Post Oak standout relishes experience, not impressive stats
Left fielder led way in tourney opener by going 3-for-3
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Justin Michaelis may be putting up impressive numbers in Post Oak’s run to the U.S. winners’ bracket semifinal at the Little League Baseball World Series, but he’s not impressed.
Derek Michaelis, Justin’s father, compiles all the statistics for the Post Oak team and its coaches.
After going 3-for-3 in Thursday’s 3-1 win over Coventry, R.I., Justin was asked if she shares his father’s interest in the numbers that pervade baseball.
“I don’t really pay attention to stats,” Justin said.
Derek figures somebody does. When asked about Post Oak’s complete statistics for the playoff run, he chose not to share because of the risk that they could assist opponents in preparation for playing the Texas East and Southwest Region champions.
GameChanger compiles the statistics at each Little League Baseball regional and showed Justin as one of four Post Oak players to bat .500 or better in the Southwest tournament. He was 7-for-14 with a double, a walk, three runs and five RBIs in those four games.
Justin, the left fielder and cleanup hitter, doubled and scored the team’s final run in the sixth inning to help make sure Post Oak’s debut at the World Series was a success.
It was a debut that Derek anxiously anticipated. When the team traveled from Texas to Pennsylvania on Saturday, Derek departed the same day. He made the nearly 24-hour drive, arriving Sunday before anyone else outside the official team traveling party in order to have as much time as possible in Williamsport.
“It was amazing,” Justin said of the experience during Thursday’s postgame news conference. “It’s a lifelong dream that every kid wants.
“Only 16 teams get to come here, and we’re one of those 16 teams, so it’s amazing.”
Post Oak had to sit through a lightning delay in its Thursday opener. The first two games Friday also had delays and more weather issues appeared to be threatening to alter the schedule that has Post Oak playing against Mid-Atlantic Region champion Mid-Island from Staten Island, N.Y., at 10 a.m. Sunday on ESPN.