Faces may have changed from time to time but the heart of the team remained the same so no matter what team you’re playing for,support eachother and whether you’re up to bat down 0-2, or you’re pitching trying to get that last strike or your just trying to get that last out remember you’ll always be a “STINGRAY” and hit the heck out that ball, throw hard, and make that play…Go Stingrays!!!!!
2008 USSSA ELITE 24 12U WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS
THE STORY
OPENING DAY-
HOT!HOT!HOT! THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE. THE NORWALK STINGRAYS ARE PART OF A SELECT GROUP REPRESENTING THE BEST YOUTH BASEBALL TEAMS OUT OF 2000 USSSA TEAMS NATIONWIDE. "ONLY THE BEST PLAY THE BEST"!
GAME ONE-
PAULDING COUNTY VIPERS VS. THE NORWALK STINGRAYS 2:30 P.M.
THE VIPERS HAD A CATCHER ABOUT 6 FEET TALL AND A PITCHER WHO THREW ABOUT 70 MPH. THAT WASN'T ENOUGH TO KEEP DOWN THE STINGRAYS. AFTER A SCORELESS FIRST INNING THE STINGRAYS SCORED 2 IN THE 2ND INNING. THE VIPERS SCORED ONE. THE SCORE AT THE TOP OF 3 IS 2-1. 3RD INNING THE VIPERS HOLD THE STINGRAYS AT 2. VIPERS SCORE NONE. TOP OF 4 THE VIPERS MAKE SOME ERRORS AND THE STINGRAYS SCORE 2.VIPERS DO NOT SCORE. TOP OF 5. STINGRAYS SCORE 0, VIPERS SCORE 0. THE STINGRAYS KEEP THE VIPERS TO ONE RUN AND WIN THE GAME 4-1.
GAME TWO-
CENTRAL FLORIDA STING VS. NORWALK STINGRAYS 12:30 PM.
THE STING SCORED ONE RUN THE 1ST INNING AND CONTINUED TO SCORE SEVERAL MORE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE GAME. ALTHOUGH LEO HIT A HOMERUN AND THE STINGRAYS HAD SEVERAL HITS THEY COULDN'T BRING NO ONE ACROSS THE PLATE. THE STING DEFEATED THE STINGRAYS 12-2. WE HAD A LOSS!!! IT'S ALRIGHT!!! IT'S POOL PLAY!!!
GAME THREE-
CHARLOTTE HURRICANES VS. NORWALK STINGRAYS 10:00 A.M.
THIS GAME WAS A HITTING SHOW FOR THE NORWALK STINGRAYS. MORALES AND MILONE HELD THE HURRICANES TO ONE RUN AND THE STINGRAYS WIN 14-1.
GAME FOUR-
TEAM RAWLINGS VS. THE NORWALK STINGRAYS
ANOTHER GAME. ANOTHER WIN. THE STINGRAYS DOMINATE ONCE AGAIN DEFEATING TEAM RAWLINGS 12-2,
GAME FIVE-
HB NITRO ELITE VS. NORWALK STINGRAYS 8:00 A.M.
TODAY THE NORWALK STINGRAYS FACE THIER BIGGEST RIVAL HB NITRO. WE CAN DO THIS BOYS!!!! TYLER ALAMO BROUGHT HIS A GAME HOLDING THE NITRO TO TWO HITS. NO RUNS SCORED. THE STINGRAYS WANTED THIS WIN AND EARNED 10 HITS SCORING 8. THE STINGRAYS WIN NITRO 8-0.
GAME SIX-
NORWALK STINGRAYS VS. TEAM RAWLINGS 8:00 A.M.
