http://barnetjb-warriors.blogspot.com

for updates regarding this years all star team!

I am no longer moderating the blog. However , I would  like to thank you for all of your support last year.

Blogger Bill

Tuesday, August 19, 2008 4:10 PM
Tournament game at Lamade Stadium (Neutral site)
LLWS22

Canada 7, MEA 5

E: Hagen, Jake, Watkins, Eric, Durley, Cameron   2B: Bradford, Tim, Edwards, Riley, Frkovich, Nicholas, Beyers, Chris   3B: Beyers, Chris, Killoran, Colton   HR: Ell, Zach, Hagen, Jake, Watkins, Eric  

HBP: Frkovich, Nicholas (by Beyers, Chris)   WP: Jackson, Bryce, Al-Shafei, Kyle   PB: Bouchey, Brayden, Hagen, Jake   Pitches-strikes: McDonald, Stuart 32-22, Beyers, Chris 88-54, Edwards, Riley 86-49, Jackson, Bryce 28-12, Al-Shafei, Kyle 8-3, Kokotailo, Preston 11-6  

Start: 4:10 PM; Game time: 2:08; Attendance: 8,100
Game officials: HP-Mecham, 1B-Bernstein 2B-Lowe, 3B-Dozier LF-Mano, RF-Masnayon

Weather: Sunny and windy, highs in the upper 70s.
Official Scorer- Scott Grove
Digital Scout- Patrick Holden

Sunday, August 17, 2008 6:10 PM
Tournament game at Volunteer Stadium (Neutral site)
LLWS13

Latin America 12, MEA 0

E: Jackson, Bryce   2B: Beyers, Chris, Sanchez, Aroldo 2, Matos, Humberto, Moronta, Roberto   HR: Perdomo, Gustavo  

HBP: Martinez, Daniel (by Husain, Alex), Perdomo, Gustavo (by Husain, Alex)   WP: Sanchez, Aroldo, Husain, Alex   PB: Sheppard, John 2, Villasmil, Michell, Reyes, Kevin   Pitches-strikes: Branton, Beau 88-59, Sanchez, Aroldo 78-47, Husain, Alex 41-20, Bracho, Leroy 17-13, Jackson, Bryce 9-6, Changarotty, Will 12-8  

Start: 6:10 PM; Game time: 2:25; Attendance: 5100
Game officials: HP-Frank Germino, 1B-Mike Baker, 2B-Dale Prentiss, 3B-Steve Mecham

LF-Curt Ladow, RF-Rob Hacker

Mike Witherwax (Scorebook), Brent Stahlnecker (Computer)

Low 80′s, Light Wind and Clear

Saturday, August 16, 2008 6:10 PM
Tournament game at Volunteer Stadium (Neutral site)
LLWS08

Japan 5, MEA 0

E: Jackson, Bryce, Sheppard, John 2B: Takeshita, Yutaka

HBP: Branton, Beau (by Moriuchi, Ryosuke), Setoguchi, Tsuyoki (by Beyers, Chris) WP: Beyers, Chris 2 Pitches-strikes: Branton, Beau 19-10, Moriuchi, Ryosuke 73-51, Beyers, Chris 73-46

Start: 6:10 PM; Game time: 1:40; Attendance: 5700
Game officials: HP-Dale Prentiss, 1B-Joe Mano, 2B-Daniel Lowe, 3B-Randy Johnson

LF-Mark Bernstein, RF-Ken Bradley

Mike Witherwax (Scorebook), Brent Stahlnecker (Computer)

High 70′s and Sunny/Clear

Top 1st, #13 Masahiro Igarashi called out at first after leaving the base

The score does not really reflect the game accurately as we held the Japanese team to one run for the first five innings. The boys spirits are good though and they are ready to notch their first win tonight against Latin America (Venezuela)

Here is their Schedule for Pool Play:

Saturday, August 16th, vs. Japan, Volunteer Stadium, 6PM on ESPN

Sunday, August 17th, vs. Latin America, Volunteer Stadium, 6PM on ESPN2

Tuesday, August 19th, vs. Canada, Lamade Stadium, 4PM on ESPN

Here is the roster with their MEA uniform numbers:

Kyle: 1

John: 2

Tucker: 3

Beau: 4

Tim: 6

Zach: 7

Nicky: 8

Will: 9

Chris: 11

Alex: 12

Bryce: 13

Evan: 18

Cameron: 24

The boys in their MEA Uniforms

Hamming it up for ESPN:

The cars were appropriately decorated to ensure the competition knows we are in town!

