Just the beginning for All-Stars?

Published 11:35 am Friday, August 24, 2012

BREMERTON — When three players approached Russ Shiplet about keeping the Kitsap County All-Stars alive, the coaches were all for it.

After the All-Stars’ final 13-year-old Babe Ruth World Series game against Meridian, Idaho, the topic of the team continuing into 14-year-old baseball was brought up.

Based on the excitement within the team, it’s a possibility the Kitsap baseball community will see the World Series host team play again, head coach Shiplet said.

“I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to [coach the team],” Shiplet said. “I wouldn’t be opposed to do it again.”

Continuing on as an All-Star team will require the participating players to play at least 60 percent of recreational baseball within a Babe Ruth league — either in central or north Kitsap. It will also require the cooperation of both Kitsap Babe Ruth leagues, which, according to Shiplet, was no problem for the World Series for 13-year-olds.

And, of course, it will take parental support, because the road to the World Series has “been a long road for them,” Shiplet said.

The All-Stars ended their World Series run after losing four games in pool play, Aug. 15-19 at Gene Lobe Fields at the Kitsap Fairgrounds. The host team lost 9-2 to Bryant, Ark., 3-2 to Waite Park, Minn., 8-6 to Westfield, Mass., and 6-5 to Meridian, Idaho. Ten teams participated in the series.

Though they lost, the All-Star players became better ball players every game, Shiplet said. The last game they played, he said, was the best of the tournament for them.

“You could see that, in their faces, we gave it our all,” he said. There was “no hanging of the heads.”

The All-Stars were automatically placed in the tournament as hosts, as is standard procedure for a Babe Ruth World Series. The other teams played through postseason tournaments. By the last game, however, Shiplet said the team proved it deserved to be there.

Included on the All-Stars’ roster were many standout players. Pitcher Miles Brundage, for example, was able to pitch a complete game in the World Series and came up with critical hits and RBIs, Shiplet said.

Left fielder Hayden Trull, too, brought “a ton of talent” to the team, carrying the All-Stars with his hitting.

Center fielder Mel Crowley — he also pitched in the series — had four long throws to the catcher for tags at home. He will be “a bright spot in high school baseball,” Shiplet said.

And, even though there was no true captain, first baseman Cody Kanouse acted as a leader when the coaches need him to, taking the team on his back, Shiplet said.

“We definetly felt like we battled,” Cody said Wednesday night during the championship game between Bryant, Ark. and Greenville, N.C.

The scores may not have come out in the All-Stars favor, but Cody still enjoyed the opportunity to play in the series. Under the lights, Cody said the team played hard, they played well.

“We did what we had to do,” he said.

The All-Stars were nervous during the first game, Cody said. During each game, there were one or two innings the Kitsap players should have held. However, everyone on the team bonded and the All-Stars will have lasting memories of the world series, he said.

Though the All-Stars were automatically seeded into the tournament, the team did not have the most easy beginning.

Originally holding tryouts at the Zone Sportsplex in Poulsbo, the facility close. The coaches were forced to move tryouts to the high school, which actually allowed the players to practice on a high school-regulated field.

The team also worked around the schedules of the various teams all the players were on. Shiplet said he was lucky to have the support and cooperation of both central and north leagues.

The All-Stars then played in four tournaments, taking first in two, and third in two.

Throughout it all, Shiplet wanted the players to take two things with them: life lessons, learning to work together; and appreciate other forms of baseball, such as high school. If they hadn’t learned those lessons, Shiplet would have failed as a coach, he said. However, he feels he did not fail. “We have the boys ready to move on,” he said, adding that many are ready to play at the JV level in high school as freshman.

And, even though there was no true captain, first baseman Cody Kanouse acted as a leader when the coaches need him to, taking the team on his back, Shiplet said.

“We definitely felt like we battled,” Cody said Wednesday night during the championship game between Bryant, Ark. and Greenville, N.C.

The scores may not have come out in the All-Stars’ favor, but Cody still enjoyed the opportunity to play in the series. Under the lights, Cody said the team played hard and they played well.

“We did what we had to do,” he said.

The All-Stars were nervous during the first game, Cody said. During each game, there were one or two innings the Kitsap players should have held. However, everyone on the team bonded and the All-Stars will have lasting memories of the World Series, he said.

Though the All-Stars were automatically seeded into the tournament, the team did not have the easiest beginning.

Tryouts were originally going to be held at the Zone Sportsplex in Poulsbo, but the facility closed. The coaches moved tryouts to the high school, which actually allowed the players to practice on a high school-regulation field.

The team also worked around the schedules of the various teams all the players were on. Shiplet said he was lucky to have the support and cooperation of both central and north leagues.

The All-Stars then played in four tournaments, taking first in two, and third in two.

Throughout it all, Shiplet wanted the players to take two things with them: life lessons, learning to work together; and appreciation for other forms of baseball, such as high school. If they hadn’t learned those lessons, Shiplet would have failed as a coach, he said.

He feels he did not fail at all.

“We have the boys ready to move on,” he said of future baseball.