Before playing its first game at the Cal Ripken World Series, the Harford County Babe Ruth League baseball team from Emmorton was already champions.
The local squad composed of 12-year-old boys earned Harford County?s automatic bid to the CRWS by claiming the District 8 tournament title ? and claim it they did.
After dropping the opening game, Emmorton stormed back to win four times in a day, including back-to-back wins in the championship round to earn one of the 16 berths in the CRWS.
“I was really down after the first game,” Emmorton catcher Zachary Scheuerman said, “but after a while I was thinking ?oh my gosh we won all the way back.?”
But the team?s manager, Michael Scheuerman, who is Zachary?s dad, told his team winning isn?t everything.
“We want to have a good time and for the kids to have fun,” Scheuerman said. “I?d like to win a game or two, but if we don?t, so be it. We are here to have fun.”
Though many of the All-Star teams at this week?s event emphasize winning, the Emmorton squad is just happy to be here. The other 15 teams are made-up of All-Stars, but Emmorton is composed strictly of residents, many of whom attend Bel Air Middle School. As a result of the smaller talent pool, Emmorton doesn?t have the tournament?s fastest players, most dominating pitchers or biggest hitters. But they do have a group of boys who enjoy playing together.
“Most of these kids even play other sports together,” Scheuerman said. “They are classmates and friends. They gel well together and are supportive of each other. It?s a team trying to win as one. When these guys are ridding bikes or fishing together, they have to face each other.”
The players showed their cohesiveness this weekend. After losing 11-0 to a team from Lexington, Ky., in their opener on Saturday night at the Ripken Stadium Complex, they made a concerted effort to improve their play against Sikeston, Mo., yesterday. Emmorton energized the home crowd by taking a 3-0 lead before relief pitcher Ryan Katelan secured the 3-2 victory by striking out the final hitter with the winning runs on base. It marked just the second victory ever for a host team at the CRWS.
Emmorton?s next game ? and a chance to make history by becoming the first host team to win two games ? is Tuesday at 10 a.m. against College Point, N.Y. Emmorton concludes pool play against Tampa, Fla., on Wednesday at 4 p.m. The two top teams from each of the two Stateside Divisions, as well as the top four teams from the International Division, advance to Thursday?s elimination round. The semifinals are on Friday, with the championship game scheduled for Saturday at 5 p.m. and will be televised by Versus.
“We had lots of close games this year, and yeah, some of the fun is winning, but its not the best thing in the world,” Emmorton third baseman T.J. Centi said. “Playing with friends and having fun after the games, stuff like that [is the best].”
