AUBURNDALE - 22 teams gathered at the brand new Lake Myrtle Complex in Auburndale, FL this past weekend for the 1st Annual Elite World Series.

Julio Franco's Primetime Baseball Academy (Boca Raton, FL) lead by head coach Francis Donohue won a rain-shortened Final Four and were announced as the 18U Champions. Kevin Knapp, their second baseman, hit well all weekend and was announced as the 18U MVP. The PW Bay Area (Tampa, FL), Florida Hardballers (Gainesville, FL), Marion County Scout Team (Ocala, FL) and Florida Surge(Boca Raton, FL) were announced as co-runner ups.

In the 16U division, the SF Elite Black (Plantation, FL), Elite Black Underclass (Davie, FL), and the Lake County Thunder(Eustis, FL) were announced as 3-way co-champions. SF Elite Black 16U P/OF Ivan Pelaez threw 4 innings of no hit ball and contributed to the Elite Squad lineup to earn the 16U MVP.

Despite heavy rains on Friday night and most of Saturday, the majority of the teams were able to get in 3 games during the 3-game guarantee tournament. With the final four coming to a close in each age group on Sunday, heavy rains fell that eventually washed out the saturated fields. The remaining teams agreed to to the truce to be named as co-champions and co-runners up.

One of the bright spots and surprises of the tournament was 2010 LHP Chris Lee (Robinson HS - Tampa, FL). The 6'2" lefty had been tracked previously in the 80-81mph range by Prospect Wire Scouts, but was sitting 84-86mph with a clean, quick arm stroke. He has a lanky, projectable body and is farily crude overall. He has a sharp, tight slider that could also be classified as a cutter. Chris plays for Team X Black, coached by Kenny Norman, and is currently uncommitted for school.

The other surprise of the tournament was the young Lake County Thunder. This team came in as a relative unknown to Prospect Wire, and beat some very good competition in route to their first PW co-championship. LHP Alex Hagner (among others) impressed the PW Scouts with his 80-81mph and smooth, effortless delivery. Lake County was in a tight back and forth game with the powerhouse SF Elite Squad Black 16U before rains cut the tournament short.