BENTONVILLE — The luck of the draw was good for the Pacific Northwest Regional 10-year-old champions.
Each of the 10 teams at the 10-year-old Cal Ripken World Series gets a day off during pool play and Willamette Valley, Oregon, watched a little baseball Friday as their off day came on the first day of the tournament.
Willamette Valley coach Jody Allard has taken teams to the previous two 10-year Old World Series and four trips in all and he welcomed the fact that his team from Eugene didn’t play Friday.
“It’s an advantage after you have traveled halfway across the nation to get here,” Allard said. “You get a little jet lagged and stuff. We get to scout the other teams and get to see what they have.”
Allard, and his brother Jacky, took Willamette Valley to the 12-year-old World Series in 2003 and this is their third straight trip in the youngest age group in Cal Ripken.
“It helps to have veteran coaches because you don’t make the same mistakes,” Allard said. “We know the routine for state, regional and the World Series. It’s just the little things that help you.”
Willamette Valley enters with a 28-5 record but four of those losses were to traveling teams. They were 6-0 at the regional while outscoring their opponent 63-14.
“Our strength is our defense,” Allard said. “We get outs. We don’t give up many runs. Infield, outfield, this is the best defense I have had out of the four teams we have taken to the World Series.”
Willamette Valley plays Hopewell, N.J., at 3:30 p.m. today.
Illness Strikes Connecticut Team
Danbury, Conn., the New England Regional champion, has run into another tough opponent during its stay in Northwest Arkansas — sickness.
Three players began dealing with fever during Danbury’s 9-4 victory over Crown Point, Ind., in Friday’s first game. That included starting outfielder CJ Cianflone — son of manager Lisa Cianflone — who began having trouble breathing and was the first to leave the game.
All three players were eventually removed from the dugout in hopes the illness didn’t spread to the rest of the team. Danbury finished the game with the minimum nine player
“It’s sort of worked its way around the team,” Lisa Cianflone said after the game. “There’s nothing you can do about it. You just have to fight it, and hopefully they get better.
“Had we lost a fourth player, we would have been in trouble. Bad trouble.”
The good news for Danbury is today can be considered a day of rest, although Cianflone had planned a light morning practice. Danbury returns to action with a 3:30 p.m. game Sunday against Southeast Regional champ Sarasota, Fla.
— HENRY APPLE