The boys are continuing to fine tune their game in Plymouth Meeting, PA. They are utilizing Ambler Sports Academy for hitting and getting good field work done at a local field. The facility in Ambler has the Pro Pitcher system and it is an impressive machine. It depicts a pitcher on a screen going through his motion and the ball comes from his hand where he finishes his pitch. It is capable of many different types of pitches and will really help the boys improve their hitting. In addition there are standard pitching machines and a soft toss cage.

After an afternoon practice session they were treated to a Washington Nationals Baseball Game.

The DC tour continued with tour of the White House and concluded with an absolutely awesome reception for the team at ESPN Zone Washington DC! It was an incredible one of a kind event and the boys were absolutely stoked. It was a celebration fit for a King!! The team would like to thank all of their fans and well-wishers who took the time to come out and support our boys on a Saturday evening.

We had an afternoon free in Warsaw the afternoon and evening before our flight to the US departed. Many of the players and their families took the opportunity to roam around Warsaw and enjoy one last Polish meal.

The boys tended to entertain themselves during our 4 hour layover at Schipol in Amsterdam.

They are now on the way to DC with their families and in some cases to meet up with their families. It will be an exciting and happy reunion. Our tired and jetlagged champions will undoubtedly be excitind in spite of all that. I will post some pictures of the trip to the US after we arrive. Thanks to everyone for their good wishes! They truly appreciate it.

Our little blog also received a little write-up in the Arab news on the 29th. That was a nice touch! I would also like to thank www.aramcoexpats.com for making space for a link to us there!

Here is a link to the article from Arab News article:
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=11&section=0&article=112228&d=29&m=7&y=2008

More Later!

Cheers, Blogger Bill

Game Summary MEA Championship:

In front of old and new fans the boys went to work on the MEA Championship. Of particular note were the new fans from the Italian Girls Softball Team who displayed a particular appreciation for Dhahran Baseball!

Chris Beyers led off the first with a single and was followed by a towering home run hit by Beau Branton. Will continued the hitting streak with a double. Alex bunted and on a fielders choice that turned into a error reached third base. Alex scored on passed balls.

In the bottom of the inning UAE got their only runner on with a well hit single just beyond the reach of the first baseman. All three outs were strikeouts.

Tim Bradford led off the second inning with a solid single up the middle. UAEs pitcher turned in an excellent performance in the second inning getting one strikeout and the top of the order hit long fly balls that were caught and Tim was unable to reach home.

Three strikeouts in the bottom of the second.

We went three up and three down in the top of the third inning.  The bottom was also three up and three down with Beau chalking up two more K’s.

In the fourth inning, we again sent three up and three down.  The bottom was a carbon copy of the third two more K’s and a ground out.

Hitting came back in the fifth but no runs as Chris hit a double and Beau was intentionally walked.

In bottom Beau recorded three more strikeouts.

Alex Husain led off the top of the sixth with a home run but the next three hitters could not muster a hit in spite of well hit balls deep into the outfield. Saudi 5, UAE 0

In a complete game performance, Beau threw one more strikeout, had one fly ball that was caught and the final out was a ground out to second.

Final Out MEA Championship

Game over! The celebration began and now it is off to Williamsport for the Little League World Series.

The sun was out as the boys took the field secure in the knowledge that a place in the big game was secure. They did not let up. Evan Merriwether took the field as the starting pitcher and over the course of three innings proceeded to rack up 6 strikeouts. On offense he contributed a solid home run during his first at bat.

