Sarasota Slugfest

SARASOTA — The Sarasota Cal Ripken 10U All-Star team has had its share of ups and downs.

But over the course of their 16-game all-star season, no matter what circumstances may have crossed their paths, the players always found a way to pick one another up and keep pushing.

Their willingness to look past their own mistakes and focus on what they could control — working together as a team and being there for one another — has helped power Sarasota to a perfect 16-0 record.
Over the past month, Sarasota has captured district, state and regional championships on its way to securing a spot in the 2014 Cal Ripken 10-year-old World Series, held Aug. 9 through Aug. 16, in Winchester, Va.

Sarasota will be one of 10 teams across the nation vying for the title of World Series champion. The Sting will open pool play Aug. 10 versus CLCF Cranston. The team needs to win seven consecutive games to win the World Series championship.

“There will certainly be some tough teams,” coach Geoff Allison says. “They all had to do what we did, and that’s win their district, state and regional tournaments, so we are facing the best of their region. With that being said, I do like our chances. Our team is very talented.”

Sarasota got off to a fast start early in the all-star season by winning the District 10 title. The Sting went on to clinch the state championship July 10 through July 14, in Jupiter, outscoring their opponents 19-6 over four games.

As the state champions, the Sting earned a berth in the Southeast Regional Tournament July 23 through July 27, in Matthews, N.C.

Sarasota went 7-0 in the tournament, defeating teams from Alabama, Virginia, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Florida and North Carolina.

The Sting rallied in their first two games of the tournament, coming back to beat Mobile, Ala., 8-7 and East Rowan, N.C., 4-3.

After allowing three runs to Atlantic Beach in the top of the first inning of the semifinals, Sarasota scored five runs in the bottom half of the inning to secure the victory.

In the championship game, Conner Whittaker pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on five hits to lead Sarasota to an 8-2 victory over a previously unbeaten West Raleigh team that had scored 76 runs in six games. He also went 3-for-4 at the plate. Clay Russin went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run, and Tanner Darley had a leadoff home run.

Following their championship victory, the players and coaches erupted into celebration knowing they had achieved something that only a handful of teams get to experience firsthand.

“I found myself jumping up and down looking for someone to hug — then the water cooler was dumped on me by a couple of the boys,” Allison says. “It was a great feeling. I was very proud.

“For our team to totally shut them down and beat them 8-2 was a tremendous accomplishment and a tribute to how truly talented our kids are,” Allison says. “We were totally focused the whole game because that team could break out at any minute, so when the final out was made it was total elation.”

Sarasota will look to its pitching staff and defense to carry it to a World Series championship while keeping its perfect season intact.

“When we play sound baseball, we are very tough to beat,” Allison says. “The thing that we preach to the kids is to not get down when things aren’t going their way. It’s been fun to watch this team gradually embrace this philosophy. The greatest takeaway would be for them to realize that it was them working together that allowed them to become such a successful team.”

CAL RIPKEN 10U ROSTER
Andrew DiRocco
Dylan Wilds
Jaxson Crump
Colby Byrd
Lance Trippel
Ryan Allison
Carter Hilton
Wyatt Plattner
Rocco DePastino
Christopher Soeder
Conner Whittaker
Tanner Darley
Clayton Russin

BY THE NUMBERS
16 — The number of consecutive games Sarasota has won this all-star season.
7 — The number of consecutive games Sarasota needs to win to become World Series champions.
10 — The number of 10U All-Star teams competing in the World Series.
13 — The number of players on this year’s Sarasota Cal Ripken 10U All-Star team.
76 — The number of runs West Raleigh had scored in six games before Sarasota beat the team 8-2 in the regional championship.

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].