What a difference a weekend makes. After going winless for more than a year, the Malibu 13-and-under baseball team rolled into the Simi Valley Labor Day tournament and claimed its first victory. But the team didn’t stop there. They won again, and again; and came home clutching a championship trophy.
So it came to pass that a team composed solely of Malibu kids struggled to put feelings into words after prevailing 5-2 in an exciting title game victory over hosts Simi Valley.
“It was so big for them,” said coach Phil Johnson. “Until they won a tournament, they weren’t that sure they could compete with Southern California baseball. It was exciting for them to see they could compete at that level. In the future they will know the confidence part of baseball that you have to have.”
In August 2012, Johnson created a traveling team of players that all hailed from Malibu. Lacking fundamentals and the experience of playing in high caliber tournaments, Malibu struggled for the past year against teams from the San Fernando Valley, West Covina and beyond.
Losses mounted up, but Johnson saw the eagerness to learn and the passion to play grow every day. Slowly but surely the boys’ confidence escalated as their skill level and knowledge of the game grew.
“We used to make two or three errors a game,” Chance Irons, 13, said. “We didn’t swing the bats well. We were just sloppy.”
Repetition and training have instilled a sense of confidence and belief that they can compete.
“At first we were joking around and stuff,” said William Tamkin, also 13. “But now we are pretty serious and we are out here to win.”
Confidence had been quietly brewing despite the lack of results as Malibu entered the SV Labor Day tournament against talented teams from Simi Valley, Moorpark and Chatsworth.
In game one of the tourney, Malibu pitcher Tanner Gottlieb threw four innings, allowing only one run. Third baseman Adam Rafeedie had two hits and two RBIs and shortstop Ben Cohen came in to slam the door and earn the save as Malibu got its first win in over a year with a 7-5 victory over Simi.
Game two wasn’t eventful as Malibu was overwhelmed by Moorpark, 11-1. But unlike past tournaments, Malibu regrouped and demonstrated the maturation it had developed.
Facing the Valley All-Stars from Chatsworth, Malibu dug deep and played with resilience and fortitude. Jake Hughes pitched 3 1/3 innings, giving up two runs. But the play of the game and the highlight of the tournament was turned in by 11-year-old center fielder Brian Rubenstein.
Trailing 3-2 in the fifth inning and having base runners at second and third with two out, Valley’s best hitter crushed a shot to the right center field gap. Rubenstein sprinted over and made a spectacular diving catch to prevent two runs from scoring. Malibu won, 3-2.
“I have played in many baseball games and I still think that’s the best catch I’ve ever seen, not including the scenario,” said Johnson. “Throw in the scenario and we don’t even make the final without that catch. I thought he had no chance and even put my head down. Unbelievable.”
Rubenstein’s heroics allowed Malibu to advance to the championship game to play Simi Valley a second time. Tamkin threw four innings and gave up only two hits and no runs while striking out five in the 5-2 title-clinching win.
“William put together the type of pitching performance I have expected out of him,” Johnson said.
Other key contributors for Malibu included Quincy Allen, who caught three of the four games behind the plate, the solid defensive play of Cohen, Rafeedie and Irons and the timely hitting from Luca Damien and Nick Baer.
Tamkin and Irons have played on the team since day one. They have witnessed first-hand the reward of hard work and having a positive attitude.
“For us to win the tournament was really big because we always tried our hardest but we never seemed to get wins,” Irons said. “During practice we work, and work and work. All of it has finally paid off.”