World Series Junior League - Game 4 v Venezuela

Whether you think you can or

Whether you think you can't...

You're right.

- HENRY FORD -

So says the grandfather of Detroit, Henry Ford, whose local Museum of American Innovation delighted the masses on a really wet morning yesterday, in Taylor, Michigan. The significance of this famous quote would not be lost on our team whose self belief and confidence was to be challenged once again today against Venezuela on an ever sharpening international baseball stage at the pointy end of this tournament.

Yesterday, we had what Forrest Gump called "little bitty stinging rain and big old fat rain, rain that flew in sideways, and sometimes rain even seemed to come straight up from underneath". Too wet for play at the scheduled 4.00pm Thursday (local time) timeslot. However today (a spare day on the tournament calendar) we were back on schedule. Bright skies and a strong breeze greeted us at the ground.

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After beating the Europe-Africa Champions (Czech Republic) and the Puerto Rico champions, today we set our sights on the Latin American champions, Maracaibo, Venezuela. Another challenge of significance.

Our starting side for the assignment was Alex Ranieri (catcher), Liam McCallum (Pitcher), Ryan Franks (1B), Riley Watson (2B), Brent Iredale (3B), Clayton Campbell (Short Stop), Andrew Martin (LF), Sam McGoldrick (CF), Jack Grey (RF).

It was blowing a Scott, Terry and Brett Gale for the start of the game at 4.00pm local time. Blowing in and out under clearing skies and mild temperatures.

The enthusiastic Latino twang was in the turbulent air early. A rapid 'three up and three down' for us was followed by Liam McCallum working the mound. A tough assignment. A bleeder to short stop saw an early single as their runner beat Clayton Campbell's bullet throw. A double followed. A cheeky stolen run on a delayed steal, with a dubious call on the end of it, announced them. Cunning.  At 0-2 down at the end of the first innings, we needed to be sharper.

We needed to match them with precision and patience, yet we were surprisingly lethargic at key times. Venezuela swooped and scrapped and their third baseman's footwork and play early on was outstanding, while their short stop exhibited a clinic on precision play brilliantly - time and time again.

With the bat, Liam secured a well earned walk early but their pitcher pounded us to be true. He was bold and brutal. His long levers to intercept return hits also proved to be amazing. Reflexes of a cobra. Sting of a scorpion. 

Sadly, our infield anticipation was not a patch on theirs. Venezuela were simply more athletic and crisp. Top shelf. Their enthusiasm and energy lapped us today. We really looked slow in comparison at times and their base running - regardless of circumstances - was quick and inspired on every occasion, making our fielders make tough and fast decisions... to their advantage.

Alex Ranieri took a classic diving catch from the catcher position down the first base line, which offered a little inspiration, but it was lonely. Errors in the infield by us were really costly. There were a few boys very disappointed in their efforts today after so many excellent outings and plenty of practice. The sustained focus and concentration required at this level is a massive step up. Especially when fatigued. Consistency day in and day out in tournament play is always the clipboard for success. Lessons regarding preparation and readiness are hopefully realised too in young minds. Learning accompanies such experiences and our earnest hope is that this will propel those that learn fastest to even greater heights. 

Walks don't help either and Liam delivered four of them. One gifted run to the opposition right there. The pressure on the pitcher against a sparklingly aggressive hitting side allows only for a small margin for error. A brutal truism: runners on base often equal runs on the scoreboard. 

Strike outs continued and so did the hits, but the scoreboard screamed 0-6 after three completed innings. Pressure bends logic and commonsense and sadly so it was with our team today. Errors beget errors and runs leak. This pattern was hard to shake today.

However, Clayton Campbell gave the crowd a well hit single through the second base gap to cheer and become momentarily excited about. Rare gold. Good contact was made by many others, but with no result. Venezuelan fielders snaffled up catches and half chances like hungry seagulls at the beach. Conversely, tragic lack of communication between our fielders saw a skied ball fall into space between two fielders. Just when you did not need it. A ball through the legs of a fielder is also mightily embarrassing, as were throwing errors over first base or a baseman dropping the ball. 

It was part of a blurry picture of regret. Coach killers, pitcher killers and crowd killers all abounded today. At times the errors seemed like a disease spreading through the field, in need of rapid inoculation. The dugout cannot cure this.

At 0-8 down, the coach's words matter most at such times..."good work kid"... "you can do it" are valuable and more powerful than most other things in that moment.

Andrew Martin, a sprightly lad of growing stature and height, entered as our pitcher in the fourth innings and was tidy, securing valuable outs when at times we felt they were seemingly not to be found. His body language was upbeat and positive - his arm reliable. The cheering and banter from the opposition dugout rose as the thought of a mercy win beckoned. Hits rained down. Pass balls crept it. It was a kaleidoscope of horror. 

Yet we were resolute and stronger towards the end of the game.

At the end of the fifth innings, an excellent double play from Riley Watson to Clayton Campbell and then to an outstretched Liam McCallum at first base was an exception play to beat yet another rapid fire Venezuelan base runner, demonstrating to the doubting crowd that precision and skill has been the hallmark of this talented team. The cruelty of this play was that it served to highlight that the field did not always meet their capability today.

At the top of the sixth, a crisp flat line drive single hit to Riley Watson was a really positive punctuation mark in an otherwise quiet showing for our hitters too. We only had two hits (Campbell and Watson) and one walk (McCallum) all game. Venezuela dominated and were classy and may give Chinese Taipei some trouble tomorrow.

However today's effort was not to distract from a wonderful trip and campaign where other Australian teams now are challenged to win three games and contest the international final. Our team has made a significant dent in the world order of baseball at this year's Junior League World Series and made many critics eat their words and humbly visit the hall of mirrors.

The international teams do not get an opportunity to play the USA teams in the tournament (unless you reach the final) unfortunately. They sit insulated in their own side of the draw (as they do in Little League) and this needs to change to truly improve our baseball - and world baseball. Our administrators need to represent this "crossover" ethic as an invigorating, rejuvenating force to inspire our players in their work and in their baseball learning journey. Break a few traditions of USA self perception perhaps.

After seven innings and a complete game, a 0-9 result seemed a harsh report card on the effort of all across the past week. No matter, the sun comes up tomorrow and hopefully with it, comes improvement and harder work to reach improved levels of excellence. Stronger arms, sharper fielding, more base running speed, better decision making under pressure, quicker hands, batting technique...Plenty to improve. Plenty to celebrate.