Muskogee along with Derek Ellison of Oktaha.
Bowden helped his own cause in the title game, scoring three runs after walking twice and getting hit by a pitch once.
Newman was named to the all-tournament team with six runs, seven RBIs, two doubles, two triples and an inside-the-park home run.
“It was fun and I had a good time,” Newman said. “It was good to show what Oklahoma baseball is all about.”
The win Wednesday was especially good to the team as it had lost 5-3 in pool play to the Redhawks.
Ellison finished the tournament with four runs scored and four RBIs, while Hamilton caught the first two innings, doubled and scored a run. Vieira didn’t play in the title game.
Wally Ryal was the team’s head coach.
The title game was played at the Salt River Indian Reservation in Phoenix. The trophy presentations were held at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks sponsored the NABI tournament, which began with pool play last Sunday.
The NABI will hold a basketball tournament later this summer.