9U Black News

We are still looking for one 11u and one 13u player for next season! Call Derek at 322-2670 if interested in a private tryout.

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July 1st, 2008

9U BLACK SUFFERS PAIR OF BAD BREAKS AT STATE

Sometimes injuries beset teams and 9U Black suffered a pair of significant injuries in the days and minutes leading up to the State tournament this past weekend. First, Connor Bedell broke his left pinkie while playing soccer at Kid’s Choice. Then, Tyler Carlson broke his left arm diving for a ball during pre-game warm-ups before the Friday afternoon game against the Ankeny Cubs. And finally, Ian Bedell refused to pitch against Ankeny citing an upset stomach. After all that, Ronnie Kraklio took the hill and threw three very solid innings to give the team a chance to win, but the Cubs ended up winning a tight game 8-5. With the loss of Connor and Tyler, the team was reduced to only 9 active players, including Ian, for the balance of the tournament. On Saturday morning, the team rallied and beat the West Des Moines Hurricanes 15-10. Gavin Blake led the offensive charge by pounding out 3 extra base hits, 2 doubles and a triple. The offensive explosion allowed us to save pitching and put the team in good position for the third pool play game against the Johnston Crush. Unfortunately, in the nightcap, the defense played poorly in the first inning. Three errors led to 4 unearned runs and the Crush pitcher threw a very solid four innings, limiting us to four runs while he was on the mound. We tried to rally in our last AB, but we came up a little short, losing to the Crush 9-6. By twist of fate, we were awarded a rematch against the Crush in a friendly on Sunday morning. Once again, Ronnie Kraklio staked the team to a big lead by throwing three quality innings and we won the rematch on run rule in the 4^th inning by an 11-3 tally. Given the circumstances, I believe the team played solid baseball for most of the weekend. In the end, we were simply undermanned and too inconsistent to be a serious challenger at the State level. The hardest thing to do in sports is to repeat at the championship level and this is a lesson that many of the boys on 9U Black have now experienced firsthand. Hopefully this encounter with disappointment will spur the boys on to greater heights and bigger victories down the road.

9U BLACK QUALIFIES FOR SUPER ELITE WORLD SERIES!!!

Based on our performance at the Chicago Super NIT held in Kankakee, IL, Jun 6-8, Heat Black has been accepted into the field to play in the Super Elite World Series at Disney World, Aug 3-10. The Super Elite World Series is the highest level tournament in USSSA 9U travel baseball. In order to qualify for Disney, a team must earn a bid from one of only 16 qualifying tournaments in the nation. Heat Black will be joining 23 other teams from all across the country in pursuit of a true national title! The Super Elite World Series is designed to crown national champions for boys ages 9-15. Heat Black is honored to be able to participate at this level and we welcome the challenge of playing the best whenever and wherever we can. Our inclusion into the field makes us only the third team in the nation to have participated at the 8U Nationals last year and the Super Elite World Series (9U) this year. The Memphis Tigers and Banditos Black (Tomball, TX) are the other two teams to accomplish this feat. Whether we win a game at Disney or not, our inclusion into this august field qualifies 2008 as a resounding success for Heat Black. We are the only team in the entire state (at any age) to qualify for the Super Elite World Series and everyone associated with Heat Black should be justifiably proud!!!

