Although they came from different teams here in the valley, the team is very strong in their fundamental play. They field well on defense, have strong pitchers and can hit the ball well. In fact, in the last four tournaments the boys have played, 10 of the 13 players on the roster are hitting over .500. They are also extremely fast. At nine years old, this is the first exposure to all-star tournaments for all of these boys. Last year they were playing either coach pitch baseball or hitting off a pitching machine.
The team played four games in the state tournament, and each game had obstacles the team had to overcome. The heat was intense and draining but the team played tough.
During the state tournament, a different player stepped up each game to make a difference. The South Bitterroot team defeated Bozeman in their first game and then stopped Miles City to advance to the undefeated game where they played Belgrade. The South Bitterroot team had a marathon game that went on for four hours, including a 40-minute delay. The delay was to get a ruling on the field. Although the parents and coaches were intensely following the debate, the players took the time to relax on the field. The ruling went against the Bitterroot team but that didn’t affect their play. They went on to win, 16-15, and advance to the championship game against an always tough Helena team. South Bitterroot defeated Helena, 12-8, to take the championship.
The trip to Oregon is not cheap and so fundraising efforts are in full swing. The team needs to raise over $10K for the trip. This will help with gas, housing and food for the trip. The team will be having a lemonade stand with a bake sale this Saturday in front of Hamilton City Hall from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., in conjunction with the Hamilton Farmers Market. There is also an account set up at www.gofundme.com/9UMontanaChamps .