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Tournaments  | Story  | 7/21/2018

Roos power way to victory

Nate Schweers     
Photo: Tanner Darley (Perfect Game)

EMERSON, Ga. – The Kangaroo Court Roos opened up play at the 14u Perfect Game World Series with a 9-6 win over HBF Maroons Easton 14u on Friday. The win gives the Roos an early leg up in what will be a competitive Pool B.

After falling behind 4-1 early in Friday’s contest, Roos catcher Tanner Darley was able to line a pitch deep into the gap, clearing the bases and tying the ballgame. Darley, who is a native of Parrish, Florida, is a primary catcher in the class of 2022.

“I was just trying to go middle away and stay on top of it. I just got under the pitch and it happened to go a little further than where the he [the fielder] was playing,” said Darley, who thinks that team energy is a key to making the playoffs. “We need to keep each other up. When we keep each other up we have good at-bats and play good defense.”

While Darley delivered the biggest hit of the evening, this Roos team made the most of their run-scoring opportunities on Friday. The Roos scored their nine runs on just five hits, and four different players collected an RBI.

“I was happy with our grit today. It was nowhere near our best performance as a team, but we had guys come up big for us,” said Roos head coach Andy Fleischacker. “We did enough with quality at-bats to get us back into the game, and we got the timely hits today.”

The Roos needed to score in just two of their at-bats on Friday, as they were able to follow up a four run third inning with five more in the fourth.

Based out of the Tampa area, the Roos program prides itself on developing players from the 8u level all the way to the 17u level. After an impressive runner-up finish at the 13u PG World Series last month, the Roos are looking to make a splash at the 14u level as well.

“All throughout our program we usually come from within 100 miles of Tampa. We’re a local team; we’re not picking guys up from all over the country. We practice, we’re all about development, and we put a good team together. We go into tournaments looking to compete and be there on the last day.”

Another outstanding performer from today’s matchup was two-way player Renzo Gonzalez. Gonzalez, who was born and raised in Puerto Rico, got the save on the mound on Friday while also collecting a run scoring single.

“When I came in, coach Andy told me to throw strikes and get a big out for the team,” said Gonzalez. “I always try to come in and shut the door for our team.”

Gonzalez is a young member for the class of 2021, allowing him to compete in the 14u division of the PG World Series. As one of the older members of this team, the Roos look to Gonzalez for guidance and leadership in these big time tournaments.

“I am always motivating my teammates,” said Gonzalez as Tanner Darley nodded in agreement. “When I moved here a year ago from Puerto Rico, coach Andy told me on the first day I met him that I needed to be a leader on the team. I keep taking that role for my teammates, and I try to do work for them.”

In the PG World Series setting, every game is important. This Roos team knows the importance of getting out on the right foot with every game being the biggest one yet.

“Those guys could swing the sticks and they really got on us early today,” said Fleischacker. “For us to come back and grind it out is a really big win for us today and it's a great start to what we hope is a long week at the tournament.”

The Roos will be back in action Saturday night when they take on Lights Out Baseball National 14u. With a talented roster that knows what it takes to win, the sky is the limit for this group from Tampa.
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