Youth Sports Report:

SEBA hosting boys, girls basketball showcase

Posted Aug 29, 2011 by Nick Williams

Updated Aug 29, 2011 at 12:30 PM

The Southeast Basketball Academy (SEBA) will host a showcase for boys and girls basketball players in the area. The SEBA/Under Armour Basketball Showcase will take place Sept. 10 for girls and Sept. 17 for boys at Tampa Prep between 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Cost is $95.

Players will participate in drills and play in 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 games in front of coaches from Division II, III, NAIA and junior college programs.

Tampa Live Sports (http://www.TLStv.com) will also live broadcast the 5-on-5 games on their website. For more information call (813) 785-6878 or (813) 215-7255 or visit http://www.southeastbasketballacademy.com.

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Palma Ceia/Bayshore wins Junior League Baseball World Series

Posted Aug 20, 2011 by Jarrett Guthrie

Updated Aug 20, 2011 at 12:56 PM

Palma Ceia/Bayshore relied on pitching and defense to outlast Chinese Taipei and win the Junior League Baseball World Series in Taylor, Mich. on Saturday. The team made up of 13-, 14- and 15-year-olds from the two area Little League’s capitalized on a second inning, two run homerun from Patrick Kiszla to defeat last year’s champions, Chinese Taipei, 2-1.

Palma Ceia/Bayshore’s starter Jake Woodford earned the win allowing only one run in five innings of work, while striking out five. Kiszla earned a two inning save holding Chinese Taipei hitless and striking out two. 

The win is the fourth for Florida in Little League’s Junior League Baseball division, as the sunshine state had previous titles in 1982, 1985 and 2004.

Check Sunday’s Tampa Tribune for a detailed account of Saturday’s World Series final, as well as a breakdown of Palma Ceia/West Tampa’s results in the Junior League Softball World Series final from Kirkland, Wash.

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Palma Ceia baseball wins United States Championship advance to World Series Final

Posted Aug 20, 2011 by Jarrett Guthrie

Updated Aug 19, 2011 at 11:30 PM

Palma Ceia reached the Junior League Baseball World Series final defeating Tucson, Ariz. (Sunnyside Little League) 4-0 late Friday night.

Ronnie Ramirez was solid for the team pitching 6.1 innings of shutout baseball, striking out six and allowing only one hit in Taylor, Mich.

“Ronnie pitched lights out tonight,” his father and coach Jorge Ramirez said. “It was a gem with him really stepping up for us.”

Jake Bak recorded the final two outs on the mound and Jake Woodford was 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI in the game. Cole Gibbs and Carter Leslie each had RBI sac-flies in the win. Ramirez stayed hot at the plate going 2-for-3 Friday, scoring twice and improving his tournament leading, batting average to .667.

Palma Ceia will face Chinese Taipei in Saturday’s World Series final at 11 a.m. on ESPN2. Ramirez said he’s scouted International Champions Chinese Taipei and expects the team to be prepared for Saturday’s final.

“They are incredibly disciplined team and although they aren’t that big or strong,” Ramirez said. “They are what you’d expect from the winners of that International bracket playing fundamental baseball of great defense and good defense. We are going to have to be on the top of our game.”

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Palma Ceia/West Tampa advances to Junior League Softball World Series semifinals

Posted Aug 18, 2011 by Jarrett Guthrie

Updated Aug 18, 2011 at 06:43 PM

After dropping its first game in the Junior League Softball World Series in Kirkland, Wash., Palma Ceia/West Tampa has stepped up to win three-straight and advanced to the tournament semifinals Friday. The team dropped a 9-3 game on Monday to Croswell, Mich. but has been solid since winning against Bellevue, Wash., the Philippines and Canada.

Palma Ceia/West Tampa (representing the Southeast) defeated Canada 12-2 in six innings Thursday in its last pool play game behind a big 3-for-3 hitting performance from Sydney Coleman. Coleman keyed the team’s first inning with a 3-run homerun to left and later in the game had a double. Kattie Weachter earned the win going four innings, allowing one earned run on five hits.

In the second inning the team put the game out of reach scoring four more runs behind RBI doubles from Victoria Valdes and Nikki Lopez. Coleman is pacing the team in hitting in the tournament with a .538 and five runs scored, followed closely by Kasey Wishart, who is hitting .500 in the tournament.

Palma Ceia/West Tampa will face Bridge City, Texas at 4:45 pm (PST) to see which team advances to Saturday’s World Series Championship on ESPN2 to face the winner of the other semifinal game between Croswell, Mich. and Greensburg (West Point LL), Penn.

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Gov. Scott calls to wish Palma Ceia good luck in Junior League World Series

Posted Aug 18, 2011 by Jarrett Guthrie

Updated Aug 18, 2011 at 02:38 PM

Palma Ceia junior baseball coach Jorge Ramirez said the team has been getting calls of support from all over the Tampa Bay area as it represents the Southeast in the Junior League Baseball World Series. Thursday morning the boys heard from the highest level in the state as Governor Rick Scott called and wished the team luck.

Ramirez said he received the call from Scott while the team was driving to batting practice.

“Governor Scott called while we were on our way to practice and I was able to put him on speakerphone with the boys,” Ramirez said. “The boys were really excited and it was great to get his support.”

Ramirez said last week after the team won the region tournament former Florida Governor Jeb Bush called to offer his congratulations and good luck.

