KFDM COOP Posted July 31, 2008 Report Posted July 31, 2008 Nederland 14s add to BR mystique By Cody Pastorella The Port Arthur News The success Mid County has in its Babe Ruth baseball is almost so common place that it becomes hard to be impressed. However, in the last 12 years alone, there have been two local Babe Ruth World Series winners from all-star teams ranging from 13-16-years of age (1996 and 2004). Just last year, Nederland Babe Ruth sent a 15-year-old squad to the WS. The last two seasons, Mid County senior Babe Ruth has sent its 16-year-old teams to the WS. It would have been a third straight year for the 16s, which won a third straight Regional, but Babe Ruth elected to cancel the 16-year-old WS this season. After last weekend's results, the Nederland Babe Ruth 14-year-old all stars can be added to the coveted list teams to qualify for the WS. And this group just may have what it takes to add another championship banner. The 14s, made up of 10 Nederlanders, three from Port Neches-Groves and one player from West Brook, have absolutely destroyed their competition. Nederland has an 8-0 slate, having won four games in Wharton to claim the East Texas State Championship and four more games in Bryant, Ark. to claim the Southwest Regional Championship. Nederland has outhit its opponents 96-29 and outscored its opponents 101-18. Head coach Steven Pitts, who is the father of first baseman and pitcher, Jacob, said those numbers could be even more lopsided if Nederland had not backed off in several games. Nederland has had just one victory where it was held to just five runs. It was that same game where Nederland's margin of victory was less than five runs. That game was its last, a 5-3 victory over Bryant for the regional championship. Nederland trailed 2-0 in the contest before scoring five unanswered. Also in that contest, Trent Fontenot pitched a complete game and was named the tournament's most valuable player. Daniel Sparrow, the starting catcher, was the state tournament's most valuable player. By way of an interesting note, Sparrow is the younger brother of PN-G's Sammy Sparrow, who played with Nederland's 15-year-old Babe Ruth team that went to the WS last year. Sammy was also on this year's 16-year-old team. Jacob Pitts makes the third member of the Pitts family to be on a WS team. His cousin Clinton Pitts played on the 16-year-old club that went to the WS two years ago and older brother, Jordan, was named to the All World Series team last year as a 16-year-old. Rounding out the rest of Nederland's roster is second baseman Stephen Schlett, center fielder Gerran Freeman, shortstop Hunter Knox, third baseman Jordan Wood, pitcher Brett Brown, outfielder Daniel Atterberry, utility player David Conley, pitcher and outfielder Kohl Lasell, pitcher Corbin Carr, utility player Trey Broussard, pitcher Ryan Quinn and left fielder Justin Ridgaway. As of Thursday, Nederland was the only team to have clinched a spot in the WS bracket. The rest of the regional qualifiers have not been finished. The WS is set for Aug. 16-23 and will be in Quincy, Mass. where there will be 13 teams in all. The Babe Ruth League pays the cost of travel and host parents are provided for the players.
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