MLL players will compete in the Cooperstown Baseball World Tournament in New York state in June
The Dodgers were already up two runs when Alex Thompson stepped up to the plate for his squad.
The youth preceded to hit a single that allowed Aiden Omar, who was on second base, to round third base and make it home to increase the Dodgers’ lead over the Braves in the Malibu Little League contest at Bluffs Park on April 27.
The hit was Thompson’s second big hit of the day. Earlier in the contest, he also drove in runs. The Dodgers won the contest 7-4.
Dodgers coach John Alfano said Thompson’s hits and the pitching of Mateo Collins and Aiden Omar allowed the team to claim victory.
“It was a fantastic win,” he said. “Some younger kids pitched today. Between the two of them they pitched the entire game. They showed a lot of growth. Pitching carried us today. I had zero pitcher visits to the mound.”
The Dodgers, a team of 11- and 12-year-olds have had a successful MLL season this spring due to a mixture of experienced players and young talent, Alfano said.
“My senior veterans have really taken the opportunity to mentor guys so that is why we are seeing so much growth,” he said. “They are a tight unit.”
The Dodgers’ play on the field this season against opposition from the MLL and West LA Little League is one of several big hits the league has had this season.
Last month, Alfano, who is also the league’s president, announced that MLL players will compete in the Cooperstown Baseball World Tournament in Cooperstown, New York, in June.
This will be the first time ever a Malibu team has competed in the event, which features Little League baseball teams from across the nation, and Alfano said the MLL hopes to make it a tradition. He said a dozen of the MLL’s best 12-year-olds are members of the team, called the Malibu Sharks.
“We have a fantastic group,” Alfano said. “The best of the best. The kids are really ecstatic.”
The Malibu bunch will play at minimum six games in the tournament, which runs June 13 to 19. If they win the event, they will play 13 contests.
The MLL is looking for donations to aid in the team’s cross-country baseball trek. They are holding a wiffle ball tournament this month to raise funds.
The MLL playoffs begin next month. After the Cooperstown tournament, all-star teams from MLL will take the field for competition.
Alfano said the season has been a success.
“The development of the younger kids seems to be faster than what we have seen in the past,” he noted. “I’m owing that to just great coaches. The older kids, the 12-year-olds have been taking the younger kids under their wings and have been very encouraging. The baseball has been great.”
The Dodgers after their win over the Braves. Photo by McKenzie Jackson..JPG
Malibu Little League Dodgers coach John Alfano congratulates his team after its big win over the Braves on April 27. Photo by McKenzie Jackson/TMT
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The Malibu Little League Dodgers excelled at all parts of the game — pitching, hitting, and fielding — during their 7-4 win over the Braves on April 27. Photo by McKenzie Jackson/TMT