Six games, 12 days and over 2,700 miles.
That’s what the Southwest Colorado Youth Baseball Senior All-Star team has been up to recently.
After clinching the Colorado Senior State Tournament in Thornton last Tuesday, the squad of Cortez, Dolores and Dove Creek players had little time to waste, as they had to get to the Southwest Regional Tournament in Seguin, Texas in a hurry.
“We had to be down there at three o’clock on Friday,” said manager Tim Passell. “And just barely getting back from Denver and having one day to get everything ready was pretty hectic.”
But Passell said that the frenzy actually made the players even more excited.
“The kids loved it,” he explained. “It was really exciting for them as we were just trying to figure out what we were going to do. But we ended up renting some minivans and getting on the road Thursday and driving halfway and getting hotel rooms for the night and then driving on in Friday to barely get there at three.”
The trip wouldn’t have been possible, however, without generous help from the community. Passell said that the team received donations from all over the area, including aid from the players’ family members, city and government departments and area clubs. He also thanked league president Nic McDonald, who he said helped plan the logistics of the excursion.
The Seniors opened regional play on Saturday against the host team, New Braunfels Little League. They were tied 1-1 after one inning and knotted at three after three innings. However, the home squad tallied six runs in the fourth inning and tacked on another six in the sixth inning to pull away and win, 15-3.
Facing elimination on Sunday, the Seniors were matched up against the Oklahoma representative. Derek Kibel started on the bump for the Seniors and pitched the maximum 95 pitches allowed before Payton Langston entered to close out the contest.
The Seniors trailed 11-0 going into the bottom of the sixth inning, but they didn’t give up. They rallied for two runs to extend the game to its full seven innings, but eventually fell, 12-2.
“We didn’t get a good start in either game, really,” said Passell. “And then we ended up having to try and fight back in both games.”
Passell also noted how the change in climate affected the players, who weren’t used to the wet, sticky, Texas humidity.
“It was tough, not only playing the teams from Texas and Oklahoma, but also playing in the heat,” he explained. “The heat kind of zapped us all. It was really tough for our team with that climate, but those teams were polished, and we knew going in that they were going to be tough.”
After going 3-1 at the Colorado Senior State Tournament to claim the state title, the SWC Seniors dropped both contests in Seguin to finish with a 3-3 postseason record.
However, Passell said that their postseason run and regional tournament appearance was one to remember.
“These kids really enjoyed the whole experience,” said Passell. “Even from the start when we were just practicing, they were committed to winning to get to Texas. The kids had a blast and it’s definitely going to be something to build on.”
“It was fun getting them to buy in and know that they could do it,” he continued. “For them to go in and say, ‘Okay we can beat these guys, so let’s do it.’ And it was fun as a coach to see these kids’ confidence level grow with each game.”