The Cave Run Muskies 10U baseball team traveled to Orlando, Fla., last week to participate in the 2011 Rawlings International Salute to Baseball Festival at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

According to Coach Scott Hacker, the Disney event is considered one of the toughest tournaments in travel baseball.

The international tournament featured teams from Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. The teams are filled with their country’s best youth baseball talent all competing for the international championship.

A group of 50 Muskies family members and players experienced a week they will never forget.

The Muskies had to play four pool play games during the week before tournament bracket play started.

The team went 3-1 in pool play and earned the No. 2 seed in its bracket by recording big wins over Pennsylvania Monessen Magic, Puerto Rico Criollos de P.R., Puerto Rico Rico Los Boricuas, P.R. The Muskies only loss came to the Puerto Rico Mets Villa Blanca during pool play.

For the Muskies to win the championship, they had to go through three No. 1 seeds.

Thursday started tournament bracket play against one of the brackets No. 1 seeds, Dominican Republic Liga Enrique Cruz Red.

The Liga Enrique Cruz was also 3-1 so far in pool play and filled with the best talent from the Dominican Republic. The Muskies played an unbelievable defensive game throughout the day allowing the Muskies to advance over the Dominicans, 4-1.

On Friday, the Muskies had to face another bracket’s No. 1 team, Dominican Republic Liga Enrique Cruz Blue. The Liga Enrique Cruz Blue were 5-0 at the time.

After falling behind to the Dominicans in the fourth inning, 8-3, the Muskies poured out nine runs to take the game, 12-8, and advance to the Rawlings International Salute to Baseball Festival Tournament Championship Game.

Saturday was championship day at Disney, a game the Muskies will never forget. With ESPN camera crew getting the action, large crowd of fans beating drums, and with excitement in the air, the Muskies ended up facing the Puerto Rico Rico Los Boricuas, P.R., Puerto Rico’s best national team.

The Muskies were down seven runs by the third inning before getting one run back. A huge home run by Luke Burrows sparked some momentum for the Muskies.

Heading into bottom of the last inning of the game with two outs and losing, 7-2, the Muskies found a way to come back in dramatic fashion.

Key hits by several Muskies and the game winning walk off hit by Shane Taylor gave the Muskies an 8-7 win over Puerto Rico.

“It was an unbelievable experience for our program,” Hacker said. “I was hugging everyone I saw after that big hit by Shane. I still can’t believe we came back to win it all with two outs. Truly an experience our kids will never forget. We can’t wait to see the video ESPN produces!”

An ESPN crew followed the Muskies 10U team around for the week. ESPN recorded video during games, as well as followed the team to Disney’s Magic Kingdom for a upcoming special TV piece for travel baseball and ESPN Wide World of Sports. The ESPN special piece is expected to come out in the fall.

The Muskies record is now 58-5 and they are nationally ranked as the No. 10 team in the country for 10Under baseball by Travel Ball Select and the No. 1 ranked team in Kentucky by USSSA.

The Muskies will now get ready for the Kentucky Dream Park Summer Bash Tournament this coming weekend.

2011 Rawlings Salute to Baseball Festival 10U Championship at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports

Pool Play:

Puerto Rico Mets Villa Blanca 5, Cave Run Muskies 2
Cave Run Muskies 17, Pennsylvania Monessen Magic 1
Cave Run Muskies 17, Puerto Rico Criollos de P.R. 2
Cave Run Muskies 7, Puerto Rico Rico Los Boricuas, P.R. 1

Bracket Play:
Cave Run Muskies 4, Dominican Republic Liga Enrique Cruz Red 1
Cave Run Muskies 12, Dominican Republic Liga Enrique Cruz Blue 8
Cave Run Muskies 8, Puerto Rico Patriotas de Ponce 7

See the official story from the newspaper:
http://themoreheadnews.com/localsports/x9677348…