South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Team on the way to the World Series in California
The summer march to making childhood dreams a reality continues for the Fort Lauderdale Little League Intermediate club, earning a berth in the Little League intermediate World Series in California July 31 to Aug. 7 after taking the Southeast Regional championship in North Carolina.
It was an inauspicious start for the team of 12– and 13-year-olds as they dropped their first game of the tournament to South Carolina 12-4. Knocked into the loser’s bracket, the team was forced to win out the rest of their games in order to advance. The boys of summer proceeded to win their next four games and exacted a measure of revenge by defeating South Carolina 10-2 in the finale.
Faced with the prospect of going home and missing the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play in the Little League Intermediate World Series, the team showed tremendous resolve and intestinal fortitude.
The Southeast Regional tournament comprised six state champions, which included Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Fort Lauderdale came into the Southeast Regional tournament with a 9-0 record after District, Sectional and the state of Florida tournaments.
“We really had only one close game during that stretch and weren’t really tested and our group came into this tournament a little too confident,” said Fort Lauderdale head coach Chip Burpee. “We didn’t really play our best game and our players felt they didn’t give 100%. Even after that loss we still felt we were the best team there and just needed to play like it.”
The loss served as a wake-up call to the young club, which spurred them on for the rest of the tournament.
“We were a totally different team at the end of the tournament than the one that showed up for the first game,” Burpee said. “I told the boys that every team we play are state champions and South Carolina was a very good team. After that first game our kids really came back, and our bats were just on fire. Our batters really pounded the ball. Our energy was just incredible.”
The coaches put away the pre-game speeches and put the onus on the players as they accepted the challenge. The players became the leaders as they motivated and rallied around each other.
In the very next game versus Tennessee, Austin Wurtzebach got his team back on winning track with an impressive pitching performance. He had a no hitter going until late in the game and his teammates matched his intensity with an offensive assault to come away with an 18-0 victory. In the next game against North Carolina, Jake Milton took the mound and earned a 14-4 victory with Liam Cerrone coming in for the save.
In the semifinal match versus a talented Virginia team, Tyler Burpee was locked up in a pitcher’s duel as the game was scoreless after four innings. He went five strong innings before his offense got untracked. He ended the game with 11 strikeouts and gave up only one walk. At one point, Fort Lauderdale batters smashed three triples in a row to break open a tight game as they won 9-4. Hunter Mercer came on in relief to pitch two innings for the save. Mercer and Burpee helped their own cause at the plate with multiple doubles and triples to lead the offense.
“Our bats came alive, and our defense and pitching was excellent,” said Coach Burpee. “That was a very good Virginia team.”
South Carolina was well rested and waiting for the winner of the Fort Lauderdale and Virginia game. The Florida champs were playing their fourth game in two days and were nursing some minor injuries and some fatigue.
“We all felt that if we got another shot at South Carolina, we would beat them,” Coach Burpee said. “Our thoughts were that if we got past Virginia in the semifinals we would win.”
Max McCawley who pitched the team to the state championship got the nod for the Southeast Regional final. Battling a sore back, he put forth a gutty performance. He pitched five solid innings and kept the South Carolina batters off balance with his curve ball. McCawley and Milton each had three hits and three RBI to lead a 14-hit attack. Tripp Echarte went 2-2 with two RBI.
“Max really worked hard and did a great job,” Coach Burpee said. “We played more games than any other team because we came out of the loser’s bracket. It was sweltering conditions and our catcher had to come out of the game because he was dehydrated. Everybody had some physical nicks and bruises. One of our players told me: ‘Coach, we are giving 100% of the 50% we have left.’ They were just battling.”
Aidan Gomez came on in relief to throw the final two innings, while also banging out three hits from the leadoff spot. The talented all-around player’s father died unexpectedly during the team’s tournament run and he became the quiet leader among his peers.
“What he is doing is just
magical and is awesome,” Coach Burpee said. “He doesn’t show a lot of emotion when he plays the game, but in the last inning everyone noticed him smiling on the mound as he closed the game out. Aidan shut them down. He has been the spark plug for the team and got two of our rallies going.”
Fort Lauderdale Little League is entering unchartered territory by becoming the first team in league history to make it to the Little League World Series. The last South Florida team to make it to the Little League World Series was East Boynton Beach Little League who captured the National Major Division
crown in 2003.
“We talked to the kids and told them it is not about the destination but the journey,” Coach Burpee said. “Have fun, give your best and enjoy this journey. You’re only 13 for the blink of an eye.”
Players on the Florida and Southeast Regional championship club are Adrian Alhadeff, Tyler Burpee, Liam Cerrone, Zachary Dion, Tripp Echarte, Aidan Gomez, John Diego Gonzalez, Hunter Mercer, Max McCawley, Zac McCawley, Jake Milton, Jared Schwegman and Austin Wurtzebach, and coaches Chip Burpee, Tony Mercer, Jordan Alhadeff and Felipe Echarte.