If there’s one team out there this year with the bull’s eye on their back it’s the Central team of District 11, from South Bend, Ind. The 2007 World Series runners-up have had impressive showings, dating back to the team’s championship title in 2004, when the team won the Junior Little League World Series at ages 13 and 14.
Coastal Point • Jesse Pryor
An Asia-Pacific batter squares for a blunt.
Back for their third consecutive year at the Senior World Series, and plenty of experience to under the belts, the team opened against the Asia-Pacific team Bacalod West, from the Philippines.
The match-up saw impressive control from the mound as pitching from both teams kept the game scoreless for the first two innings, but late swings came through as Central toppled Bacalod West, 10-1.
While the absence of Asia-Pacific’s starting pitcher, Angelique Benjamin, may have ultimately been a factor, Julie Marie Muyco showed full composure, striking out five of the first six Central batters. The Indiana defense-backing pitcher Jenny Bals responded with punctual play in the infield.
Tara Hicks put an end to the monotony, however, as she blasted a pitch over the right field fence with one runner on to put Central up by two in the bottom of the third. A walk on loaded bases gave Indiana another score in the fourth.
The Filipinos started with a late retort, as Nerissa Benjamen brought Muyco home with a fielder’s-choice bunt, but Central wasn’t about to lie down.
Brandy Evanovich, Laura Schaeper, Kayla Noble and Bals each doubled for a combined five runs against Asia-Pacific’s relief pitcher in the sixth inning, while a tag-up run and RBI from Santana Bozman added to the lead.
Despite his team’s reputation at the World Series, manager Andy Bozman knows this tournament will be anything but a cakewalk.
“There are some quality teams here this year,” he said, “and everything I’ve seen tells me that nobody should be taking anyone for granted. This Asia-Pacific team is as tough and as fundamentally sound as any team I’ve seen.”
The slow start at the plate for Central wasn’t too surprising to Bozman, as he saw Muyco’s pitching prior to the game.
“You have to make your adjustments,” he said, “and they have a great pitcher. You can’t take anything away from her. To her credit, she did a heck of a job.”
Hicks, who was injured during last year’s tournament in a swimming accident, has shown signs of improvement, both on and off the diamond.
Coastal Point • Jesse Pryor
Central's Brittney Cossey prepares to throw a pitch against Asia-Pacific.
“We don’t want to do anything to damage her from here on out,” Bozman said. “She’s been making contact in batting practice and performing really well. That homerun really got the momentum going.”
Overall, the team eventually found their footing in their first game of the season.
“Once they adjust,” he said, “they do hit the ball well.”
Most of the girls on the team are capable of batting on both sides, too.
“You have to take a page out of what we learned last year,” Bozman added. “You have to be able to hit both ways. Take what you learn and go with it.”
Scoring a notch in the win column for the first game is essential, according to Bozman.
“It’s big to get this first game,” he said. “You have to come out and have that success and build on it. You have to get those first-day nerves out of the way, and then just go out there and have fun with it and relax. We’ve got eight girls returning, but six new ones. It’s a big stage.”