|
2008
Omaha Gladiator Round Robin
Gladiator Park, Omaha, NE, April 26-27, 2008
In
a tremendous show of respect for
the Quad City Redbirds
organization the 11U team was
invited to play in a 5 team
round robin event featuring the
Nebraska state Champion, Omaha
Pacesetters, the Iowa State
Champions, Des Moines Oaks and
two other high ranking teams,
the Omaha Gladiators (host) and
Siouxland Stars (Iowa State
Champion in AA) from Sioux City
Iowa.
Round Robin game #1 vs.
Omaha Pacesetters W, 3-2 in 6 innings
Taking
the field against the team who
beat them last summer in the
Championship game during the Road to Omaha tournament, the boys were looking to
even the score in less than
optimal weather conditions, 45
degrees and a 15 mph wind from
the north.
That didn’t stop the
boys as they plated a run in the
home half of the first when
Aaron led off with a single,
stole second and third and
scored on a perfectly executed
suicide squeeze bunt by Brady.
The Pacesetters showed
why there were Nebraska state
champions by scoring two runs of
their own in the third without
the benefit of a base hit.
Our boys came right back
in the 4th to tie the
score on a single by Brady.
After stealing
2nd and 3rd, he
scored on a passed ball when the
Pacesetter pitcher did not cover
home.
After two were out in the
bottom of the 5th,
Tyler extended the inning by
hustling out a ground ball to
the shortstop who made a bad
throw allowing him to reach
safely.
After stealing second and
moving to third on a passed
ball, Drake extended the inning
further by taking one for the
team and moving to second on
catcher’s indifference.
Matt W. then looped a
liner over the third basemen’s
head to knock in the eventual
winning run.
On
the mound Tyler held the
Pacesetters at bay, allowing no
hits while striking out two and
walking one.
Matt G came in for the
last two innings to get the
victory, allowing two hits while
striking out two and issuing no
free passes.
Round Robin game #2 vs.
Siouxland Stars, Sioux City, IA,
W,
9-1 in 5 innings.
In
the second game of the round
robin, the Redbirds again jumped
on the opposing pitcher for a
quick run in the first.
A one out walk to
Spencer, a base hit from Brady,
and a ground ball from Nate put
the Stars in a quick hole.
In the second inning
Tyler led off
with a single and after
stealing second and third was
driven in by Matt G with a
well-placed ground ball to the
right side.
Matt W and Drake
duplicated that effort and the
Redbirds took a 3-1 lead.
The boys broke open a
close game in the third with
three runs.
A single by Brady, a walk
to Nate and a safety from DD
plated two runs.
Tyler picked up DD with a
single to stretch the lead to
6-1.
In the fourth the bottom
of the lineup picked up the top.
Drake and DJ reached
safely on a walk and error and
were driven in by Spencer and
Brady.
The boys closed out the
Stars in the fifth with DD
coaxing a lead-off walk and
scoring on a single by Tyler.
On
the hill, Hayden and Aaron
combined on a 3-hitter, striking
out six and walking four.
The defense helped out by
not committing any errors and
Hayden picking off a base-runner
at second in the first inning.
Round Robin game #3 vs.
Omaha Gladiators (host team), W,
6-1 in 6 innings.
Facing
the other Nebraska and host
team, the Gladiators, the
Redbirds continued their trend
of scoring in the first inning.
After two were out Brady
beat out an infield single to
deep short and advanced to third
on an errant pick-off attempt.
He scored on a wild pitch
beating the pitcher to home
plate.
After the home team
evened the score in the second
the bottom picked up the top
with Matt G and Drake leading
things off with consecutive
safeties.
DJ then moved them to
second and third with a
well-placed ground ball.
Aaron knocked in Matt and
Spencer knocked in Drake.
The tough Gladiator
pitcher shut down the boys for
the next two innings but in the
sixth the Birds put the game
away with three runs.
Aaron led off with a
single and scored on a two-bagger
by Spencer.
Nate beat out an infield
hit to short to score Spencer.
Nate then scored when
Hayden hit a short hop bomb to
the centerfield fence to
complete the scoring.
On
the mound the home team could do
little against Nate and DD.
They no-hit the
Gladiators while striking out
five and issuing no base on
balls.
Round Robin game #4 vs. Des Moines Oaks, L, 7-5 in 6 innings.
In
the final game of the round
robin the boys were facing the
reigning State Champion in the
Oaks.
They hadn’t seen each
other since July 06 when the 9U
Redbirds knocked the Oaks out of
the State tourney.
The
Oaks came out swinging by
scoring two unearned runs in the
top of the first on a two out
dinger to center.
Our boys returned the
favor in the home half by
scoring three to take the lead.
Aaron led off with a
single and scored on a single
from Brady. Nate
drove in Brady with a double and
later scored on a sharp single
to left by Tyler.
The
Des Moines team came right back
with two in the fourth and took
the lead 4-3.
The boys plated two in
the bottom of the fifth to take
the lead with the bottom picking
up the top once again.
The Matts (W and G) led
off with singles and moved to
second and third with one out.
DJ then hit poked a
well-placed double down the left
field line that scored Matt W.
After an intentional base
on balls to Aaron, Spencer hit a
long sacrifice fly to left to
knock in Matt G with the
go-ahead run.
But
it wasn’t meant to be as the
Oaks showed why they are a
top-tier team by scoring three
in the top of the sixth and then
getting the boys to go 1-2-3 in
the home half of the sixth.
All
in all the boys put on quite a
show and the weekend was quite a
success and a good time was had
by all in spite of the weather.
The Gladiator staff and
host parents made several
comments as to the quality of
our boys, parents, and
organization.
With the showing the U11
Redbird record stands at 10
victories and 1 loss.
Great Job!!
2008
Season Highlights
|
|
|
1st
Place Finish - WBSA Early bird Tournament
(April 18-20)
|
|
|
Omaha
Gladiator Round Robin
(Round Robin Record 3-1)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
