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San Diego Show 12U Looking to Build Off Last Season’s Success
02 Mar

San Diego Show 12U Looking to Build Off Last Season’s Success

The San Diego Show ran through a successful 2016 season finishing as the No. 3 ranked 11U team in the country in the NYBC 25 national rankings. This year, the team is looking to build off that success and put together a great 12U season.

This weekend, the Show will be participating in the NYBC SoCal Qualifier in Orange County to try and punch its ticket to the NYBC Finals in New York. The 12U field is loaded with top teams from around the area, but the Show has to be considered one of the favorites to take home the title.

We caught up with San Diego Show head coach Luis Lorenzana before the qualifier to check in on his team.

NYBC: How did your season go last year in 11U?
San Diego Show: We had a very successful 2016 season capped off by a runner-up finish at the USSSA Elite World Series.

NYBC: You finished your season last year as the No. 3 ranked 11U team in the country in our NYBC 25 rankings. What have you done to build on your success from last season?
San Diego Show: We really don’t focus on rankings, records, championships. We actually lost a few key components from that squad who decided to part ways, but what we did was add from within our program, so we’re focusing on building off that.

NYBC: What are your team goals for 2017?
San Diego Show: Our goals are to compete every day at practice and play at the highest level. If we do that, we will get better.

NYBC: What big events are on your schedule for 2017?
San Diego Show: Every event we play in is a big event. This weekend will have some say in what we do as far as the summer. We also plan on playing in the TBS National Championships in East Cobb, Georgia.

NYBC: How would you describe your team’s playing style?
San Diego Show: Pitching and defense oriented along with timely hitting. We’re a very fundamental team who plays for 18 outs.

NYBC: What would you say sets your team apart from other 12U teams?
San Diego Show: I’m a fan of the chemistry we have. We have a great group of young men who wear our colors proudly, and a majority of them have been with our program for a few years. They trust in what we do. That goes a long way. You don’t see that too often at this age.

San Diego Show 12U
Team Roster

17        Trent Abel
19        Jared Allred
5          EJ Barnes Jr
7          Matthew Broder
14        Jacob Connelly
16        Duke Ekstrom
18        Harley Harrington
23        Bryan Martinez
34        Frankie Tarantino
57        Junior Taylor
27        Sean Trusso
36        Dean West
0          James Whitman

Texas Teams Punch their Tickets to NYBC Week in New York
26 Feb

Texas Teams Punch their Tickets to NYBC Week in New York

For most of the teams at the NYBC North Texas Qualifier with Steel Sports on Feb. 13-14 it was their first tournament of the 2016 season. Nonetheless, the stakes were high as five teams earned spots in this summer’s National Youth Baseball Championships at New York’s Baseball Heaven.

Nearly 30 teams competed for the five berths at Grapevine’s picturesque Oak Grove Park with pool play on Saturday and bracket play on Sunday. Eight teams competed in the 12U division, and the competition across the board was outstanding. Two three seeds, Banditos Black and Team Citius, made their way to the final with Team Citius earning the 9-2 win.

Both organizations competed in the NYBC 12U division last year in New York, and Citius will return this July. The Banditos are another team on the radar as the Houston based organization has won two NYBC titles in its history.

In the 11U division, the top two seeds NTX Eagles – Bade and the LBC Patriots squared off for the championship and New York berth, and it was perhaps the best game of the entire qualifier. The Eagles won the title in extra innings, 3-2.

The Austin Banditos won the 13U division with a hard-fought 2-1 win over the Austin Horns. The Austin Banditos are another organization that traveled to New York for the 2015 NYBC.

The Dallas Tigers organization sent its 12U team to New York in 2015, and this time it was the 14U and 10U teams earning berths. The 14U team went 3-0 on the weekend and defeated the TC Patriots National, 8-5, in the title game. The 10U team went a perfect 4-0 and won the bid with a 9-2 victory over Spitfire Elite.

Texas teams will have other opportunities to qualify at events in Baton Rouge, La., on May 21-22 and again at Grapevine’s Oak Grove Park on Memorial Day weekend May 27-29.

Click HERE to see the full results from the NYBC North Texas Qualifier.

2016 NYBC North Texas Qualifier Champions

10U – Dallas Tigers – Bergman
11U – NTX Eagles – Bade
12U – Team Citius
13U – Austin Banditos
14U – Dallas Tigers – Hernandez/Arias

*All teams from Texas.

Steel Sports Kicks Off 2016’s NYBC Qualifying in Arizona
25 Jan

Steel Sports Kicks Off 2016’s NYBC Qualifying in Arizona

The Road to New York has officially started. Steel Sports hosted the National Youth Baseball Championships Arizona Qualifier on Jan. 23-24 at Big League Dreams in Gilbert, and it marked the first time a NYBC event was played in the Copper State.

Strong Arizona programs in 11U-14U packed the field, but it was California’s Wilson MVP National who dominated the 12U field on their way to earning another berth to the NYBC. MVP won the 11U crown in 2015 and made it clear they wanted to return to New York for a chance at back-to-back titles. They won the title game against nationally-ranked Sandlot Baseball, one of Arizona’s top travel ball organizations, 11-0.

The 13U division title game was perhaps the most exciting finish of the tournament as the Athletics Orange and Phoenix Firebirds were tied 4-4 going into the bottom of the seventh inning. With nobody out and one on, Jack Talbott smashed a two-run homer to give the Athletics the championship and a trip to New York.

In 11U, the Chandler Heat Black defeated the Scottsdale Dirtbags, 9-3, to cap off a perfect 4-0 weekend. The East Valley Devils scored 54 runs in four games and won the 14U division with a 13-6 victory over the Chandler Owlz Black.

Major League Baseball’s Pitch Smart was implemented for the first time at an NYBC event as Steel Sports and the NYBC are now fully compliant with the pitch count regulations. Player safety is a top priority, and with the constant rise of arm injuries and Tommy John surgeries, using Pitch Smart is a way to help protect young arms.

With the Arizona Qualifier complete, the NYBC heads to Grapevine, Texas on Feb. 13-14 and then Las Vegas on Feb. 27-28. Click HERE to see a complete list of NYBC Qualifiers.

To see the complete results from the NYBC Arizona Qualifier, click HERE.

2016 NYBC Arizona Qualifier Champions

11U – Chandler Heat Black (AZ)
12U – Wilson MVP National (CA)
13U – Athletics Orange (AZ)
14U – East Valley Devils (AZ)