Full Game Summary:

The boys were the visitors again, this time against the team from Kuwait. As happened yesterday vs. Uganda we would prove to be too much for them.

In the top of the first inning we were unable to get a runner on and went 3 up and 3 down. Kuwait also went 3 up and 3 down in the bottom of the first.

 Things started to improve in the second inning. Cameron led off with a double and would later steal home on a passed ball. Bryce walked and then Evan cleared the bases hitting a homerun over the center field fence. Then Tucker walked, John reached on a bunt and Nicky walked to load the bases. Chris reached on a fielders choice but the bases remained full due to a bobbled ball by the Kuwaiti defense. Beau came up to bat next and we were hopeful that he could clear the bases. This proved unnecessary though as all of the base runners scored on passed balls before Beau hit a single up the third baseline. Saudi 5 Kuwait 0.

In the bottom of the second, Evan struck out all three batters he faced.

The top of the third inning saw three more runs for Saudi via Cameron’s second double of the daym singles by Bryce and Evan and a couple of passed balls by Kuwait.

In the bottom of the third after two strikeouts and 2 walks, Alex came in to relieve Evan and got the third strikeout.

In the top of the fourth the team again batted around. Chris led off with a homerun followed by a double from Beau. Bryce waas hit by a pitch then singles by Alex, Kyle and Tim put runners on all of the basepads. Zach was hit by a pitch and then it was back to the top of the order with Chris coming to the plate.  Chris hit a double  and following Beau’s bunt single the top of the fourth ended with Saudi holding a commanding 15-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth Beau was brought in to pitch. He proceeded to throw 3 strikeouts and the game was over.

Dubai lost to Uganda today so all three other teams ended the round robin phase 1-2. Using the tie break formula as established, Dubai earned the second spot in the Championship game. Uganda and Kuwait will play before the Championship game for third place.

Saudi Bat Rack

Uganda Bat Rack

Full Game Summary:

It was an indication that the game would not go well for Uganda when Beau and Chris led off the first inning with back to back home runs.  Those would be the only runs scored in the first inning. With Alex pitching in the bottom of the inning, Uganda went three up, three down.

The top of the second went like this. Kyle bunted for a single, Tim hit a double, Zach hit a sacrifice fly to score Kyle, Chris hit a triple, Beau hit a single, Will hit a double, Cameron hit a double, Alex hit a single, and Evan hit a single. At the end of that, the score was 9-0.  

In the bottom of the second inning Evan Merriwether made a spectacular catch to put an out on the board. During this inning Kyle was brought in to pitch.

We were closed down in the third inning, although we were able to put a runner on.

The Ugandan bats heated up a little in the third inning and they were able to get runner s on. However, their runner ended up in pickle between second and third and was tagged out. Bryce was brought in to pitch during this inning.

The top of the fourth saw more good hitting and 3 more runs on the board for our boys.

In the bottom of the fourth, one player reached first base  but was unable to score. The game was ended on account of the run rule. Saudi Arabia 12, Uganda 0.

SIDE STORY: When Tim Bradford discovered that a player on the the team from Uganda did not have  batting gloves and was getting blisters on his hands, Tim went to his bag and gave the Ugandan player his batting gloves!  Following Tim’s gesture Will, Kyle and Nicky followed suit.  It absolutely defines what Little League is all about. Tim has set a fine example for kids everywhere about what it means to be a little leaguer.

Box Score

This was accomplished through outstanding pitching supported by truly eye-watering defensive play.  Beau started the game and was replaced early by Tucker Walle who showed his stuff pitching through the middle innings. Chris Beyers then took over in relief and continued to shut down the all Stars from Dubai. Dubai also displayed tremendous pitching and proved to be a formidable opponent. However by the 7th inning it was a 2 run homer hit by Beau Branton and a another 2 run homer by Cameron Durley that put the final nail in.

