Like many boys turning 16 years old, Turner Conrad spent part of his birthday standing in line. But it wasn’t at the DMV earning a right of passage with his first driver’s license. That could wait. The teenager from Hermosa Beach was having too much fun hanging out with old and new friends at an arcade 3,000 miles away.
Conrad was one of 16 baseball players enjoying the experience of a lifetime by representing Manhattan Beach Little League and the West Region at the Senior World Series in Bangor, ME. Led by head coach Carlos Rojas, who also serves as pitching coach for Mira Costa, the squad of 15 and 16 year olds went on an unpredictable 19-game tournament winning streak before falling to host Bangor in the semifinals last Friday.
With the exception of an 11-0 blowout over Saipan in the third game, the Cardiac Kids from Manhattan Beach gave the dozens of family members who accompanied the team more excitement than they bargained for, beginning when catcher Ian McLoughlin delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Manhattan Beach a 5-4 upset win over perennial power Hilo, Hawaii. The win gave Manhattan a berth in the Senior Little League World Series, which begins in the coming days.
After scrambling to make last-minute travel plans, the entourage from Manhattan Beach was highly entertained every time it entered Shawn T. Mansfield Stadium, otherwise known as the “House that Stephen King built” after the author donated more than $1 million to his hometown city to build the stadium in 1992.
In the opening game of pool play, left fielder Bret Collins slammed a walk-off double, scoring Brett Clark in the bottom of the seventh to give Manhattan Beach a 2-1 victory over Southeast representative Palm Bay, Fla. Clark, who handled the centerfield position, had opened the inning with a single and a stolen base.
The second game was just as dramatic when Manhattan Beach scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning after Latin America representative Aruba South L.L. of San Nicolas, Aruba had tied the score at two in the bottom of the seventh. Third baseman Ryan Erickson’s double in the top of the eighth inning knocked in two runs, completing a 2-for-4, 4-RBI performance to give Manhattan Beach a 5-3 victory.
It was Aruba’s only loss in the tournament as the team advanced to defeat Bangor East/West L.L. 8-1 in the championship game.
Chris Casady hurled four shutout innings with four strikeouts and a nine-run fourth inning was all Manhattan Beach needed for its third-game win.
Manhattan Beach reached the semifinals by defeating Holmes County, Ohio in another extra-inning affair, scoring four runs in the top of the ninth inning for a 6-3 victory over the Central representatives.
Conrad started on the mound, giving up no walks and only four hits in 4 1/3 innings. Morgan Ascher finished the game allowing one run on two hits while striking out five in 4 1/3 innings. Collins went 3-for-5 while pitcher/rightfielder Anthony Lombardo, Conrad and McLoughlin each had two hits for Manhattan Beach.
Conrad said making new friends, particularly the members of the Saipan team, and playing in the semifinals were memories he’ll never forget.
“Standing on the field in the semifinals felt like the seventh game of the World Series,” said Conrad who pitched and played first base during the series. “It was a crazy crowd and a tough road environment.”
Manhattan Beach jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning but was unable to hold off the Bangor bats that exploded for a 9-3 victory. Most players were not surprised when they watched Aruba win the championship the following day.
“Aruba was the better team,” McLoughlin said. “Their pitcher (6-foot-3, 200-pound right hander Shawn Duinkerk) was tough. I’d like to face him again.”
McLoughlin, who batted .400 in the series, said the late-inning wins made his teammates believe in each other.
“We became close off the field, bonding over dinners and bowling. I expect the experience will carry over into the high school season when we go after a Bay League title,” McLoughlin said of his teammates, all who attend Mira Costa.
Pitcher Sam Omelia felt the Mira Costa coaching staff had a direct effect on the team’s success in Maine. Mira Costa head coach Cassidy Olson had his Mustang assistant coaches manage each of the four teams who competed in the Manhattan Beach Senior League this season and had a goal of forming a reputable all-star team.
“I think our high school games and playing for a Bay League championship helped prepare us for the pressure here,” Omelia said while waiting in the airport lobby for the team’s return trip to the South Bay. “Being on the field, pitching against Aruba was something I’ll always remember. That, and when we changed jerseys. We always wore MC (Mira Costa) or Mustangs stuff. Wearing jerseys that said “West” was pretty cool.”
Collins led the team with nine hits and six runs scored while batting .500 and knocking in four runs during the series. Erickson had a team-high five RBIs, Lombardo batted .467, McLoughlin hit .400 with four RBIs and second baseman Trent Hammond batted .400 for the boys from the beach.
Olson said he was very proud of the team and, while was enjoying his honeymoon during the first part of the series, did his best to keep track of his future stars.
“I think my wife got tired of my trying to search for internet service so I could at least listen to the games,” Olson quipped. “I did get to see the final games.”
Olson was one of many supporters who welcomed the team home with a reception in the baggage area of the airport.
“This is a great baseball community,” Olson said. “The team did something very special.”
The last South Bay team to reach the Senior League World Series was San Pedro’s Eastview Little League in 2002. In 1998, Diamond Bar became the last team from southern California to win the championship. ER
