EAGER TO TAKE THE NEXT BIG LEAP
Eastdale Little League sets sights on advancing to LLWS
No New Mexico team has advanced to the Little League World Series since the Southwest Region was created in 2002.
Last year’s Eastdale team came one win short of a berth in the LLWS, and 2017 assistant coach Jonas Armenta sees no reason this year’s team can’t take the next step.
“They’ve put the work in,” Armenta said. “We have good hitting and good pitching. Why not this team?”
Eastdale is scheduled to open regional tournament play today against Arkansas’ state champion from White Hall at 7 p.m. at Marvin Norcross Stadium in Waco, Texas.
Eight teams from seven states are in regional play. It essentially is doubleelimination, with one notable exception: Next Wednesday’s championship game airing on ESPN is for the title, even if the previously unbeaten team loses. There are no “if” games.
All 14 games of the tournament will air on the Longhorn Network, ESPN or ESPN2.
Like last year’s New Mexico state title winner, Eastdale had to overcome a loss to Shorthorn Little League and show its grit in the double-elimination playoff format to repeat as champion.
“The character of this team is strong, and they’re not afraid of anything,” said Eastdale co-assistant
coach Ronnie Meng. “Their demeanor doesn’t change based on where they are in a game. That’s what’s exciting about going to Waco.”
“It’s a big stage, and I’ve always been taught that the team that settles down first will be more successful,” said Eastdale manager Bo Martinez. “You hope (the kids) can ignore the TV, the cameras and all of the spotlights.”
And Martinez can draw on some valuable experience.
As an assistant coach on Eastdale’s 2012 Little League softball team, which included his daughter, he helped that squad to a New Mexico and World Series title.
“What I learned with the girls is that maybe the spotlight affected them the first game,” Martinez said. “But because they won the World Series, they got to play a lot of games. By the end, they didn’t even realize the cameras were there.”
Martinez was selected to manage this year’s baseball team, perhaps in no small part due to his prior postseason experience And again, Martinez is coaching one of his children — Trevor.
“Oh yeah, (the players) have been giving me a hard time saying I have to keep it going (winning a World Series) with the family tradition,” Trevor Martinez said.
Other players, such as Nico Barela, may not have the family tradition of winning championships, but did live vicariously through last year’s state championship team.
“I was texting the team (last year) saying good job and congratulations,” Barela said, who, as a pitcher, may find himself in the spotlight. “I thought it would be pretty cool to play on TV like last year’s team, and now we’re getting the same opportunity.”
What coach Martinez, Meng, and Armenta believe is that Eastdale will not suffer from stage fright or swoon under the pressure of expectations.
Nearly half of this year’s all-star team has four or five years of competitive travel ball experience facing some of the best teams in their respective age group.
Considering that, Meng says the moment will not be too big for the Eastdale all-stars.
“They know it’s about them and not who’s in the other dugout,” Meng said. “All the teams are very talented at this point. Execution is huge, and it all starts with what we can do.”
Tournament information is available online at http:// www.llbws.org/llbbws/ southwest.htm