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Gainesville District Little League all-stars enter post-season
Aside from the obvious characteristics of height, weight, age and ability of the players, there is something else that differentiates Little League baseball games from high school games: unpredictability.
What may be a routine fly ball to a varsity center-fielder can be a daunting challenge for a 10 year old.
Even at all-star games, there is a heightened level of tension on a grounder to the shortstop or a liner to right field.
Such was the case Monday night in Haymarket as the Gainesville District Little League all-stars from the 10- and 11-year-old American Division battled their counterparts from Coles in the first round of the double-elimination District 10 tournament at Long Park.
What started as a 5-3 Gainesville advantage after three innings became an 18-5 rout by Coles just one-and-a-half innings later.
A rain-out caused the last inning to be scrapped, putting the final score at 10-5.
One such case of the unexpected coming to fruition came as Gainesville held a one-run advantage in the top of the fourth with one out and two Coles runners in scoring position.
The starting second baseman for Coles struck out on a full-count delivery, but the ball passed the Gainesville catcher, scoring one of his teammates.
After the pitcher dropped the throw from the catcher at home plate, a second runner darted home, putting Coles back on top 6-5.
In fact, Coles scored four more runs with two outs in the fourth inning on consecutive hits by Jeff Rockenbaugh, Cody Jones and Kenneth Parker.
That came after Gainesville strung together two rallies of its own earlier.
Down 1-0 in the first inning, starting pitcher Nathan Park and third-baseman Matthew Greene smacked back-to-back RBIs.
Trailing again in the next inning with runners on second and third, center-fielder Ryan Sharer hit a two-out, full-count offering that dribbled to the left side of the diamond. He beat the throw to first, allowing second baseman Drew Wagner to cross the plate.
When the ball came loose at first base, catcher Matt Watson rounded third and came home to give Gainesville a 4-3 lead.
Park cranked a triple to the right-center wall to lead off the third inning and came in two batters later on a wild pitch when he slid under the tag at the plate.
Gainesville held its only lead of the day while Park threw his 85 pitches in three innings, a feat recognized by the all-star team manager Chris Greene.
“We were in the game until he left [the mound],” said Greene, who noted that Park does not get “too high” or “too low” emotionally.
“He is just consistent. He’s got a good temperament,” said Greene.
One of the challenges for Greene, who coached the GDLL 10- and 11-year-old Yankees during the spring, has been putting 10 kids selected as the best players by the league’s coaches on a functioning team in two weeks.
Six of those players were forced into positions they were not accustomed to playing on Monday.
Greene pointed out catcher Matt Watson in particular.
“First time he’s ever caught,” Greene said.
Like other Little Leagues in Northern Virginia, Gainesville District is large enough to send multiple all-star teams into District 10 tournaments under the “American” and “National” monikers. Players from those teams must have played on American and National teams during the regular season.
That means it is possible for two Gainesville teams to face each other during the playoffs.
Tournament winners then go on to play for the state title.
Last year, the GDLL juniors baseball team, which is made up of 13 and 14year olds, won the district title, as did the 9- and 10-year-old softball team.
This year, GDLL sent nine all-star teams to the postseason: two baseball teams for ages 9 and 10, two 10 and 11 teams, two majors teams (ages 11 and 12), a juniors team (ages 13 and 14), a seniors team (ages 15 and 16) and a 9- and 10-year-old softball team.
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