THE STINGRAYS ARE FACING TEAM RAWLINGS ONCE AGAIN AND THEY ARE SEEKING REVENGE. A NAIL-BITER. THE STINGRAYS WERE WINNING TEAM RAWLINGS AS THEY HEADED TO THE 6TH HOWEVER, TEAM RAWLINGS DIDN'T GIVE UP AND TIED THE GAME 3-3. TEAM RAWLINGS HAD A MAN ON 2ND AND 3RD AN ONE OUT. A STORM BLEW IN. EVERYONE HAD TO TAKE COVER AND CLEAR THE FIELD. AFTER AN HOUR LONG DELAY THE GAME RESUMES... DREW(THE CLOSER) TAKES THE MOUND...YOU CAN DO THIS DREW. OH YEAH 2 STRIKEOUTS. GAME TO INTENSE...GOING 7. STINGRAYS SCORELESS, RAWLINGS SCORELESS WERE GOING 8. BRING OUT THAT SUN!!! LEO GETS A HIT THERE'S HOPE!!! ADKINSON , RAY, TOMMY, JAIME, EVERYBODY HITS THE STINGRAYS BREAK IT OPEN SCORING 6 THANK YOU LORD!!! RAWLINGS HAD ONE MORE CHANCE...DREW HOLDS 'EM. THE STINGRAYS PULLED IT OFF!!! TOUGH GAME. FINAL SCORE 9-3
GAME 7-
TERMINATORS VS. NORWALK STINGRAYS SEMI-FINAL 8:00 A.M.
THE NORWALK STINGRAYS MAKE IT TO CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY!!! THE SEMI-FINAL IS AGAINST THE UNDEFEATED TERMINATORS.THE STINGRAYS START OUT STRONG EARNING 4 RUNS IN THE IST INNING. THE TERMINATORS HIT A HOME RUN. THE SCORE AFTER ONE IS 4-1. THE TERMINATORS ARE UP FOR THE FIGHT. THE STINGRAYS SCORE ONLY ONE MORE RUN IN THE 3RD INNING. THE TERMINATORS #13 HITS A TWO RUN HOMER IN THE 4TH. THE SCORE IS NOW 5-3. WE GOTTA HOLD 'EM!!! WE WIN!!!! GOING TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!! IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING!!!
"THE BIG GAME"
BANDITOS 12U BLACK VS. THE NORWALK STINGRAYS 11:00 A.M.
OH MY GOD!!!WERE PLAYING GIANTS!! YOU MADE IT BOYS!!! YOU CAN DO THIS!!! THE STANDS ARE PACKED. DREW IS ON THE MOUND. WALKS FIRST BATTER, NEXT UP #51 HITS TO CENTER SCORES ONE. THEY ARE ON THE BOARD. #33 COMES UP FOR A HIT SCORES #51 BANDITOS UP BY 2. EDGAR HITS!! RAY HITS!!! TYLER ALAMO HITS, SCORES EDGAR. FRANKIE GETS ON. BASES LOADED TOMMY'S UP. PUTS THE BALL IN PLAY SCORES RAY. AT THE END OF THE 1ST INNING THE SCORE IS 2-2. WE GOTTA A BALL GAME.RENE COMES TO THE MOUND. THE BANDITOS EARN 4 MORE RUNS IN THE 2ND AND 3RD INNING. THE STINGRAYS EARN 2. SCORE IS 6-4 AT THE TOP OF FOUR. THOSE BIG BOYS SWING AWAY AGAIN HITTING IN 3 MORE RUNS WERE DOWN 9-4 AT THE BOTTOM OF FOUR. BUT THE STINGRAYS DIDN'T GIVE UP. THE STINGRAYS GET 4 MORE HITS AND SCORE 3 MORE RUNS. THE SCORE HEADING TO THE 5TH IS 9-7. C'MON HOLD THEM GUYS.TYLER TAKES THE MOUND THE STINGRAYS DID IT THE BANDITOS SCORE "0" IN THE 5TH "BIG INNING." BOTTOM OF FIVE JAIME GETS ON. RENE HITS A HOME RUN.SCORES 2!!! TIE GAME!!1THE STINGRAYS CONTINUE TO HIT AND SCORE 2 MORE RUNS. WE'RE ON TOP 11-9. WE CAN DO THIS!!! FRANKIE TAKES THE MOUND. TOP OF 6TH BANDITOS STRIKE BACK WITH 2 HOMERUNS SCORING 3. NOW THEY'RE ON TOP 12-11. OH NO!!! OUR LAST CHANCE!!!!START PRAYING!!!! C'MON GUYS!! FRANKIE