Vian's Warren Zachary, Rowdy Simon and Rylee Simon and Muldrow's Tad Jackson and Dawson Floyd all play for the Cardinals, who earlier captured a state championship and finished the season with a record of 44-26.
"We played as well as we had all year in the last three or four tournaments," said Tracy Floyd of Muldrow, one of the team's coaches. "We kind of got on a roll at the state tournament and had four or five guys that peaked at the right time."
At the national tournament July 13-19, the Cardinals won seven of their nine games, splitting a pair against the eventual runners-up Capital City Bombers of Topeka, Kan., and falling 7-5 to the national champion Crescent City Hooks of Louisiana.
The Cardinals posted wins over the Louisiana Outlaws, Oklahoma City Venom, North Texas Elite, South Texas Sluggers, Oklahoma Pirates and Edmond Yankees.
Catcher/pitcher Dawson Floyd was named to the all-tournament team after batting .640 with a .730 on-base percentage, four home runs and 23 RBIs. He also went 2-0 on the mound including a shutout win over the top-seeded Oklahoma City Venom.
Jackson, a left fielder, belted a grand slam at the tournament, batted .410, stole eight bases and scored 16 runs for the Cardinals. Rowdy Simon played third base, Rylee Simon was a catcher and second baseman and Warren Zachary played center field.
Coach Floyd said Rowdy and Zachary both made numerous outstanding plays in the field and Rylee, who was the youngest player on the team, did a good job catching when Dawson was on the mound.
At the tournament's skills competition, Jackson, Zachary and Dalton Cefalone teamed up to win the baserunning event.
