Three more 10-under teams-the Dallas Patriots of AABC; PONY Baseball's Tamiami Playmakers of Miami, Florida; and Dixie Youth Baseball's McComb, Mississippi, club-have qualified for the inaugural "National Youth Baseball Championships" tournament in Memphis, Tennessee.
The four-day tournament will be played at Gameday Baseball's First Tennessee Fields in Memphis from August 21-24 and will crown national champions in the 10-under and 12-under divisions, which include more than 100,000 teams. Future plans call for the tournament to include as many as eight age groups.
The "National Youth Baseball Championships" is the initial effort of the "Major Youth Baseball Alliance, LLC." The MYBA is a newly formed company comprised of eight major youth organizations, including AABC (American Amateur Baseball Congress), AAU (Amateur Athletic Union of the United States), Babe Ruth Baseball, Dixie Youth Baseball, NABF (National Amateur Baseball Federation), Pony Baseball, Super Series Baseball of America and USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association).
At the Dixie Youth AAA World Series in LaGrange, Georgia, Coach Guy Gatlin's team from McComb, Mississippi, defeated Troup County, Georgia, 13-3, to advance to the inaugural tournament. Ben Coney picked up the win for McComb while Tag Gatlin had a home run and three runs batted in.
In Catano, Puerto Rico, the Dallas Patriots captured the Willie Mays World Series with a 4-1 victory over the powerful Puerto Rico National team. They went 5-1 in the double-elimination tournament to become the first AABC team from the South Plains Region of the United States ever to win the Willie Mays World Series. Dallas starter Jordan Roberts tossed 4.0 innings, allowing only one run while Michael Newstifter pitched 2.0 scoreless innings to close out the win. Dallas scored all its runs in a four-run third with shortstop Ryan Cash driving in a run and scoring a run.
At PONY Baseball's 2008 Mustang World Series, the Tamiami Playmakers of Miami, Florida, defeated William S. Hart of Santa Clarita, California, 5-0, to run its tournament record to 5-0 and advance to Memphis. Tamiami outscored its opponents 52-16 in the five games of the tournament.
"The team has had a long road to work its way from the first level of tournament play to become the champion of the 2008 Mustang World Series," said Tamiami coach Andy Garcia, "but, with hard work we have overcome every obstacle and are overjoyed at being the 2008 Champions. The team is looking forward to be the first team to represent PONY in the inaugural National Youth Baseball Championships in the 10-under division."
With these three 10-under teams, 10 of the 16 slots in the tournament have been filled. Previous qualifiers for the "National Youth Baseball Championships" tournament were:
10-under Division: Southern Jaguars, Marietta, GA, NABF; Orlando Juice 10's, Orlando, FL, AAU; and McKinney Marshals, McKinney, TX, Super Series.
12-under Division: Germantown Giants, Germantown, TN, Super Series; East Cobb Astros, Marietta, GA, NABF; Orlando Juice 12's, Orlando, FL. AAU; and Team Texas, Texarkana, TX, Dixie.
MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, will provide live video streams of 14 games from the inaugural tournament, which is scheduled to be held from August 21-24 in Memphis, Tennessee. In the MLB.com broadcast booth for the semi-final and championship rounds will be former Major Leaguers Harold Reynolds and Billy Sample.
Note: Tomateros de California of Paramount, Calif., will take the place of the Dallas Patriots at the NYBC.
NATIONAL YOUTH BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS
10-YEAR-OLD DIVISION
POOL A
1. McKinney Marshals, McKinney, TX (Super Series)
2. Southern Jaguars, Atlanta, GA (National Amateur Baseball Federation)
3. Tomateros de California, Paramount, CA (USSSA)
4. Orlando Juice 10's, Orlando, FL (AAU)
POOL B
1. USSSA (TBD)
2. McComb, MS (Dixie Youth Baseball)
3. Tamiami Playmakers, Miami, FL (PONY Baseball)
4. BABE RUTH (TBD on Friday, August 15)
12-YEAR-OLD DIVISION
POOL A
1. Germantown Giants, Germantown, TN (SUPER SERIES)
2. PONY Baseball (TBD on Tuesday, August 12)
3. Orlando Juice 12's, Orlando, FL (AAU)
4. BABE RUTH (TBD on Saturday, August 16)
POOL B
1. East Cobb Astros, Marietta, GA (NABF)
2. USSSA (TBD)
3. AABC (TBD)
4. Team Texas, Texarkana, TX (Dixie Youth Baseball)
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