HITS IT TO RIGHT. HE'S SAFE AT FIRST.RICKY FLY OUT ..ONE OUT. FRANKIE STEALS 2ND. JAIME GETS A HIT, RIGHT FIELDER DROPS THE BALL. FRANKIE'S ON 3RD, JAIME STEALS 2ND. RENE IS PUT ON FIRST. BASES LOADED. ONE OUT. LEO'S UP HITS IT HARD OFF THE PITCHER SCORES FRANKIE IT'S 12-12 TO TIE THE GAME. THE CROWD IS ON IT'S FEET. EDGAR IS UP..BALL.STRIKE...BALL.HE HITS IT OVER 2ND BASEMAN'S HEAD...WINNING RUN SCORES..WALK OFF HIT!!! WE WIN!! WE WIN!!! WE WIN!!!THE TEAM DID IT!! GAME OVER!!! 13-12. IT COULDN'T OF BEEN A BETTER GAME!!!EVERYONE'S CHEERING, CRYING!! THIS IS WHAT WE CAME HERE FOR!!IF YOU COULD ONLY SEE THE KIDS FACES. THEY WOULDN'T OF HAD IT ANY OTHER WAY. THE NORWALK STINGRAYS FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DEFEAT THE 10 TIME CHAMPION, UNDEFEATED BANDITOS BLACK FROM TOMBALL, TEXAS...LAND OF THE GIANTS!!! THE STINGRAYS BEAT THE BEST AND ARE THE USSSA ELITE 24 12 UNDER WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS.
TEAMWORK, DEDICATION, COACHING, PRAYER, NEVER GIVING UP..THE STINGRAYS GAVE IT THEIR ALL TO THE VERY END. THE STINGRAYS ENDED THE YEAR JUST AS IT BEGAN AS CHAMPIONS.
BOYS THESE ARE MEMORIES THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME. NO ONE CAN EVER TAKE THIS FROM YOU. YOU CAN ALWAYS SAY I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS 12 ON A HOT AUGUST DAY I WAS ON THE NORWALK STINGRAYS BASEBALL TEAM AND WE WON THE USSSA ELITE 24 12U WORLD SERIES IN ORLANDO FLORIDA!!!!
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE POSTING COMMENTS ON OUR WEBSITE!!!WE HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE TEAM AS THEY HEAD TO MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE AUGUST 21ST TO PROUDLY REPRESENT THE USSSA ORGANIZATION AT THE 1ST ANNUAL NATIONAL YOUTH BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!ROCK AND ROLL STINGRAYS!! PLAY AS A TEAM WIN AS TEAM GO STINGRAYS!!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS OFFENSIVE MVP RAYMOND LOZANO AND TOURNAMENT MVP EDGAR MORALES!!!
NATIONAL YOUTH BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
NATIONAL YOUTH BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS COVERAGE OF OPENING CEREMONIES, AND TWO GAMES PLAYED CAN STILL BE VIEWED BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW:
Y'ALL ARE GOOD!!!
Y'ALL ARE GOOD! THE STINGRAYS HEARD THAT PHRASE ABOUT 100 TIMES IN MEMPHIS. UPON ARRIVAL AT FIRST TENNESSEE FIELDS THE STINGRAYS WERE GREETED BY CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF USSSA DON DeDONATIS.HE CONGRATULATED THE TEAM ON THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND PRESENTED THEM WITH USSSA PULLOVERS AND DIAMOND EQUIPMENT BAGS. OPENING CEREMONIES FOLLOWED AND THE EVENING ENDED WITH A SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS SHOW.
