By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
SHELBY, N.C. – Little League Baseball has Williamsport as its Mecca. Older American Legion players aim to reach their World Series In North Carolina’s foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the Bossier Phillies are back for their second straight visit.
The eight-team event begins four days of pool play today, weather permitting. Rain has fallen almost daily for the past couple of weeks, and the Veterans Field outfield is “super saturated,” said Bossier coach Dane Peavy, who is telling his team to hang loose as the schedule is, to use a word, fluid.
The Phillies (24-3) are scheduled to play the final game tonight at 7 against the local favorite, Asheville (N.C), 80 miles west. The other two teams in Bossier’s “Stripes Pool” are Greece, N.Y., and Chesapeake, Va., while in the “Stars Pool” are Rockport (Indiana), Lincoln (Neb.), Portland (Ore.) and League City (Texas). Two teams from each side will advance to the single-elimination semifinals Monday.
Streaming video of each game will be available on ESPN3 with ESPNU carrying the final two days.
“It looks as hopeful as you’d like it to,” said Peavy. “Except for one guy, we’re bringing the same team we had last week at regionals, and 10 of those guys were with us here last year. We feel good about where we’re at. We’re in a lot better position (as far as personnel) than we were at this point last year.”
The Phillies are raring to go, given the chance.
“They’ll reassess in the morning to set the schedule. Looks like we’ll have to adjust and hopefully it won’t throw too much of a kink in our routine,” said Peavy. “We’ll have to game plan and figure out the best case scenarios. I am confident our guys will get through that and handle their business. I don’t see it as a disadvantage for us.”
It could alter the Phillies’ pitching plan. Easton Sanders, the Mid-South Regional MVP, is slated to start against Asheville, considered among the field’s top teams, but Peavy said nothing is set if the game is delayed, or interrupted by weather.
At this stage, every World Series team has solid pitching depth and is red-hot after winning state titles and regional crowns. Bossier has one significant advantage – experience.
“It’s all coming down to who can execute better, who can get runs home. Experience matters. I don’t know how much, but it matters. You’ve got to handle the bright lights, the big crowds and the hoopla of the World Series,” said Peavy. “It’s a little different but it’s just baseball – with a lot more people in the stands, and ESPN cameras all over the place. I think you’re doing OK if you have some guys who have seen that, especially if you have 10 of them.”
Bossier’s roster was trimmed by one to 14 when outfielder Dillon Braxton had to bow out to fulfill his responsibilities as an incoming freshman in the Grambling Tigers baseball program.
“I hate he will miss this experience, but we’ll count on other guys stepping up,” said Peavy. “We’re ready as we can be.”
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gamail.com