Full Game Summary:

It was an overcast day as we took the field for warm ups. It was a comfortable 70 degrees and a wind was blowing towards right field. The boys looked sharp but tended to not acknowledge the adoration of their families.  As they took the field they appeared confident and well prepared.  In the top of the first  Beau hit a solid single, Zach Ell reached on an error advancing Beau, Cameron hit into a fielders choice advancing Beau again and Beau was able to steal home on a passed ball. KSA 1 UAE 0

In the bottom of the first defensive play was a bit spotty and Dubai (UAE) was able to score 3 runs. Our pitcher was Beau initially and was replaced by Tucker Walle during the inning Beau moved to 2B. It was a difficult inning but the boys were able to hold UAE to 3 runs and had an excellent play for the third out.

We were 3 up 3 down in the top of the second.

The bottom of the second saw no scores by UAE. It was highlighted by an excellent play by the catcher to get the third out on a runner stealing home.

We went 3 up and 3 down again in the third.

The big highlight of the third inning was standard out on a fly ball by the outfielder followed by throw that got a runner trying to steal home from 3^rd for a double play. It was an awesome throw!

In the fourth inning we were able to get runners on base (Nicky – Hit by Pitch and Bryce – Walk) but were unable to convert it into any runs.

In the bottom of the fourth no runs were scored in part due to a spectacular diving catch by Zach Ell. Also at the beginning of this inning Chris Beyers was put in to pitch.

In the top of the fifth, I think the parent were more worried than the boys! However, with Will Lavenue on base following a walk (stole second I believe) Beau Branton hit solid home run over the center field fence to tie the score. At this point I believe the parents were able to start breathing again.

UAE went 3 up 3 down in the bottom of the fifth.

In the top of the sixth we were able to get a runner on base but were unable to bring him home.

In the bottom of the sixth, the excellent pitching continued and UAE did not threaten.

So it was on to extra innings! John Sheppard hit a bunt single to start the inning. After 2 well hit balls that were unfortunately caught, Beau Branton hit a tremendous shot over the left field fence to give our team the lead! Not to be outdone Zach Ell hit a solid single followed by Cameron Durley driving a ball over the fence to give us a four run lead.

Chris Beyers finished up a superb day on the mound as UAE went 3 up and 3 down to end the game.

Although it was exciting and the outcome went our way, it certainly took its toll on the parents. But we were all proud of the way all of the boys responded to adversity and pulled together as a team to get the win. Way to go!!

Our next game is tomorrow when we face the team from Uganda.

On that note, Uganda lost their first game in a close match with Kuwait 4-3.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are 1-0 going into tomorrow’s games.

We finally arrived in Poland! The boys and managers took one bus to Kutno to get checked in and the parents took another down to Krakow to do a little sightseeing and parent bonding! Reportedly a good time was had by all in both locations!

The big news that we received while feasting in Krakow was that the schedule is set for the tournament! It is as follows:

Game 1 vs. Dubai, Thursday, July 24, 10:30 AM (Poland Time)

Game 2 vs. Uganda, Friday, July 25, 4:00 PM

Game 3 vs. Kuwait, Saturday, July 26, 10:30 AM

The third place game is Sunday, July 27, 10:30 AM

and the Championship is Sunday, July 27, 4:00 PM

Wish the boys luck and more from Krakow and Kutno Later!!

A special thanks must go to Teresa Clark for giving her time and experience in helping us blonde the boys. Also thanks to James and Dana Durley for allowing us to use their house. I am sure that bleach smell will go away in a day or two! 

Here are the before pictures:

Kyle Before

Chris Before

Tim Before

 

Beau Before

Cameron Before

Zach Before

 

Alex Before

 

Bryce Before

 

Nicky Before

 

Will Before

 

Evan Before

 

John Before

 

Tucker Before

 And the after pictures:

 

Kyle After

Chris After

 

Tim After

Beau After

 

Cameron After

 

Zach After

Alex After

 

Bryce After

 

Nicky After

 

Will After

 

Evan After

John After

 

Tucker After

 

Even a few non-players got into the act!

