Team Select 12u finished the year as it began, winning another Championship, this one the Wood Bat World Series and showing all that it can play long ball as well as small ball along the way.  Select was crowned for the 7th Time(Multiple runner-up finishes) this Fall with their Championship Sunday night after defeating a very talented and well-coached Hialeah Angels Team by a score of 6-3.  In the top of the last inning (with bases-loaded and one out) Select’s coaches called for a bunt by the Team’s best bunter (Jet Lica) and he laid down the perfect bunt, scoring 3-runs and allowing Select to prevail as Champions once again!  Select’s road to this Championship Run (5-0) began with returning players like Toler, Pinto, and Ortiz having critical offensive production & defensive stops (several double plays). all at critical times this weekend!  Team Select season stalwarts Hood, Satcher, Torres, Manning, Boza and Furtado also provided valuable defensive, offensive, and pitching efforts in leading this group to 8-0 and 10-0 Seeding game victories over Industriales & Miami Predators.  Additionally, newcomers Schommer and Demato were critical keys to Team Select’s success in this tournament.  The elimination round’s first game featured #1 Seed Team Select against the Weston Rattlers (maroon) and Select prevailed in a 4-2 tightly contested game which featured Boza & Schommer on the mound. Select’s road to the championship only became more difficult with each round as they advanced to play Industriales in the semi-final game and prevailed  (4-2) behind the pitching efforts of Torres & Ortiz, coupled with an early triple by Hood and the clinching hit from Manning to seal the deal!  Manning then toed the rubber for almost 4 innings in the Championship game and gave Team Select a superlative effort with a valiant effort from catcher (Satcher), & Infielders/outfielders DeMato, Hood, Furtado, Toler, and Lica before, yielding to Ortiz to close out this most important contest!   Coaches could not be more happy to have its returning players, particularly Toler & Pinto’s Bats with Ortiz pitching a defense, (Tournament MVP) who performed outstandingly on the mound to provide its Coaches a Christmas Gift and in “Closing-Out” the Championship Game!

Coaches were very pleased with this Team’s performance throughout the fall and both the Team Parents and Coaches eagerly await their forthcoming Spring/Summer 2014 season.  All agreed that given all the injury setbacks, this Special Group of Young Men played-thru it to become much closer as a Family/Team. Though all agree we are still a work-in-progress with very lofty goals, the Team Select Family BELIEVES the sky is the limit for this group!