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Seven teams head to tournaments
By BOB McCLURE
| Article published on Tuesday, July 7, 2009 |
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| Seminole Majors pitcher Max Wilmer fires a pitch toward home plate in the final game of the District 5 tournament June 30 at the Seminole Youth Athletic Association complex. |
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SEMINOLE – Seminole Little League will be well represented later this month when seven of its all-star teams open play in sectional tournaments.
Baseball and softball teams in four age divisions rolled to victory in the District 5 tournament, which concluded last week at the Seminole Youth Athletic Association complex off 125th Street.
It’s not the first time for accomplishing the feat at Seminole, where success in baseball and softball has been common over the years.
“It’s the result of good coaching and hard work,” said league president Jane DeKorte. “Plus, we have a lot of kids that enjoy playing with each other.”
Seminole’s (ages) 9-10, 11-12 and 13-14 softball teams will compete in the Section 7 tournament July 17-19 in Oldsmar.
Also, the league’s 9-10 all-stars will play in the sectional baseball tournament July 17-19 at Northside Little League in Tampa.
The 10-11, 11-12 and 13-14 baseball teams will play in sectional tournaments July 24-26 at Citrus Park and Keystone in northwest Hillsborough County.
The league’s Majors (ages 11-12) baseball all-stars nailed down their district crown June 30 with a 13-6 victory over Northeast. Seminole cruised through the tournament undefeated and outscored four opponents by a combined score of 50-11.
“This team is a bunch of grinders that just outworked everyone,” said Manager Ira Berman. “They are the most improved 13 guys I’ve had and their victories are well-deserved. They believe in themselves and they’re a very close-knit team.”
In the Majors championship game, Seminole battled back from a 4-0 deficit after Northeast struck for three home runs in the first inning.
Seminole sent 12 hitters to the plate in the second inning and responded with seven runs on 10 hits, which included a home run by Austin Lamoureux and a grand slam by Jason Katz.
From that point on Seminole right-hander Max Wilmer scattered five hits and limited Northwest to one earned run while recording five strikeouts.
Seminole added six more runs in the fourth on home runs by Tanner Rice, Doug Borgh and Kyle Frickman.
Not far away, Seminole’s 13-14 baseball team wrapped up its district title the same night with a 5-1 victory over PInellas Park. Like the Majors all-stars, the Junior team cruised through its tournament undefeated and outscored four opponents by a combined score of 53-1.
“We have a terrific team that never gives up and continues to hit the baseball,” said Junior manager John Nobles. “I just told them if we throw strikes and hit the ball, we’ll be OK.”
Pitcher Anthony Lamoureux tossed four hitless innings against Pinellas Park before giving way to Tyler Craft. Those two, along with Brett Phillips, make up the core of Nobles’ pitching staff.
The team was led at the plate by second baseman David Watts, outfielder Damion Lovett and first baseman Kevin Labau.
Seminole’s 10-11 baseball all-stars wrapped up a berth in the sectionals with an 8-6 victory over Pinellas Park on June 30. The team earlier defeated Northwest 5-4 and crunched Gulfport 24-0.
The league’s 9-10 baseball all-stars defeated Gulf Beaches 8-1 in the district finals July 2 to complete an impressive five-game sweep.
“Everybody hit well. I think we had one inning that we batted around three times,” said 9-10 coach Jim Mahoney. “We got a lot of clutch hits and two-out rallies.”
The team was led by pitcher-first baseman Nick Lamoureux and pitcher-first baseman Alex Raymonds. Lamoureux posted a 2-0 record on the mound and connected for three home runs, plus several multi-base hits.
Shortstop-leadoff hitter Cameron Cuellar got on base to begin each game.
Other pitchers that contributed were Nick Perret, Adam Swierenga, Ryan Sandberg and Connor Ryan.
“When these kids come out and play,” said Mahoney, “there’s nobody that can beat them. Of course, 90 percent of that is the coaching.”
In softball, Seminole’s 9-10 team rode the pitching and hitting of Brooke McEntire and Savanna Rumore to nail down a 13-1 decision over Northwest and a 10-0 win over Pinellas Park. McEntire failed to give up a hit in either game and Rumore, the team’s catcher, contributed with an inside-the-park home run.
The 11-12 team was paced by pitchers Megan Withrow and Katie Newman in Seminole’s 4-2 and 11-5 wins over Pinellas Park.
“We were going back and forth with (Pinellas Park in the second game) until the last inning,” said Manager John Counts. “They were a good team and challenged us. The sectional will be a lot more challenging.”
Counts said Seminole’s 11-12 teams have been stopped in the sectional round the last three years.
Seminole’s Junior (ages 13-14) softball team is expected to do well in the sectional, according to coach Tito Ramos. The team , which is combined with Cross Bayou players, has been playing together for six years.
“I feel real good about our chances,” Ramos said. “We’ve got a big chance.”
The team is led by pitchers Mollie Schuldt and Jackie Ramos. Top hitters have been shortstop Kim Ramos, second baseman Jordan Fansler and first baseman Alexis Marisillo. Center fielder Matie Cotrello is the top defensive player.
Winners of sectional tournaments advance to state tournaments at various sites around Florida.
The 9-10 baseball state tournament is July 26-28 in Fort Pierce, the 10-11 tourney is Aug. 2-4 at Callahan, the 11-12 tourney is Aug. 2-4 at WinterPark and 13-14 tournament Aug. 2-4 at Bonita Springs.
Softball state tourneys are as follows: ages 9-10, July 24-31, at East Point (Seffner); 10-11, July 24-31, Windemere; 11-12, July 23-27, Coconut Creek; and 13-14, July 24-31, Citrus Park.
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Article published on Tuesday, July 7, 2009
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