Legion baseball team heads to state, hosts softball against community leaders

The Maricopa American Legion Baseball team, sponsored by Post 133, finished first in the region to qualify for the state championship tournament. Round 1 of state starts Saturday.[quote_box_right]IF YOU GO
What: American Legion #133 Baseball vs. Maricopa/Ak-Chin Leaders
When: July 13, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Copper Sky Regional Park[/quote_box_right]

In the meantime, the community is invited to watch the Maricopa team take on City of Maricopa and Ak-Chin elected officials, police and fire and community business leaders in a softball game set for Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Copper Sky. Helen’s Catering will have dinner items for sale for those who want to make a night of it.

Managing this year’s team are Maricopa High School graduates Jordan Gusse and Jesus Orci-Vega, who are undergraduates at Arizona State University, and Mountain Point graduate Jorge A. Romero.

Andres Gusse and Steven Gonzales led the team with batting averages of .571. Marcos Cano threw a perfect game and Andrew Talness was the team-leader in steals. Talsness, Gonzales, Andrews Gusse and Taylor Belcher all hit home runs during the season.

The team also included Kevin McDill, Mason Williamson, Jose Leyva, Elijah Compton, Jackson Stensgard, Joseph Talsness, Noah Huffaker, Renzo Silva, Tyler Belcher and Larry Tran.

American Legion Baseball was founded in 1925 and has taught hundreds of thousands of young Americans the importance of sportsmanship, good health and active citizenship. The program is also a promoter of equality, making teammates out of young athletes regardless of their income levels or social standings.