Two days into the state Little League championship the Maricopa team sits with a record of 1-1.
Wednesday the team notched a 5-0 victory against Mount Graham.
The star of the game was pitcher Noah Anderson who threw 14 strikeouts.
However, on Thursday, the boys were not able to notch a victory when they went against McCormick Ranch, a Scottsdale-area team, 10-5.
Thursday’s game could have been much closer if the boys didn’t give up five runs in the first inning.
“We just had one bad inning,” said Team Coach Micah Coleman.
Coleman added that he believes if his team members play relaxed and if they are having fun they can beat anyone.
The team arrived in Flagstaff July 16 to participate in the first of a series of games to determine the state Little League champions.
Standing in the Maricopa team’s way of the state championship are the 15 other division winners from across the state.
These 16 total teams are broken into two brackets and compete against each other, with the two teams with the best records from each bracket advancing to playoff.
The winner of the state competition will advance to the western regional. Those games are televised.
Coleman said he hopes that doing well in the tournament will bring some exposure to the Little League program in Maricopa and possibly lead to the construction of a Little League ball field in the city.
Currently little league games are held at Pacana Park, which boast an outfield fence that is 310 feet from home plate.
The team will stay in Flagstaff for the entire tournament and Coleman said the league is hoping it can gain some sponsorship to cover the cost.
“Right now the parents are paying for it, but some help from the community would be appreciated,” Coleman said.
To help sponsor the Maricopa Little League program contact [email protected].
All games will take place at the Continental Little League Complex, 5650 E. Old Walnut Canyon Dr., Flagstaff, AZ 86004 (see “Maricopa Little League headed to state championships in Flagstaff“).
Photo courtesy of the team
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