Western Regional Tournament Western Region Headquarters
WWW.MYTEAM.COM Travel Day
Welcome
Opening Ceremonies
First Game
Day Off
Second Game
Third Game
Fourth Game
Travel Day
2000
6707 Little League Drive
San Bernardino, California 92407-1749.
Wyoming brought a class act with hustling players kept us off the bases for the first two
innings. We were the home team for the first time in this tournament. In the top of the 3rd
Wyoming got two hits including and RBI double from their number 3 hitter Erik Hansen. In the bottom of the 3rd,
Nate Westfeldt got us off again with a (guess what;-)) another single to right field.
Flanders was up next and walked, then the catcher appealed the first base umpire who said that Bryan had swung.
They won the appeal, Flanders is out, but Nate is still on 2nd. The ball is live during an appeal, so Nate get
a stolen base.
Nickerson flies out to center, that two outs. Wilkinson hits a 1-1 pitch to left center for a
single. Wilkie steals 2nd on the next ball to Olsen, and Nate almost gets picked off at 3rd.
That was close and would have been a disaster because the Olsen takes the next pitch well over the fences for a
3 run homer.
We picked up two more in the fourth, including a solo jack from Nathan Scheidehelm. Then we picked up one more
in the 5th. But that's not the whole story...
In the top of the 6th Olsen (starting pitcher) started to tire and walked two batters. Manager
Nickerson relieved him with Wilkerson. Wilkie's first pitch is wild so both runners move up. This is their number
5 hitter so they now intentionally walk him which loads the bases and, puts a force on everwhere, and puts Wyoming
down to number 6 in their batting order, and sets up the infield fly rule. Now here comes the weird play of the
tournament. Laramie's Snyder hits an 0-1 texas leaguer down the 1st base line. Dusty (our first base) has a play
on it really close to the bag. The ball goes foul. No wait, the 1st base umpire says that it touched Dusty's glove.
Error on Dusty, runner on third scores, everyone is safe right? Wrong! Infield fly rule? Wrong. The second base
umpire says no. He says the first base runner interfered with Dusty while he was going back to the bag to tag up.
1st base runner is out, scoring run is taken away and the scoring runner has to go back to 3rd.
The Wyoming manager comes unglued (I would have too ;-)). After much argument, Wyoming files a formal protest,
both teams return to their dugouts for the phone call. At least at this level there is only one phone call to make,
Williamsport. The answer comes back quick, the 2nd base umpire call stands. 1 out, no runs scored, the bases are
still loaded. Wyomings next batter lines out Olsen, and then Wilkie closes the game with a strikeout.
Cats play tomorrow at 2pm, probably against Idaho. Go get'em Cats.
In the Championship bracket, it appears that clear favorites to be on ESPN2 live thursday night will be Souther
Cal versus Washington. Washington seems to be the favorite. But if you get a chance to watch this game, be sure
to take notice of SoCal's starting pitcher/shortstop lefthanded power hitter Conger. This guy is huge, strong,
and a really good ball player. He is very very quick, and very tough. He has the ability take command of any game,
and what's more he likes to. We saw him hit a 280 foot Grand Slam that got out of the park so fast that people
were talking about it through the next inning. He has an attitude. It's kind of like Ty Cobb and Lionel Taylor
rolled into one. Nate says in the mess hall he eats like a Sumo wrestler. Even though that game was blowout, there
were 9000 people there. There should be more on Thursday.
"Ya Gotta Believe!"
-- Tug McGraw
