The 13u MSA Black (#10 TBS Final Rankings) started the tradition and the 9u MSA Black team has a strong start on keeping it. Last year after a rainy start at the Atlanta Super NIT, the team came home and did not look back.  They did not lose any games to an 8 year old team the rest of the year.  Behind the strong pitching of ace Beau Keathley, the 8u MSA Black team won 5 tournaments including the 2008 Michigan State Championship outscoring the competition 84-11 over 5 games.  The hitting throughout the 2008 season was as strong as the pitching, which is hard to match when you allow just 1.5 runs a game.  The top 4 in the order, Dillon Engelhardt, Beau Keathley, Cole Daniels and Andrew Kendzicky powered the team to an average run output of 11.5 runs a game.  Marcus Cipriano played solid center field to complete the “up the middle core” that is essential for any great team.

The 2009 team added a catcher/pitcher to watch for in the future, Hayden Jones.  Jones will jump into the top of the lineup that has the potential to become the new “murderers row”.  The additions did not stop there.  Austin Brown is a smooth fielding shortstop and hard throwing pitcher that will just add to the depth giving them 4 pitchers that would be solid number ones on any 9u team in the nation.  Collin Vander Grondin and Colin Gardner are also 2 new comers that will combine with Cipriano to make a speedy and solid outfield.  Gardner can also move to infield and throw the leather around with the best of them.  The additions don’t stop there.  Joe Zontiti has come over and if his imposing frame doesn’t overwhelm you, certainly his 58 mile per hour fastball will. 

The team took all their talent and decided to try it out for the first time at the Canton, Michigan Octoberfest Tournament.  The team had not practiced together and with 5 new players they new it would be a challenge.  The team dominated the competition outscoring the field 99-6 in 5 games that averaged lasting just 3 innings due to run rules. 

The MSA Black 9u team will begin indoor practices in January in order to get ready for a schedule that is slated to include Super NIT’s in Atlanta, Michigan and Ohio with the ultimate goal of playing in the USSSA Elite World Series in Disney.  The teams plan to sharpen their skills by playing up in 10u tournaments through out the season.

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