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Another one crosses the plate
With a breezy, four-game romp through the Virginia Babe Ruth League state baseball tournament, it was simple for McLean/Great Falls coach Jim Balog to express what he wanted his team to carry into Tuesday afternoon's finale.Offense. And lots of it.
Balog's hot-hitting 13-year-olds had scored an average of nine runs per contest through four games of the state tournament, totaling 25 during the past two.
“I hope they continue to hit the way they've been,” said Balog, whose team scored 40 runs in three games during the district tournament. “The hitting has just been outstanding.”
McLean/Great Falls' bats remained hot Tuesday, as the All-Stars beat Williamsburg, 9-0, to win the state title.
At the top of the mountain has been Andrew Culp -- one of three hypothetical game-ball recipients tabbed by Balog -- who blasted a three-run homer to right-center field during the squad's most recent win, an 11-0 defeat of Falls Church/Annandale on Sunday.
Though Culp's homer would've been impressive enough on its own, also consider the fact that it didn't come on anything close to a Babe Ruth-size field. Culp's shot cleared the fence at Langley High School, the state tournament's host.
“That's impressive for a high school kid, let alone someone who's 13 years old,” Balog added.
But like any playoff baseball team, wins aren't produced by a one-sided effort. Thanks to quality pitching performances from Jonathon O'Connor, Chris Cantwell (game ball), Culp and Drew Balog, McLean/Great Falls has allowed only five runs throughout the tournament, posting shutouts over the past two.
Balog's final game ball went to Matt Moser for his stellar defensive play and hitting, while teammates Tommy Cresce, Thomas Dungan, Alexander Fishman, Jun Fujikawa, Greg Giordano, Michael Kliska, Yoni Korobkin, Phillip Morse and Will Tidwell each added important pieces to the puzzle.
And in addition to a load of memorable performances on the field, a host of parents, coaches and administrators have teamed together to provide some memorable performances off of it as well, flawlessly playing host to the 10-team tournament.
“When the tournament is coming to our district, the team parents are the ones that have to step up,” Balog said. “As far as the team and the parents, I think everybody likes everybody and they're all getting along. If they weren't already friends, then they're quickly developing friendships now.”
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