South Salem youth baseball team headed to Cal Ripken World Series
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SALEM — The South Salem 12U baseball team made history last week when it clinched its first ticket to the 2022 Cal Ripken Baseball Major/70 World Series.
The annual Cal Ripken baseball tournament is scheduled for Aug. 3-13 at the Ballparks of America in Branson, Missouri and will welcome 28 of the top teams from across the nation, including eight international teams.
The Saxon team, managed by Mike Sidwell, is coming off an impressive 2022 season in which they finished with a 31-8-1 record. The 12U team went 11-0 during the state and regional tournaments combined, outscoring their opponents 182-14.
"To me, this is like a 12-year-old boy's dream," Sidwell said. "The boys get to play on these incredible fields, and as a baseball fan, just watching these kids when they get to see these fields and their eyes wide open, it's going to be incredible."
South Salem will be placed in Pool C in Branson and will be grouped alongside teams from North Dakota, Kentucky, Connecticut and Arkansas.
Pools A, B, C and D are comprised of 20 American teams grouped into different regions. Pools E will feature The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Australia and Taiwan. Pool F will include Canada, Mexico, Aruba and the Caribbean Region team.
Teams are set to begin pool play on Aug. 5, with the Saxons scheduled to face North Dakota at 9 a.m. CDT.
The Cal Ripken Major/70 allows players to play on paths that are 70 feet long and 50-foot pitching distances. The teams are made up of baseball players who play after Little League but prior to professional baseball.
Additionally, it permits first-time leads and steals for runners while primarily adhering to the official baseball rules.
Clinching the Cal Ripken World Series ticket
After South Salem dominated the state tournament, the team's next stop was the Pacific Northwest regionals in Meridian, Idaho.
There the Saxons steamrolled through competition and extended their undefeated streak with six consecutive wins; 17-5 over Mt. Vernon (North Washington), 13-1 over Black Hills American (South Washington), 12-3 over Bitterroot (West Montana), 24-0 over Calgary (Alberta), 8-0 over Co-County (Idaho) and 12-2 over Bitterroot to secure their spot in the CRWS.
"Our boys are just incredible hitters," Sidwell said. "When every kid on the team can hit, it makes it really easy to play baseball games and do well."
Along with its stacked offense, the Saxons have kept opponents at bay with their stellar pitching.
Among the 13 boys on the Saxons' roster, seven are in the starting pitcher rotation. Kellen Bowman has led the team as a prominent pitcher and hitter.
Through 11 games, Bowman has a perfect record of 4-0, a 0.913 ERA and 31 strikeouts (2ER/15.1 IP). As a hitter, he has a .794 batting average, 29 RBIs and five home runs.
"He (Bowman) is throwing in the low 70s already at this age which is pretty fast," Sidwell said. "You can look at him and see the development with his body size. He's bigger than other kids and overpowers with his speed."
Bowman said he credits his dad for teaching him to hit left-handed, while the "workouts and trainings" he's put in have since elevated his pitching from the high 50s at the beginning of the season last year.
"By the middle of last year I was in the mid-60s," Bowman said. "Then at the beginning of this year I had my first pitching lesson coming back from football, and I hit 72 (mph)."
Meanwhile, the rest of the Saxon team is hitting .400 or above, including Mike Sidwell's son, Corwin Sidwell.
As for the rest of the pitching staff, Wyatt Timmerman also has a perfect 4-0 record, a 1.4 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 15 IP. Joel Sikel and Sam Mosar have each been 2-for-2 in save opportunities while also maintaining a batting average above .700.
"I enjoy pitching," Mosar said between the two. "My grandpa taught me how to throw a curve ball. It's my favorite pitch, and the most effective one I use."
Mosar, who is the rookie on the team, added that his parents, grandparents and two brothers will all be in attendance in Branson.
The Saxons need support
But before the Saxons head to Branson, the team has managed to schedule some final practices this week despite the heatwave that Salem is currently experiencing.
Although, Sidwell said the heat has been a good way to prepare them for the hot and humid weather is expected once they arrive.
"I have some guys that come in and do the little things," Sidwell said. "It's a team game, and we try to teach the boys that it's not one person that wins games. It's always about the team."
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with lodging expenses for 12 families, round-trip airfare for two parent/guardians as well as for transportation and food.
So far, $13,580 has been raised of its $50,000 goal.
Those wishing to make a donation to the South Salem 12U youth baseball team can drop off or mail it to OK Tires at 1820 12th St. SE Salem, OR 97302.
Edith Noriega is a sports reporter for the Statesman Journal. You may reach her at ENoriega@salem.gannett.com and follow her on Twitter at @Noriega_Edith.
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: South Salem youth baseball team headed to Cal Ripken World Series