THE STINGRAYS DOMINATED THE NATIONAL YOUTH BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS DEFEATING EVERY TEAM THEY FACED.THE TEAM ENTERED THE SEMI-FINALS WITH THE BEST RECORD IN THE TOURNAMENT. THE SEMI-FINAL GAME WAS A TOUGH ONE AGAINST THE ORLANDO JUICE. AFTER 9 HARD-FOUGHT INNINGS THE STINGRAYS SUCCUMMED TO THE JUICE 5-4.
THE STINGRAYS WERE CELEBRITIES IN MEMPHIS. THEY AMAZED MLB PLAYERS AND OTHERS WITH THEIR ABILITY AT 12 YEARS OLD TO EXECUTE PLAYS AND THE POWER THEY HAD AT BAT. HAROLD REYNOLDS SAID HE WAS EXTEMELY IMPRESSED WITH THE TEAMS' PERFORMANCE, THE BOYS WERE THE BEST HE'D SEEN AFTER 9 YEARS OF COVERING 12-13 YEARD OLDS. HE ALSO SAID NOT TO FORGET THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION AND HE EXPECTS TO SEE EVERYONE ON THE TEAM PLAYING FOR COLLEGE AND/OR EVEN THE BIG LEAGUES ONE DAY. CHET LEMON CAME OVER TO SPEAK TO THE TEAM AFTER THE GAME AND STATED NOT ONLY THE PLAYERS WERE AMAZING THE COACHING WAS OUTSTANDING. THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY WAS WHEN VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE CHICAGO WHITE SOX EDDIE EINHORN PRESENTED THE TEAM WITH THEIR BRONZE MEDALS.
THE NORWALK STINGRAYS 12 AND UNDER SEASON WAS A MEMORABLE ONE. FEW TEAMS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THEY WERE TWELVE AND UNDER CHAMPIONS, PARTICIPATED IN THE INNAUGURAL NATIONAL YOUTH BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS AND HAD THEIR GAMES SHOWN ON MLB.COM. EVERYONE IS SO PROUD OF YOU. GO STINGRAYS!!!!!!!
NYBC PHOTOS
PICTURES FROM THE NATIONAL YOUTH BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS CAN BE VIEWED AND PURCHASED BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW:
2008 USSSA ELITE 24 WORLD SERIES
THE NORWALK STINGRAYS FLY OUT TO FLORIDA THIS WEEK TO PLAY IN THE USSSA ELITE 24 WORLD SERIES TO COMPETE AGAINST THE TOP 24 12U TEAMS FROM ACROSS THE NATION. THE TEAM IS SURE TO FACE THEIR TOUGHEST COMPETITION YET. THIS TOURNAMENT WILL END THE 12 AND UNDER SEASON FOR THE NORWALK STINGRAYS. SOME OF THESE BOYS HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 3 YEARS NOW AND ARE PROUD, ALONG WITH THEIR OTHER TEAMMATES TO HAVE REACHED THIS GOAL. THE NORWALK STINGRAYS WORKED HARD TO GET THIS POINT AND WIN OR LOSE "PLAYERS AND COACHES" BE PROUD THAT THIS PAST YEAR YOU “THE NORWALK STINGRAYS” WERE #1 IN THE NATION AND HAVE BEEN #1 IN SO CAL FOR THE WHOLE SEASON. I DON’T BELIEVE THERE IS ANOTHER TEAM OUT THERE WHO PLAYS WITH THE HEART THAT YOU BOYS DO…BRING THOSE GREAT POSITIVE ATTITUDES AND COMRADERIE WITH YOU TO FLORIDA AND REMEMBER “PLAY AS A TEAM, WIN AS A TEAM…............ GO STINGRAYS!!!!!.....GOOD LUCK BOYS!!!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! TO STINGRAYS’ FAMILY, FRIENDS, FANS, AND SUPPORTERS FOR ALL YOUR HELP THIS PAST YEAR.
2008 NORWALK STINGRAYS ELITE WORLD SERIES CHAMPION
