On Saturday morning at 9:30(Tucson time) Roanoke will be playing Poland in one final game. Check back Saturday afternoon for the update! Then on Sunday, the team should arrive in Washington DC about 11 PM. Unless plans have changed, they will be driving back early-early Monday morning!
THE BEGINNING
Roanoke's very own Big League team is on its way to the World Series in Tucson, Arizona this week. The 15 fine athletes and their coaches are flying out of Washington, DC on Saturday morning to join other teams from throughout the United States and the world in Tucson. Our team has been working hard since the 12th of June to progress all the way to the World Series.
The weekend of July 15-18, the team went to Virginia Beach to compete in the State Big League Tournament. Our team returned to Virginia Beach the following weekend for the Big League Sectional Tournament. The tournament was extended to Thursday due to extensive rainfall. On Saturday July 29th, the team traveled to Easley, South Carolina to compete in the US South Regional Tournament and beat Texas 6-0 to progress to the Big League World Series. So far, our team has outscored our opponents 65-17 and is undefeated in play. Pretty impressive, huh?!?!
11:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 6th
We have arrived! The boys are safely stowed away in their quarters. Most relatives and friends are staying in the Sheraton Tucson, a lovely hotel with Spanish decor and many cacti surrounding it. There seems to be lots to do here if free time is available. Believe it or not, it is cloudy! The weather must be following us! There was rain here last night (YUCK) but hopefully we won't have too much of it to alter the playing schedule. I will add news when it happens and pass on info to the boys when I can. They are not all that accessible being where they are, but I will do what I can. If anyone wants to send a message, do so at "chalklate@aol.com" and I will get it to the right person. We all thank your for your support and encouragement.
12:55 AM Monday August 7
Our first game was played at 8:00 pm after the opening ceremonies. We played the Central Region Champs--a team from Jeffersonville, ID. We lost 11-10 in seven innings. The game was marred by a 30 minuted delay when the lights went out. We took a 9 to 3 lead in the fifth only to have them score 3 runs in the bottom of the fifth. They tied the score in the bottom of the sixth and we then scored a go ahead run in the top of the seventh. They scored 2 runs in the bottom of the seventh to win the game. Grey Alphin pitched 4 1/2 innings allowing 7 hits and strinking out 8 batters. Grey left with the score 9-7. Tyler Lumsden pitched the remainder of the game. Kevin Griffin went 1 for 3 with 3 RBIs. Tuesday we play the West Regional Champs at 8:00 pm.
Tuesday, Aug. 8th 12:19 a.m.
Today we played the West Regional Champs,a team from California. The final score was the West 10, South (us) 3. Eric Jones pitched 2 innings giving up 5 runs (4 unearned) on 5 hits and 2 base on balls and 2 strikeouts. Ron Mickens relieved in the 3rd inning and pitched 4 innings giving up 5 runs on 3 hits,1 base on ball, and striking out 6. Bo Royal went 1 for 1 with a single and 3 walks. Nick Jones went 2 for 4 with a single and triple. Grey Alphin went 2 for 4 with 2 singles.
We had a rough beginning giving up 5 runs in the second inning. The West went out to a 7-0 lead, but our boys never quit. They battled back scoring 1 in the 4th and 2 in the 5th.
Tomorrow at 5 p.m. we play the local Tucson team whose record is 1 and 0. Keep sending the encouragements--the boys really like them. They have computer access in the dorms they are in, so they like to keep up with the web site.
The weather here has been nice during the day, but cloudy and/or rainy in the evening. In the evening the sky is filled with lightning that seems very close, but is really just easily visible from a distance. Scary!
Tuesday, Aug. 8th 8:40 p.m.
Tuesday night we got into the winning column with an 11-10 win over Tucson. We played the host team from Tucson. We were losing 10-3 going into the bottom half of the 5th inning. We rallied for 8 runs in the next two innings and won the game 11-10! More details to follow later when I get the score book and enter the box scores. The boys hit the ball like crazy tonight. We are pumped and looking for another win on Thursday. Tomorrow is a day off.
Details are here: Tyler Lumsden went the distance to get the win. The highlight of the game was an 8 run rally in the bottom of the 6th inning. We were down 10-3 at the start of the inning. Some of the highlights of the inning were a 3 run double by Brent Adkins, a triple and a single by Grey Alphin, 2 singles by Fielding Fitzpatrick, all of which produced runs in the inning. The go ahead run was produced by a single by Tom Hagan scoring Eric Jones after his double scored the previous run to tie the game. The game ended on 2 great fielding plays--one each by Bo Royal and Fielding Fitzpatrick. Other notable stats of the game were Danny McFadyen's 1 for 2 with an RBI, Bo Royal's 1 for 3 with an RBI, Ron Mickens' 1 for 2, Grey Alphin's 3 for 3 including 2 triples, Kent Taylor's 1 for 2, and Nick Jones' 1 for 2 with an RBI.
