The (Sammamish) Yankees win the pennant

June 17, 2009

By Christopher Huber

All Yankees first baseman Trevor Thacker-Beach wanted was to hit the ball.

It was the bottom of the 6th inning and his Sammamish Little League Majors-level team was tied with the Pirates, 2-2.

It was their final chance to make something happen. Yankee Blake Sypher had hit in the tying run on a zero-out double and stood on third, with another runner on first.

The pitch came and Thacker-Beach plunked the ball to shallow right field, easily scoring Sypher to win the SLL Majors Championship.

Final score: 3-2 Yankees.

Sypher pumped his fist in the air as he trotted to home plate and Yankees fans erupted in victorious cheers.

“I was just thinking about a hit,” Thacker Beach said after league organizers presented the Yankees with the championship trophy. “I was looking to drive it pretty far.”

The Majors (ages 11 and12) was just one of three little league championships held at Beaver Lake Park June 13. Hundreds of parents and family members attended throughout the day to watch their sluggers play in the final tournament of the spring baseball season.

The annual event, which began about 10 years ago, organizers said, features teams from Tee Ball- to Majors-level in 13 games spanning the entire day.

“The Championship Saturday is a big part of our league and it’s kind of the culmination of the season,” said league president Jim Dimlow.

The mood was festive, as children and their parents enjoyed watching lots of baseball under a 70-degree sun.

“It’s really rewarding,” said tournament director Jeff Shomaker. “It’s a great day to get families out and the kids together.”

Sypher, who played second base and pitcher, said he had a good feeling about Thacker-Beach’s at-bat. This was also the first time he scored a winning run.

“I knew Trevor was going to hit it,” Sypher said. “It was exciting. It’s the first time I’ve ever won.”

Although the Pioneer, Coast and Majors teams played for league bragging rights, the younger players were in it for some good-ole fun.

Each Tee Ball team played jamboree-style games and every player received a medal in the end.

The Coast Rays beat the Braves 9-4 and the Pioneer Rangers beats the Cubs 7-3.

Between games June 13, Dimlow presented the sportsmanship awards to the Instructional-level Red Sox and Mets and the Rookie-level Giants and Athletics for their perfect scores from coaches in sportsmanship throughout the season.

Dimlow also announced the inception of a new award for service to Sammamish Little League. The league created the Brian Armstrong Award to honor the memory of Armstrong, a league vice-president who recently died from cancer.

“It is fitting we announce this award at this time because Brian was our VP of Rookie and Instructional over the last two season and felt that if the Sammamish Little League taught these kids one thing it should be sportsmanship,” Dimlow said in the speech.

Each year the league will honor an adult volunteer who exemplifies Armstrong’s spirit of service. Armstrong’s wife, Kim Armstrong, received the 2009 award.

Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com. Comment on this story at www.sammamishreview.com.

All Yankees first baseman Trevor Thacker-Beach wanted was to hit the ball.

It was the bottom of the 6th inning and his Sammamish Little League Majors-level team was tied with the Pirates, 2-2.

It was their final chance to make something happen. Yankee Blake Sypher had hit in the tying run on a zero-out double and stood on third, with another runner on first.

Yankees pitcher Blake Sypher winds up to deliver the pitch in the top of the sixth inning June 13 against the Pirates. Photo by Christopher Huber