Regional title next goal for Kelso 14s
Wednesday, August 3, 2005 8:26 AM PDT
By Rick McCorkle
Printable version
E-mail this articleWinning state titles is old hat for Kelso's 14-year-old Babe Ruth All-Star team.
In the past three years, Kelso's current crop of 14s claimed the Cal Ripken 12-year-old state championship, along with 13- and 14-year-old Babe Ruth state titles.
Now they're ready to round the next base ---- claiming a regional crown and a berth in the Babe Ruth World Series.
Kelso battles nine other teams from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Canada in the Pacific Northwest Regional Babe Ruth Championships, which started Tuesday and continues through Sunday at Vancouver's Propstra Stadium.
Kelso had a bye in Tuesday's opening round, and faces Calgary, Alberta, at 4:30 p.m. today. They play Ashland, Ore., at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, meet Bainbridge Island, Wash., at 4:30 p.m. Friday and close out pool play with Gillette, Wyo., at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
The tournament's other division consists of teams from West Kootenay, British Columbia, Twin Falls, Idaho, Bozeman, Mont., Beaverton, Ore., and host Hazel Dell Metro. The top two teams in each division advance to Sunday's semifinals at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., followed by the championship game at 7:30.
The winner earns a berth in the Babe Ruth 14-year-old World Series Aug. 19-27 in Quincy, Mass.
Beaverton won the 13-year-old regional title a season ago, but the team has many new faces.
"We have no idea about any of these teams except for Beaverton, which we saw at last year's regionals and at the Don Rhoads Tournament earlier this year," Kelso manager Craig Downs said. "Pitching is an important factor for all of the teams in the tournament, because a team may appear weaker but will have a good pitcher who can limit run production. It's an overused phrase, but we'll play the game we're in and worry about the next one afterward."
Kelso's gaudy 19-2 record includes first-place trophies from the Don Rhoads Tournament, and the Babe Ruth district and state tournaments, along with a second-place finish in a Tacoma tourney. The team features 11 players from last year's state championship team.
"When we got into Babe Ruth, we added three kids from Kalama, but the core group of Kelso kids are still the same," Downs said. "Most of the Kelso kids have been together since they were 10, but they didn't start winning consistently until they were 12."
Downs said he and coaches Bob Rice and Scott Hull emphasize working as a cohesive unit, and that's where a lot of the team's success springs from.
"We stress to the players they need to support each other and do whatever they can to help the team," he said. "We win and lose together and push for the positive."
Downs said the top five hitters in the lineup are the catalysts to Kelso's offense.
"Kelly Rice is our leadoff hitter, who is a good bunter and draws a lot of walks," he said. "Spencer Downs is a good hitter who also gets a lot of walks, and Robbie Sanders and Evan Pickett are the guys who drive them in. Jordan Strain led the team in batting average at state."
The rest of the lineup specializes in "small ball," with a lot of hit-and-run.
"Brandon Walker is our ninth hitter, who is also really fast," he said. "He's like a leadoff hitter because of his ability to get on base."
Walker and Pickett are Kelso's top two pitchers, followed by a committee of middle relievers.
"We have a variety of guys who consistently throw strikes with good off-speed pitches," Downs said. "David Hull was our ace the last few years, but he's coming off a broken ankle, and he's been our closer. Having a closer gives us a huge advantage because he throws hard and has good control. He can come in with fewer than two outs and the bases loaded, and he handles the pressure well."
Rounding out the team are Chris Armstead, John Coldwell, Garett Crayne, Nolan Enriquez, Hank Hanigan and Matt Pollock.
Individual tickets are $5 for single games, $8 per person for a one-day pass or $40 for a family pass good for the entire tournament.
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