The Coral Springs based Florida Pokers Travel Baseball Organization took over Vista Park in Weston on Sunday as both the newly formed 9u team and the Top 10 Nationally Ranked 10u team and took the titles in the Weston Hawks Preseason tournament Sunday Jan 31 while Poker Nation cheered on together for these boys.
The 9u team playing in only its second tournament ever and first with this new group of players came from out of nowhere to take the 9u title.  The Pokers went 1-1 in pool play and then began their run to the title by dismantling Parkland 11-2 on Saturday.  They followed that win with a huge upset over tournament favorite Weston Hawks  8-7.  Following that upset win, the Pokers rolled on to the finals where they knocked off the Canes World Series Champs PLO Bulldogs 3-2 by coming from behind with 2 runs in the top of the 6th and then holding on.
The roster looks like this:  Gabe Cintron, Hunter Fitzgerald, Jarod Galindez, Skylar Gonzalez, Johnny Greenberg, Kevin Heinrich, Andrew Jenner, Ryan Keenan, Carmine Lane, Matthew Magrann, Nick Mancini and Nick Paschal.  The Pokers are coached by National HS Coach of the Year, American Heritage’s Todd Fitzgerald. 
The 10u Pokers returned to action at the Weston tournament after 5 months off from competitive baseball and returned to 2009 form in just 3 games and put on a display of baseball that shows why they are one of the top 10 teams in the country.  After a 1-1 pool play start the Pokers used Power, Speed, Small Ball, Great Pitching and traditionally sound defense to run through their final 3 games with a total margin of 25-8.  A hard fought 5-3 win vs Renteria in the quarters followed by a 12-3 win over the Lake Worth Canes in the semi’s and then an 8-2 win over a very hot West Pines Cobras Team who had entered the game on a 6 game tournament winning streak in the Championship Game.
The 10u Florida Pokers return 8 of the 10 players from last years team:  Christian Scott, Jarrett Hall, Jake Hershkowitz, Robert Joy, Earl Semper, Caleb Roberts, Jacob Mercado and Riley Allison and then added Michael Schuler, TJ McKenzie and Zack Brundage.  
This is the first season the Florida Pokers have put two teams in two different age groups on the field at the same time.  In just 2 weeks an 8yr old kid pitch team will take the field in the FPBL to make it 3 teams.
For more information about The Florida Pokers visit www.floridapokersbaseballclub.com or call 954-817-1008.