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American National 18-Under Baseball Takes Second In SLABA Tournament
BRENDAN FOSDICK was the starter for American National in the SLABA Tournament Championship game July 22 at St; Charles Communithy College. American National lost 6-4 to American West.
Story & photo by Jim Wieners
American National Baseball 18 and under team has seen its ups and downs this season but did not go down without a fight.
American National would eventually take second to American West in the St. Louis Amateur Baseball Association 18 Tournament, which concluded July 22 at St. Charles Community College, Cottleville.
So American National, who is still playing, will take a 27-25 record to Indianapolis, Ind., July 29-31, to compete in the Mike Walsh Invitational, times and opponents to be determined. Fans planning to go to Indianapolis will find places to stay overnight very difficult if not impossible since NASCAR will be there for the Brickyard 400, July 31. Nonetheless American National will be playing at least one more weekend.
American National hopes their second visit to Indiana will be successful. On July 8-10 American National won the Shoeless Joe Jackson Tournament in Evansville, Ind. American National was 5-1 in Evansville.
Meanwhile American West 18 and under will be in the PONY Zone Tournament at American National’s home field, the Hazelwood Youth Athletic Association, opening July 28, 3 p.m. against the Jefferson County Barnstormers
American National was 10-6 in SLABA 18 games which tied them for fourth place with American West but American National was seeded third in the SLABA 18 tourney. American National wound up in the losers bracket after losing to the Jefferson County Blazers but rebounded to play in the championship game after eliminating the Blazers. American West went 4-0 in the SLABA Tournament.
“We did alright, we didn‘t collapse,” American National head coach Bill Becher said. “You got to tip your hat to their team. We got to get ready for Indianapolis.”
It was an up and down season for American National 18 and under, more down than up in tournaments. They were 1-3 in the first tournament, June 2-4; also 1-3 in a tournament at T.R. Hughes Ballpark, O’Fallon, Mo., June 10-12, going 2-2 in a June 17-19 tournament, and in the Tournament of Champions, July 1-2 American National was 1-3 and played American Legion teams.
On the upside American National opened the season by winning six out of the first eight, then won four games in two days on June 25-26.
However Becher is optimistic for next year since this year “we’re a very young team, two seniors,” he said “I got a real good 16-under team” which is 40-8 as of July 24, took first in SLABA 16 with a 15-3 mark and just won the SLABA 16 Tournament July 16-22 at C & H Park, St. Charles County including a 2-1 mark against American West.
“(We) got a good start to next year.” Becher said.
Becher said that “all year solid pitching helped us, (but on the other hand) hitting has been up and down.”
