EMERSON, Ga. – “I think we can win it.”
The sentiments of Nolan McLean, the No. 22 overall player for the class of 2020, were shared by all members of the Dirtbags 2020 team as they prepared for their second game of pool play. The Dirtbags finished off the Buford Wolves by a score of 9-1 and improved to 2-0 in their pool as they chase the WWBA Freshman Championship title.
Being 14-15 years old can come with a lot of expectations on the baseball field, especially when you play with an elite organization such as the Dirtbags. The Freshman Championship can be a key event for young players as they are exposed to the high-pressure environments of Lakepoint with scouts and coaches following their movements closely.
The Dirtbags opened their tournament with a 5-1 win over the MLB Breakthrough Series team and showed off the strengths of their team in the process. Pitching was key for them in that game and the players are confident that so long as their pitching staff fills the strike zone and their defense plays well that they can compete with anyone in the tournament.
“I thought we pitched really well last game,” said Connor Monroe, the No. 5 overall player in the state of North Carolina for the class of 2020. “They were throwing strikes and once we got a lead we got to focus more on hitting our spots.”
Manager Ryan Falcon knows the importance of this event and also what it takes to succeed at a high level. The final tournament of the fall for this age division pits these players against the top talent nationally and serves as an important barometer for the level of play that produces champions.
“I think this is new to them (expectations of success) and that’s why we come down here to LakePoint,” said Falcon. “With our program, we have focused on the older ages in years past but now we really focus on the younger ages too and feel like this is a big event just for the guys to understand what it’s like to come down to a big Perfect Game vent in a setting at LakePoint and not be in such awe. Although everyone is, this is such a nice venue and a great event, but this is important going forward that they know what to expect coming next year to the WWBAs. We definitely try to get them prepared more and at this early age it helps them down the road too.”
The freshman division is no stranger to the Dirtbags as a program and they have been competing in the Freshman Championship for the past couple of years. With their continuing focus on exposure and facing national competition, the coaches have a fairly good understanding of the preparation that goes into playing against unfamiliar teams.
“We’ve been coming to this event for a few years and a lot of Perfect Game events over the years,” said Falcon. “We feel that we have a good grip on playing teams that you don’t know much about. There’s some very good teams and also some teams who aren’t necessarily at the top. At this age we just try to play our own game because a lot of the time you don’t know who other teams are going to bring out. Some teams have been playing at this age for a long time so they have some big guys. If we can stick to our strength as far as getting timely hits, throwing strikes, and playing good defense then we will be alright.”
The team has a clear expectation to win this event and their strengths certainly allow for strong predictions. So long as this team is able to execute and establish their style of play, Falcon expects them to play well and to stay in every game.
“The next two games we have to come out, throw a lot of strikes, and pay good defense. That’s the name of the game, especially at this age,” said Falcon. “The teams that come out and do well don’t really walk a lot of guys and we feel if we do that right we have the key components to get some big hits. We definitely have the lineup to drive in guys, get some extra base hits, and we have guys who can run. Our offense is coming along and doing well but we feel if we can throw strikes and play defense then we will be in every game; we feel we can win every game as well.”
Win or lose, the importance of this event is not felt immediately but in the subsequent years for the players participating in it. This event helps to prepare these young athletes for the pressure-packed situations that they will undoubtedly face in the coming years. By exposing the young players to this environment they can build off this and be prepared for any level of competition they may face.
“I really hope that they see it takes an extra level of preparedness and being able to compete at a higher level to succeed. Some of these guys just aren’t used to it or don’t know what it takes. We bring them down here at the end of the season and stress the importance and gravity of this event, ultimately we’re trying to win. It takes a lot of focus for seven innings and every pitch to come out on top especially with wood bats at this age.
"That’s the main thing we take away is being able to understand that there are a lot of other good players around. This shows who they have to compete against, not only in their level but nationally, and the level of preparedness it takes to succeed at a high level.”