While it was a masterful four-hit, complete-game performance by pitcher Will Pratt that led Charleston, Mo. to a 4-1 win over Alabama in the Babe Ruth 16-18 World Series championship game on Saturday at Diethrick Park, there is no doubt that a true team effort prevailed.

On defense, offense, and in the dugout, the Fighting Squirrels were the better team.

“I’m actually speechless. I don’t think I said a word the whole game,” said Pratt after being named the Most Outstanding Player of the Series. “I just tried to make pitches and let my team do all the work for me.”

Heading into Saturday’s final, it would have been easy for people to place their bets on the RawDogs from Mobile, who entered the last game of the week undefeated and have won two titles in the last four years.

Charleston third baseman Breven Yarbro (7) tags out Mobile’s Skylar Gilchrist for the first out what would turn out to be a critical double play in the bottom of the seventh inning. P-J photo by Scott Reagle

Meanwhile, Charleston traveled a difficult road to the finals, working its way out of several close calls.

“We had four one-run games in a row. … We knew that they were a great team,” said Pratt. “They went 4-0 in their pool and then they came out and beat Bakersfield, which … Bakersfield is a great team, too. We knew that they would be tough. Just try to keep fighting.”

In the end, recent history mattered not, as manager Michael Minner’s team picked up three crucial runs in the fifth inning while playing stellar defense and calculated pitching to mute the bats of the Southwest representatives.

In the decisive fifth, Dallan Stotts reached first on a one-out error by Alabama third baseman Jacob Bailey. That brought Bobby Wright to the plate. After four innings of being no-hit by RawDogs’ starter Reece Ewing, Wright doubled to deep left field to plate Stotts to break a 1-1 tie.

Wright would be tagged out trying to stretch a double into a triple on that play, but the Squirrels still had more to come from their bats as the order turned over and Cole Nichols smacked the Fighting Squirrels’ second straight double. Lane Baremore followed with an infield single, and the speedy Nichols scored all the way from second base to push the Midwest Plains Regional champion lead to 3-1.

Charleston pitcher Will Pratt delivers the final pitch to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

dAn RBI-double from Drew Reischman that rolled all the way to the warning track would close out the inning, allowing the Fighting Squirrels to ride their defense all the way to the finish line.

“It’s pretty surreal,” said Minner following the win. “It was a magical week, so the Squirrel magic came through and I’m just a little, little part of it. God has blessed us to have a great organization and (to) meet some great people along the way. It’s been fun getting to this point and now to say that we’re national champions is pretty special.”

Charleston would take its first lead of the championship in the opening inning, as Nichols started his day out with a single and a stolen base, ultimately taking third on an error.

Reischman would make the most of that opportunity, topping a rising pitch to the mound and sending Nichols home.

Try as it might, Alabama’s only run of the day came on an RBI single from Trevor Wells in the second inning.

Kendall Cribb drops to a knee to make a play. P-J photo by Scott Reagle

“All the credit goes to those guys over there, the Fighting Squirrels. Their team and everything is well-deserved,” said Alabama manager Tony Hendrix. “They were the best team today and we couldn’t be happier for the coach, Michael Minner. He’s a class act. He’s a friend of ours and I’m proud to call him a friend.”

You do not make it through four close games in pool play without the benefit of some cool-handed defense, and Minner certainly had that to rely on once again Saturday.

Third baseman Breven Yarbro would stymie an offensive rush by the RawDogs with a stellar play in the seventh inning, while shortstop Lane Baremore would wheel-and-deal on an excellent catch-spin-and-throw to earn Charleston the final out of the second.

“The play of the tournament probably,” Minner said of Yarbro’s defensive effort. “Luckily, Breven is 6-5, because he’s got the reach to tag the guy out and then make the throw across the diamond, as tough as it is. What a huge spot where we needed it.”

Of course, there is no doubt about some of the “Squirrel Magic” that was taking place by Pratt the mound, too.

RawDogs third baseman Jacob Bailey snares a grounder. P-J photo by Scott Reagle

“Will was incredible today. He mixed it up, he worked in and out and he kept good hitters off-balance,” said Minner. “Our defense played tremendous. We were positioned right, we did some things right, we kind of positioned ourselves where we needed to be and they hit some balls hard, but they hit them right at us and we made all the plays. Our guys, they just don’t quit. We didn’t hit all day, but in the fifth inning there we threw up a three-spot and just, Squirrel magic, baby.”

Fighting Squirrels’ No. 3 hitter Drew Reischman drills an RBI double in the top of the fifth inning. P-J photo by Scott Reagle