It's a beautiful day here in Tucson. Many of the boys are off to Nogales, Mexico to see what Mexican life is like. We are enjoying the day off today and excited for tomorrow's game against the East.
The boys continue to enjoy all the encouragement you are sending. Thanks for your support. That's it for today--over and out.
THURSDAY Aug. 10th 9:17 a.m.
Yesterday was a great day off. Most of the boys and their families went south to Nogales, Mexico. Everyone had a great time and came back laden with goodies--mostly silver jewelery. Two mothers (yours truly and Chris Nicely) stayed home to wash uniforms, but I had already gone on Monday. More parents and friends arrived yesterday. We are so lucky to have a core of supporters right here and all you back home. The boys love reading the mail from you. The good news is Central lost to Tucson, and East beat West last night, so that helps us. Both Central and West had been very strong so this news is good. Today is the awards luncheon at 11:00 and parents and players will attend. At 8 p.m. we play the East and we are hoping for another win. It will be late when I put in the scores so look for them in the morning. P.S. There are new pictures that we sent from Arizona.
FRIDAY AUGUST 11TH, 10:05 a.m.
Well, we lost a heartbreaker last night, 5-3 to the East team from New Jersey. Grey Alphin started and pitched 3 innings giving up 4 runs, 3 of which were unearned. Bo Royal pitched the final 4 innings giving up 1 unearned run. Grey Alphin went 1 for 4 with a single; Ron Mickens went 1 for 2 with a double; Bo Royal had an RBI sac fly; Nick Jones went 2 for 4 with a double and a triple and an RBI; Kevin Griffin went 2 for 3 with a single and an inside the park home run. Kevin also scored all 3 of the South's runs. Right now we anticipate our next game to be in the consolation round Saturday morning against a team to be drawn later today. Thanks for all your support. The boys are in good spirits and have never given up and have played hard until the final outs have been made. The competition here is awesome. And you know what can happen in baseball! Signing off from Tucson....
FRIDAY Aug. 11th 11:52 p.m.
Tonight the 2 final games were played in the American and International Divisions. Canada beat the Far East (Guam) and Central beat West. The championship game will be played between Canada and Central at 8 p.m. Saturday and will be televised for ESPN2. We play Poland in a consolation game at 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning.
FINAL 2000 BIG LEAGUE REPORT FROM TUCSON, ARIZONA
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12TH, 1:00 p.m.
In temperatures over 100, our boys finished on an up note today by beating Europe (Poland) 15-3 in 6 innings for an overall record of 2 and 3. This in itself is a tremendous accomplishment considering we are one of the top 8 teams in the world. Our defense was solid and our bats came alive big time. Tyler Lumsden pitched 4 innings giving up 2 runs on 4 hits and striking out 4. He also had 2 walks and promptly proceeded to pick them both off. Matt Trent pitched 3 innings giving up 1 run on 2 hits and striking out 4. Kevin Griffin went 2 for 2 with a single and triple and 2 RBIs. Nick Jones went 1 for 2 with a triple and 2 RBIs. Danny McFadyen went 1 for 1 with a single and 2 RBIs. Matt Trent went 1 for 3 with a single and an RBI. Grey Alphin went 2 for 4 with 2 doubles, 1 RBI and 1 one shattered field light with a massive shot down the left field line! Kent Taylor went 1 for 3 with a single and an RBI. Andrew Holben went 1 for 3 with 2 RBIs. Bo Royal had a sac fly for an RBI. Brent Adkins went 1 for 3 with a single and 1 RBI.
Many thanks to all you loyal fans at home, especially our web master Bryan Haley and chief Roanoke correspondent, Jane Haley. The boys have had a great time here in Tucson, but are looking forward to getting back home and seeing all of you. They arrive in D.C. at 11 p.m. Eastern time Sunday night, and they are driving straight to Cave Spring H.S. Their ETA there is approx. 3:30 a.m. Monday morning.
These reports have been submitted by your cub reporters--Laura, Jim and Duncan now saying good-bye and God bless from sunny and HOT! Tucson, Arizona.
New Pictures Have Been Added!!!!!