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Home / Sports News / A first for the Abilene Wylie Little League representing Texas West as it turned back Texas East, 10-6, Monday, to win state and regional for the first time and also gain the World Series

A first for the Abilene Wylie Little League representing Texas West as it turned back Texas East, 10-6, Monday, to win state and regional for the first time and also gain the World Series

The boys from Wylie went 4-0 in the Southwest Junior Little League Baseball Regional played at St. Michael’s

Arnie Leshin

By ARNIE LESHIN, Santa Fe Today

It was all so new, the Wylie Little League boys even did a premature rush to celebrate.

They then had to retreat quickly because it’s not over until it’s over, and this championship game of the Southwest Little League Baseball Regional at St. Michael’s, wasn’t yet over.

But the undefeated team from Texas West thought it was, when with two out, its pitcher, Garrett Graham, took a throw from the outfield and flipped it to catcher Landon Williams after the runner on third tagged up. But the ball went past the catcher.

To the Abilene Wylie LL team, it was an apparent final out, but the home plate umpire informed it the runner was safe and to cease the celebration.

But it didn’t take long before the next batter, Thomas Chang, hit a grounder to second baseman Riley Hood who tossed to Dante Cano at first, and the celebration was now in order.

It was a 10-6 triumph over their Longhorn State rival representing the Texas East out of Houston’s West University LL. It was the second time in the Regional that West defeated East, but this Monday morning triumph was more than that.

It was a first for manager Damon Albus and Wylie. In their 10 years, never before had they won state to make it to the Regional, and of course had never won it, and, most important, never before had they advanced to the International World Series to be played in Taylor, Mich.

Albus had been with the Wylie All-Stars all 10 years, and he let his team know it after it posed for the championship and hoisted the trophy before its happy fans.

“Guys,” he said, “we started this journey on the bottom of the ladder and now we’ve stepped to the top of it. I am so proud of you guys. You worked, you sweated, you played hard, and now you get to wear the Southwest jersey in the World Series.”

He continued after awarding two of the game balls to his coaches, Jeff Hood and Jason Graham, and passing the praise to them.

“Now we head to new surroundings. We fly out of Albuquerque on August 11, but I’m going to see if the Little League can fly us out of Dallas.”

Taylor is a suburb of Detroit, so that’s where they will be welcomed by Little League officials before boarding the bus.

It went 4-0 with the two wins over Texas East and one each over the New Mexico champions from Carlsbad’s Shorthorn LL and the host Santa Fe Monsters.

It got past the West University Little Leaguers, 6-5, on Saturday via Garrett Graham’s solo home run in the top of the seventh inning. This time he batted out four hits, drove in four runs, and scored once when his team overturned a 6-5 deficit with five runs in the top of the fifth to go up 10-5.

For Graham, it was a repeat of the previous win by starting behind the plate, moving to third, and finishing up on the mound for back-to-back saves.

“I was just as nervous today as I was the other day,” he said, “but I had my control and just battled.”

The win went to Balin Valentine, who relieved starter Cooper Cothran in the fourth. He hurled until there was one out and two on and a run in the bottom of the seventh. In came Graham and, after the premature rush to celebrate, the final out was recorded and the caravan was set for the 8-hour drive back to Abilene.

“This was a first for us,” Albus said, “and this team earned it. I’m so proud to have been a part of it.”

In the Saturday win, Albus’ team wore its practice tops. This time, it dressed in its purple and yellow jerseys.

Graham was the hero Saturday and extended his hit parade Monday. But it was truly a team effort as it wanted to win this one and not have to meet Texas East later in the day of the double-elimination Regional.

“They did a good job,” said Texas East manager James Madrid in regard to Texas West. But my kids never quit, we battled until the final out. But I wish the champions the best, hope they win it.”

As was the case Saturday, Madrid’s team fell behind 2-0 after one, and then tied things with two of its own in the second. West then responded with a three-run second, but back came the West University team to make it 5-5 with a three-run third.

In the fifth, East took a 6-5 lead, but West answered by scoring five times in the fifth to go up 10-5.

It hit three home runs over the left field fence since Thursday’s opening game, one each by Dash Albus, Hood and Graham. Hood came through this time with two singles, a walk, and three RBI. It wasn’t a good day for Albus at the plate, but it was his 3-run home run on Friday that brought a 5-2 lead that led to the game one win.

Texas West had an even dozen hits and left six on base. East totaled nine hits and left eight aboard.

There was a half-hour delay when Thomas Chang of West University became hydrated in the high attitude of Santa Fe. But he was fine when he batted again in the seventh, except it became the last out.

It was almost as if the home plate umpire was informing Texas West that it could now celebrate.

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