Once-in-a-lifetime: Oil Belt Junior League squad takes aim at World Series championship

If there is any downside to qualifying for an amateur baseball World Series, it might be dealing with the logistics of making a quick turnaround to travel halfway across the country.

The Oil Belt Junior League All-Stars coaches and parents, though, are more than happy to deal with the issues, knowing that come Monday the squad of 13- and 14-year olds will be playing in the Junior League World Series in Taylor, Michigan.

“It’s been insane,” said coach Daniel Saenz. "There’s no other word to describe it.”

The team left on a chartered bus at midnight on Friday morning to fly out at 5 a.m. that same morning from San Antonio to make the trek to Michigan. And that came less than three days after clinching the Southwest Region championship on Tuesday in Albuquerque, N.M., which included an estimated 14-hour drive back to Corpus Christi.

Even with the short turnaround and travel involved, the once-in-a-lifetime experience will be worth it for the players, coaches and families. The team is scheduled to play its first game at 7 p.m. Monday against the West Regional champion (still to be determined) or the host team from Taylor, Michigan. And it will be television on ESPN+, ESPN’s streaming service.

“It means a lot because I’ve been watching since I was a little boy and I’m finally going to be able to see what it’s really like, and it’s a good experience for the team,” said Jaden Martinez.

This year marks the second time since 2014 an Oil Belt Little League, which is in Northwest Corpus Christi and encompasses the area around Tuloso-Midway and Calallen High Schools, Junior League squad has made the trek to Michigan.

In 2014, the squad won a U.S. Championship before losing to Taiwan in the World Series final.

This year’s squad enters the 12-team tournament riding some hot bats. The Oil Belt squad, whose colors are red, white and Columbia blue are like the Houston Oilers, outscored its opponents in the Southwest Regional Tournament by a combined score of 55-8. They won the final 7-1 against a team from Pearland, which was their lowest scoring output of the tournament.

“Balls were flying over there,” said Aidan Flores. “We just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing and try not to get too excited.”

Saenz said at least four players on the squad have been playing together since they were 10 years old on an all-star team formed in Oil Belt, which has helped with team chemistry.

The goal is to win but Saenz said the expectation is to play as hard as they can, have fun and enjoy the opportunity they have to play on an international stage.

“I just tell them to leave it on the field,” Saenz said. “If they bust their butt and give it 100 percent, there’s nothing we can hang our head about. If we take care of our business I think good things will happen for us.”

2022 JUNIOR LEAGUE WORLD SERIES

Taylor, Michigan

SUNDAY, AUG. 14

10 a.m. — Game 1: Loudoun, Va. vs. Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin

1 p.m. — Game 2: Chinese Taipei vs. Czech Republic

4 p.m. — Game 3: West Region (TBA) vs. Taylor, Michigan

7 p.m. — Game 4: Curacao vs. Canada

MONDAY, AUG. 15

10 a.m. — Game 5: Mexico vs. Game 2 winner

1 p.m. — Game 6: Clinton County, Pa. vs. Game 1 winner

4 p.m. — Game 7: Australia vs. Game 4 winner

7 p.m. — Game 8: Oil Belt vs. Game 3 winner

TUESDAY, AUG. 16

10 a.m. — Game 9: Game 2 loser vs. Game 7 loser

1 p.m. — Game 10: Game 6 loser vs. Game 3 loser

4 p.m. — Game 11: Game 5 loser vs. Game 4 loser

7 p.m. — Game 12: Game 1 loser vs. Game 8 loser

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Oil Belt Junior League squad takes aim at World Series championship