Posted 1:27 am Thursday, August 05, 2010
Youth Baseball: Regional Test Awaits Tyler East All-Stars
By PHIL HICKS
Sports Editor
The Texas East State champions are heading west.
Sports Editor
The Texas East State champions are heading west.
The Rose Capital East All-Stars, fresh off district, sectional and state titles, compete in the Southwest Junior League Baseball Regional in Midland.
Tyler East opens play against New Mexico (Altamont) at noon Friday at Christensen Stadium. The double-elimination tournament continues through Tuesday with the winner advancing to the World Series Aug. 15-21 in Taylor, Mich.
Team members include: Michael Caruso, Ryan Cheatham, Chris Davis, Patrick Day, Jaylon Dews, Chandler Hill, Jacob Lundmark, Patrick Mahomes, Mason Mallard, Braden Nelson, Jake Parker and Ryan Rendon.
The manager is Chad Parker and assistant coach is Shaun Day. The team is made up of 13 and 14 year-olds.
Parker, a former standout quarterback at Robert E. Lee High School in the mid-1980s and a local attorney, said the team is ready for the venture out west.
"I think the strength of this team is their confidence in their ability to win regardless of the score," Parker said. "We could be down 3-1 or 4-1 and they feel they will find some way to win the game. Our team believes they will win."
Tyler East depends on a number of pitchers. Mahomes, son of former Lindale star and Major Leaguer Pat Mahomes, is the fireballer, hitting the radar as fast as 83 mph. The other two mainstays on the mound are Cheatham and Day. Parker said he also depends on Hill, his son Jake, Nelson and Davis for innings.
The majority of the team will be freshmen at Whitehouse High School in the fall -- Parker, Mahomes, Cheatham, Mallard, Dews and Lundmark.
Rendon and Hill are set to attend Lee, while Day and Nelson will go to Chapel Hill. Caruso is attending All Saints, while Davis goes to Brownsboro.
The team is leaving this morning for Midland. Parker's brother Todd, another former Lee standout QB in the late 1980s, is lending the team his recreational vehicle. Manager Parker and the team will ride together out west.
"It was just another way for this team to bond and continue the great chemistry," Parker said.
Parker continued, "This team is confident, but not overconfident."
The team has been practicing at noon to simulate the heat they will encounter in Midland on Friday.
Tyler East advanced by defeating Houston Post Oak, 4-3, in nine innings July 27 in the championship game of the Texas East State Tournament at Faulkner Park.
If Tyler East defeats New Mexico, the squad will play at 5 p.m. Saturday against either Mississippi (Biloxi) or Louisiana (Lafayette). A loss means the club will play at 9 a.m. Saturday.
The championship game is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Other teams in the field are Texas West (Waco Southern), Arkansas (Rector-Greene), Colorado (High Plains) and Midland (North Central).
Waco Southern defeated Corpus Christi Oil Belt 7-2 in the championship of the Texas West State Tournament in Waco July 26.
NOTES --
Christensen Stadium, home of the Midland College Chaparrals, is at 4300 N. Lamesa Road. The field has artificial grass, "Matrix Real Grass." … Tickets are $3 (adults), $2 (students/senior citizens), $1 (children 6-12) and free (children under 6). A tournament pass is $10. … The opening ceremony and introduction of teams are scheduled for 7:45 p.m. today and there will be a Long Ball Contest at 8:15 p.m.
Christensen Stadium, home of the Midland College Chaparrals, is at 4300 N. Lamesa Road. The field has artificial grass, "Matrix Real Grass." … Tickets are $3 (adults), $2 (students/senior citizens), $1 (children 6-12) and free (children under 6). A tournament pass is $10. … The opening ceremony and introduction of teams are scheduled for 7:45 p.m. today and there will be a Long Ball Contest at 8:15 p.m.
-- -- -- --
Southwest Regional Tournament
Junior League Baseball
Southwest Regional Tournament
Junior League Baseball
Aug. 6-10
Christensen Stadium, Midland
Friday's Games
Christensen Stadium, Midland
Friday's Games
Game 1:
Mississippi (Biloxi) vs. Louisiana (Lafayette), 9 a.m.
Mississippi (Biloxi) vs. Louisiana (Lafayette), 9 a.m.
Game 2:
Texas East (Tyler Rose Capital East) vs. New Mexico (Altamont), noon
Texas East (Tyler Rose Capital East) vs. New Mexico (Altamont), noon
Game 3:
Arkansas (Rector-Greene) vs. Colorado (High Plains), 5 p.m.
Arkansas (Rector-Greene) vs. Colorado (High Plains), 5 p.m.
Game 4:
Midland (North Central) vs. Texas West (Waco Southern), 8 p.m.
Midland (North Central) vs. Texas West (Waco Southern), 8 p.m.
Saturday's Games
Game 5:
Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 9 a.m.
Game 5:
Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 9 a.m.
Game 6: Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, noon
Game 7:
Game 7:
Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 5 p.m.
Game 8:
Game 8:
Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 8 p.m.
Sunday's Games
Sunday's Games
Game 9:
Loser Game 8 vs. Winner Game 5, 9 a.m.
Loser Game 8 vs. Winner Game 5, 9 a.m.
Game 10: Loser Game 7 vs. winner Game 6, noon
Game 11:
Game 11:
Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10, 5 p.m.
Game 12:
Game 12:
Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 8 p.m.
Monday's Game
Monday's Game
Game 13:
Winner Game 11 vs. Loser Game 12, 7 p.m.
Winner Game 11 vs. Loser Game 12, 7 p.m.
Tuesday's Games
Game 14: Winner Game 12 vs. Winner Game 13, 9 a.m.
Game 14: Winner Game 12 vs. Winner Game 13, 9 a.m.
Game 15:
Winner Game 14 vs. Loser Game 14, (if necessary), 30 minutes after conclusion of Game 14
Winner Game 14 vs. Loser Game 14, (if necessary), 30 minutes after conclusion of Game 14
-- -- --
Southwest Region Champions
2002 --
Southwest Region Champions
2002 --
South Lake Charles LL, Lake Charles, La.
2003 -- West Sugar Land LL, Sugar Land
2003 -- West Sugar Land LL, Sugar Land
2004 --
West Side Lions LL, Fort Worth
2005 --
West Side Lions LL, Fort Worth
2005 --
West Side Lions LL, Fort Worth
2006 --
El Campo LL, El Campo
2006 --
El Campo LL, El Campo
2007 --
DelMar LL, Laredo
2008 --
Alvin LL, Alvin
DelMar LL, Laredo
2008 --
Alvin LL, Alvin
2009 --
Petroglyph LL, Albuquerque, N.M.
Petroglyph LL, Albuquerque, N.M.