It is less than a week before we leave for Kutno, Poland! I think everyone is ready to get this show on the road. The boys are still working hard and in my humble opinion are looking great. The second entry to the pool we will hopefully participate in has been determined. The Edogawa Minami Little League will be Japan’s representative in Williamsport. They apparently had quite a showing in their Semi-final and Final games as they won 30-4 and 10-0 respectively. No details available but the scores speak for themselves I imagine.

http://www.littleleague.org/series/2008divisions/llbb/qualify/japan.htm

This week, a camera crew came to shoot some background footage of the team’s practice. I believe the tape goes to ESPN for use during the tournament if/when we are the MEA representative. Here are some pictures from the day.

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I am not the only one taking photos of the boys and would like to thank Christiaan Beyers for the following pictures:  

The Blonding is rapidly approaching and should result in some surprising if not shocking pictures!

Stay tuned!

Bill (your personal Saudi-based Weblogger!) How’s that Rob!

For those who are unaware, In Saudi Arabia the average daily temperature from 10AM to 3PM during this time of year is in the low 100′s (40′s C). Because of this most of our practices started in the late afternoon or in the early morning on non-work days.

Here are a few pictures of the boys practicing “under the lights.” We are fortunate to have this option available to us. Not only does it allow the team to practice in sunlight and night conditions but it allows us to avoid the heat of the day.

We have a team here, comprised partly of returning players who are not travelling and other kids on camp who enjoy playing baseball, that gives the boys an opportunity to participate in situational training periods. This affords them the opportunity to gauge their reaction times and abilities versus other boys and finely hone their skills. The cost? DINNER! Catered by one of the Travel Team Families. All of the Travel Team parents can consider themselves qualified to cater food for a small army… We were fortunate to have the opportunity to dine on everything from hot dogs to lasagna and everything in between as well!

Finally, The team has received their game uniforms. Looking sharp!

I hope you enjoy the photos!

The team is managed by James Durley, a LLWS veteran, and is assisted by coaches David Jackson and Hank Banaszak.  I would also like to acknowledge and thank Tommy Bumstead for all of his help and support throughout the season and team selection.  Tommy had originally intended to manage the team but was reluctantly unable to continue in his endeavour due to personal circumstances. Here are the members of the 2008 All-Star team:

Kyle Al-Shafei                     Chris Beyers                       Tim Bradford

Beau Branton                    Cameron Durley                      Zach Ell

Alex Husain                       Bryce Jackson                      Nicky Knight

Will Lavenue                                  Evan Merriwether

John Sheppard                                  Tucker Walle

The Manager and On-Field Coaches:

James Durley                     David Jackson              Hank Banaszak

Please join me in congratulating the boys on their selection.

I will be posting pictures and highlights as we progress through the tournament process with an eye on the our goal of participating in and winning the 2008 Little League World Series!

Following team selection the boys immediately began practicing. They are working hard and thanks to dedicated practice and effort continue to improve every day. It has not all gone completely smooth however as we have been plagued by significant and lengthy shamals (dust storms) The longest lasted 2 weeks and forced the boys indoors for their practice sessions.

And there were injuries…           

Including some parents…          

The first step towards the LLWS will occur when the team leaves Dhahran for Kutno, Poland and the Middle East and Africa (MEA) qualifying tournament. They will depart for Kutno on the 21st of July and the tournament will take place starting 24 July. Since last season the regions have been adjusted and we will not be playing the European teams unless/until we see them in Williamsport,PA.

For those who have not started watching the LLWS qualifying, the first team in our potential pool has qualified.  The Coquivacoa Little League (Venezuela A) has been crowned as the Latin America Champion and is the first team in Pool D.

Here is a link to the LLWS Scoreboard: http://www.littleleague.org/series/2008divisions/llbb/series.htm

Check back often as I will try to post an entry at least once a week outside of the tournaments and daily during the tournaments!

PLAY BALL! Go Saudi!

Bill