Florida Little Leaguers make history with district championship

Florida Little League’s Major League All-Star team made history this month by winning the District 19 championship, making them the first-ever Florida team to win the district at the majors level.

“This has been a remarkable run for a town that has such a small player pool to choose from,” said Manager Ray Younghans. “Florida is a small league compared to neighboring leagues, as we only fielded one team in the regular season, so this all-star team is pretty much our regular season team, minus a couple of kids. Other teams in the district had multiple regular season teams to choose their players from.”

It has been a run that, if not for late-inning heroics, might never have happened.

After going 16-0 in the regular season, Florida’s Major League All-Stars began tournament play against Middletown on June 28 in Monroe. With the score tied in the bottom of the sixth inning, CJ Davila stepped up to the plate.

“That at bat made me feel good because we should have been beating that team by a lot, but we weren’t hitting,” said Davila, who pitches and plays shortstop. “I had to be a leader and show my team who we are. I hit a line drive to right on the first pitch and Joe Riordan scored to win 2-1. I was super happy for my town. I put my hands up, touched base and we jumped up as a team.”

After winning three more games to host the July 9 district championship game against Warwick, the dramatics took center stage once again.

“We were down 2-0 in the championship game against Warwick and scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth to go up 5-2 and needing just three outs for the win,” Younghans said.

Warwick, however, had other plans, scoring three in the top of the sixth to tie the game at 5.

“When they came back and tied it in the last inning, I said ‘guys we are good, we are good,’” recalled catcher Zachary Younghans. “I trust my teammates and know they are going to come through.”

His teammates certainly did their part in the bottom of the inning, as runners were on first and second with the team needing just one more hit in a season of hits.

With the count at one ball and one strike, Younghans lined a pitch over the shortstop’s head to drive in Austin Caldwell for the district crown.

“I did feel a bit bad for [Warwick] but what’s going to happen is going to happen, ya know?”

Most of the players on this Florida team have been together with the same coaches since early elementary school. In fact, just two years ago, Younghans and Company became the first Minor-League All-Star team in Florida history to win District 19.

Next up on the road to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., is a July 16 first round sectional game against Briarcliff Manor in, of all places, Warwick.

“We have five or six kids who pitch well,” Younghans said. “They throw strikes so balls are put in play and our defense plays very well. We are a good hitting team with kids who have accepted the role of bunting, moving runners up and getting on base to be catalysts for the offense.”

Regardless of what happens next, these Florida 12-year-olds (and one 11-year-old), have solidified their place in the history books.

“For these players and coaches, this will always be more than a baseball game,” said Florida Little League President James McAteer. “They’ll forever remember being the team that brought home Florida Little League’s first Major Division District Championship since our league was founded in 1963. Years from now, the details may fade, but the friendships, the pride, and the honor of representing this town never will.”