WS: Texas All-Stars learn from experience
Tomlin pitched a solid complete game on Monday. (Photo by John
Krueger)
DOTHAN, Alabama -- They had battled hard since February, sharpening their skills, hoping for the coveted trip to their first-ever Junior Dixie Boys World Series appearance. The Center All-Stars came together, sweeping through the State Tournament at home, finishing it with an exclamation point with a no-hitter thrown by Colton McSwain.
The Center All-Stars then became the Texas All-Stars when they traveled here to Dothan, Alabama for the 2010 Junior Dixie Boys World Series, taking on the 11 best teams the nation had to offer up.
They may have only advanced to the third round, but it was a much more successful season than that for Bob Reeves' squad. They picked up the experience of a lifetime, much like NFL players that make it to the Super Bowl.
"We're so proud of these boys and the effort they gave throughout this tournament," Reeves said following Monday's third-round setback to Virginia, 5-4. "Our hitting wasn't where we wanted it to be, but we're still extremely proud of the boys. They fought hard the whole game today and throughout the tournament.
"To lose this game in the bottom of the seventh inning was a hard way to go out, but it doesn't take anything away from the way they played."
Reeves was assisted on his coaching staff by Roscoe McSwain and Paul Horton. Members of the 2010 Texas World Series All-Stars included: Dalton Horton; Colton McSwain; Caiden Rainbolt; Taylor Tomlin; Adam Reeves; C.J. Garner; Alec Lucas; Eric Vaughn; Josh Burns; Caije Ranes; Kam Owens; Tanner Murdock; and Chris Caraway.
Texas began the tourney with a tough 3-1 victory over North Carolina on Saturday. Although they didn't hit the ball with anywhere near the tenacity they showed at the State tourney, the Shelby County players won the game with smart baserunning, outstanding pitching by McSwain, Horton, Owens and Tomlin.
Horton topped the team at the plate, finishing 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
On Sunday the weather had an effect on Texas' effort. With its game with Florida tied 0-0 in the top of the third, the game was delayed for almost one and one-half hours because of lightning in the area.
The game was stopped with two outs and Florida batter Jimmy Hartley having two strikes against him. But after the long break, Hartley drew a walk. And before the half inning was over Florida would go on to score two runs against a suddenly flat Texas squad as Shelby County's representative fell 5-2.
Faced with a must-win situation on Monday morning, and knowing it would have to win twice during the 100-plus temperatures of Alabama to advance to the quarterfinals on Tuesday, Texas took a 4-1 lead against Virginia and appeared to have the game in hand with strong-armed Taylor Tomlin on the mound and working late into the contest.
But a pair of baserunning mistakes along with a critical error in the seventh frame allowed Virginia to come back from a 4-3 deficit to shock Texas and knock it out of contention for the national championship.
But despite coming up short of the championship, Reeves said the players will use what they experienced here in Dothan as they prepare for their future careers. There was even talk about working to make a return trip next season before they left.
"We were right there every game," Reeves stated. "An error here and an error there, or a big hit here and there and we would have put one or two runs on the board easy.
"But this trip was about much more than just this season; it's about the experience of being here, playing against the best the nation has to offer and taking this experience and learning and growing from it next year and for these players during their high school careers.
"That's what playing Dixie baseball is all about."
Note: A large group of parents and fans made the trip to Alabama to support the team. Other than the host team and the other team just down the road in Troy, Texas had the most fans, which appeared to be the most vocal. And the generosity and support of the fans in Shelby County, who supported this team in words and financing the trip, brought the Shelby County community that much closer together.
TEXAS JUNIOR DIXIE
BOYS ALL-STAR ROSTER
2 - Gaije Ranes
3 - Tanner Murdock
7 - Taylor Tomlin
8 - Colton McSwain
9 - C.J. Garner
11 - Caiden Rainbolt
15 - Alec Lucas
17 - Dalton Horton
21 - Josh Burns
26 - Adam Reeves
34 - Kamden Owens
55 - Eric Vaughn
Head Coach: Bob Reeves
Asst. Coach: Paul Horton
Asst. Coach: Roscoe McSwain