MAY 12th, 2008

9U BLACK TAKES 3^RD IN REDBIRDS CLASSIC

The 9U Black took 3^rd place in a rain-shortened Redbirds Classic this past weekend. The team earned victories over Spin Dogs, 15-9, and Muscatine 7-6 in pool play. These results earned the 3^rd place seed heading into quarterfinal action on Sunday, but heavy rain prevented the tournament from being played to completion. As a consolation, the team earned 180 USSSA points for third place, solidifying our hold near the top of the 9U standings in Iowa once the results are posted. There were several performances worthy of note in the two games, with most of the important ones coming from a back-and-forth game with Muscatine in the nightcap. Connor and Ian Bedell provided solid pitching all day, allowing only 6 runs in 8 innings combined over two games. Ronnie Kraklio picked up where Ian and Connor left off in the Muscatine game, throwing three very strong innings (5^th, 6^th, and 7^th) to pick up the win. His clutch performance on the mound allowed the offense the time needed to come from behind in 6^th to tie the game and force an extra frame, as well as the chance to win the game with two runs in the bottom of the 7^th, a feat that the team pulled off with a walk, a ground-rule double, and two timely bunts from Jase Ragan, Ronnie Kraklio, Bryan Verdon and Austin Kress in succession. The victory over Muscatine was truly a team effort with great defensive plays and key hits scattered across the field and throughout the line-up. The team is looking forward to posting an even better result in the next tournament, the Clinton NIT, this weekend.

MAY 6th, 2008

9U Black Takes 3^rd in Hitmen Classic

The 9U Black negotiated a tough field in posting a 3^rd place finish at the Hitmen Classic played at WBSA, May 2-4. The team opened pool play against the formidable Redbirds. The Heat won a tight 6-4 pitchers duel thanks to the strong right arms of Ian and Connor Bedell. The two combined for 18 K’s in the regulation six inning game. A total of 19 outs were recorded by the Heat as one runner reached base on a dropped third strike. On Saturday, the Heat clouted the Westside Stars by a score of 14-3. Ronnie Kraklio and Jordan Copeland provided solid pitching and the entire line-up produced quality at bats time after time. It was nice to win one with ease. In the quarterfinals on Sunday, we faced a revitalized Westside Stars team. Only an inspired 3-run comeback in the bottom of the 6^th allowed the Heat to advance to the semifinals. Jordan Copeland was awarded a game ball in victory for a superlative over-the-shoulder running catch in CF in the top of the 6^th inning. Without that catch, Westside would have almost certainly won the game. In the semifinals, the Heat ran into an inspired Perfect Game team from Cedar Rapids. PG jumped on us early and often, pounding out a 13-2 victory with absolute ease. Once the points from this event are posted on USSSA, 9U Black will be one of the top three teams in Iowa. Everyone associated with 9U Black should be justifiably proud of the boys and their success both on and off the field!

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APRIL 28th, 2008

9U Black Qualifies for Nationals at Mississippi Valley NIT

The 9U Black team qualified for Nationals this past weekend by placing in the Mississippi Valley NIT held at Sheridan Meadows in Eldridge. Ian Bedell got the party started by dominating the Chicago Thunder 10-1. Ian’s fastball completely overmatched the Thunder and his complete game effort set the stage for a great weekend of baseball. Connor Bedell followed in his brother’s footsteps, completely dominating the Barnstormer Shockers in a 10-4 victory. Connor started the game with nine straight strikeouts, an incomparable tour de force for a pitcher of any age. Ronnie Kraklio picked up the save in relief after Connor gave way in the fourth inning. On Sunday, Jordan Copeland and Tevyn Hutcherson provided the mound work needed to beat the Bettendorf River Dogs by a margin of 10-5. Both boys displayed great composure and skill, each throwing quality strikes time after time. In the semifinals, Ian and Connor returned to the mound in our tilt with the Plainfield Force. This undefeated team from Chicago came in with some very hot bats and a solid stable of pitchers, but when the game was really on the line, the team refused to lose. His two innings of shutout baseball allowed our offense the time we needed to rally and force an extra inning. In the extra frame, Ronnie and Tevyn made the defensive play of the game when they forced out a runner at home in the top of the 6^th to keep the game tied and the Heat’s chances more than alive. After a routine ground ball to Seth Wetteland at 1^st base got us out of the inning still tied, the game was handed to us in the bottom of the inning when the Plainfield pitcher threw one to the screen. Although the Heat fell to the North Scott Lightning in a tight Championship game 13-8, the boys were elated to take home trophies, baseball cards and priceless memories of a magical weekend at Sheridan Meadows. Hopefully this early season success plants the seeds for another sensational year on the diamond for the 9U Black.

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