Area team earns 4th straight berth
T. Scott Boatright, Reporter
07-23-2009
It was a Big League baseball game, but looked more like a heavyweight slugfest.And by the time the dust settled, Louisiana’s District 5 Big League team had earned a fourth consecutive trip to the Big League World Series in Easley, S.C.
District 5 rallied to pull out in front 12-10 in the bottom of the sixth inning and then shut down Texas West in the top of the seventh to clinch the berth in the World Series, to be held July 29 – Aug. 4.
“You can’t say enough about either team,” said Tammy Patterson, mother of District 5 player Chase Patterson. “This is what baseball is all about.
“Both teams played their hearts out. But when it was over, everyone was so respectful. Those boys from West Texas gave it everything they had, but after the game they didn’t have a bad attitude and quickly congratulated our team. This kind of game really is what Little League, and Big League baseball is all about.”
The District 5 team isn’t taking their fourth straight World Series berth lightly. This time, they want to do more with it.
“We’re going to call a team meeting — just the players — to talk about it,” District 5 team member Mark Threlkeld said.
“I think last year we went up there with big heads — we were a little too confident. This is the World Series and we’ll be playing some of the best teams around. We want to have the right attitude going in this time. We want to do more (at the World Series) this time.”
Former District 5 player Mitch Best, one of only two District 5 players ever to play in three Big League World Series along with Chris Anderson, was on hand to watch the celebration and was wishing he could make a fourth trip.
“I wish it was me now,” Best said. “Now they just have to remember that it’s not getting there. It’s what they do once they’re there that counts.”
District 5 coach Eddie Parkman was pleased with the way his team handled the roller coaster contest against the team from West Texas.
“This team never lets that kind of thing get to them,” Parkman said. “When (West Texas) put four on the board in the first (inning), I sensed we would win. We scored three in the first Tuesday night and lost. I admit, when their lead got a little bigger, I started worrying some. But I should have known — this team has come from behind more than once this year. Sometimes I think they like playing it that way.”
Bill Threlkeld, Mark’s father, said he’ll take an up-down game over the kind of blowouts District 5 posted in their first two regional wins any day.
“I’ll take this kind of game over a 19-0 win any day,” Bill Threlkeld said. “This game really is what baseball is all about. There are no losers out there today. They’re really all winners, and best of all, so is everyone who was out here to watch.”
Bill Threlkeld also said he was pleased to see the double win for the District 5 team and Lincoln Parish.
“I’m excited, because this means so much for the city and Lincoln Parish as a whole,” Threlkeld said.
“It was a wonderfully run tournament and everyone had a great time, especially the teams from the other states. The people at (Louisiana) Tech — the baseball coaches and everyone else — have been wonderful.
“This is a big deal because hosting the tournament puts the city in the spotlight. The team making the World Series puts the city in the spotlight. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.”
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