Palma Ceia faces Rosenberg, Texas (0-3) in its last game in pool play at 5 p.m. Thursday, but has already qualified for Friday’s United States Championship. The winner of Friday’s game advances to the World Series final against the International champs on Saturday on ESPN2. 

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Palma Ceia Junior Baseball still perfect advance to US Championship

Posted Aug 17, 2011 by Jarrett Guthrie

Updated Aug 17, 2011 at 06:42 PM

With a 5-2 win against Ohio Wednesday, Palma Ceia has qualified for the United States championship in the Junior League Baseball World Series in Taylor, Mich.

Palma Ceia is now 3-0 in pool play and 20-0 on the season. Wednesday, the team got 5.1 innings of work from pitcher Zach Rose, who struck out six. Rose and Ryan Ellis each had RBI’s in the win and Ronnie Ramirez was 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Ramirez is 6-for-8 in the team’s three games at the World Series, leading all hitters in the tournament (who have at least 2.7 at bats per game) with a .750 batting average.

Palma Ceia has its final pool play game Thursday against the Southwest representative from Rosenberg, Texas, but the team has already automatically qualified for Friday’s U.S. championship. The winner of Friday’s game will face the winner of the International pool for the World Series title on Saturday on ESPN2. 

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Ellis, Gibbs and Ramirez lead Palma Ceia to opening round, World Series win

Posted Aug 15, 2011 by Jarrett Guthrie

Updated Aug 15, 2011 at 10:19 AM

Palma Ceia junior baseball kept up its winning ways with a come from behind 9-6 win against Arizona in its opening game of pool play in the Junior League World Series in Taylor, Mich.

Ryan Ellis, Cole Gibbs and Ronnie Ramirez keyed the offense with homeruns in the game.
Ellis sparked a three-run third inning with his two RBI shot and Palma Ceia (representing the Southeast in the 10-team tournament) added another three runs in the fifth to take the 7-6 advantage it needed to earn the win. In the fifth, Gibbs’ solo shot and a pair of unearned runs did the damage.

Ramirez who came on to pitch in the second inning gave up three runs early, but shut Arizona down in the final three innings to earn the win. Ramirez also added a little insurance with a 2-run homerun in the top of the sixth.

Florida faces Johnston, Rhode Island Monday night at 8 p.m. 

Keep following us here at TBO.com’s Youth Sports Report for updates on the Junior League Baseball World Series as well as Palma Ceia/West Tampa’s Junior softball team in the Junior League World Series from Kirkland, Wash.

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Grady pitches New Tampa Little League into region final

Posted Aug 10, 2011 by Jarrett Guthrie

Updated Aug 10, 2011 at 09:06 PM

New Tampa rallied from behind sparked by a no-hit, relief appearance from pitcher Conor Grady to defeat Westside, Ala. 12-6 Wednesday night in the Little League Southeast region semifinal from Warner Robins, Ga.

Grady was unhittable after he came on in the bottom of the third with New Tampa trailing 6-4 and went the rest of the way allowing no hits and striking out eight.

He also chipped in with some late inning insurance belting a three-run homerun. Bryce Martin, Khalil AlMutasim and Aaron Guiang also homered in the game for New Tampa. Guiang was 3-for-3 in the game with a HR, two doubles and three runs scored.

Up next for New Tampa is hometown team Warner Robins, Ga. in the final to see which team will be heading to the World Series in Williamsport, Pa starting next Thursday.

Friday’s Southeast region final will air on ESPN at 8 p.m.

For more on this game check tomorrow’s Tampa Tribune or back here at TBO.com.

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Palma Ceia Junior Baseball wins Southeast region, headed for World Series

Posted Aug 9, 2011 by Jarrett Guthrie

Updated Aug 9, 2011 at 10:15 PM

Palma Ceia Little League Junior Baseball team won the Southeast Region, defeating Elkton Community, Va., 6-4, Tuesday evening in Greenville, S.C.

Palma Ceia defeated Virginia during pool play over the weekend and according to coach Jorge Ramirez, Florida’s opponent Tuesday night came ready to play.

“We had beaten Virginia once already and they came out tonight like a bunch of hornets and put up three runs in the top of the first,” Ramirez said. “I told our boys to have faith and to trust each other and that’s what they did. They played an absolutely outstanding game the rest of the way.”

Trailing 2-0, Palma Ceia got two runs back in the bottom of the first inning and took advantage in the second with a two-run homer from Ronnie Ramirez. The team added a run each in the fifth and sixth. Virginia tried to rally back, plating one more and had two runners on in the top of the seventh before a 4-6-3 double play sealed Palma Ceia’s win.

Palma Ceia earns a spot in the Junior League Baseball World Series in Taylor, Mich., Aug. 14-20. The team will now look to the community for support as it makes its second out-of-state trip this week. Palma Ceia/West Tampa also sends its junior softball team to the World Series in Kirkland, Wash. this weekend. For more information on how to help support these teams go to http://www.PCLL.org.

And be sure to follow postgame updates here at TBO.com’s Youth Sports Report this weekend.

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Palma Ceia Junior Baseball reaches region final (UPDATED)

Posted Aug 8, 2011 by Jarrett Guthrie

Updated Aug 8, 2011 at 09:27 PM

Palma Ceia junior baseball advanced to Tuesday’s Southeast Region final with a 7-0 semifinal win against Martinez Evans, Georgia Monday evening.

Starting pitcher Patrick Kiszla held Georgia hitless into the fifth inning, before giving up his first hit. Relievers Ben Randall and Nick Kavouklis came in for the game’s final three innings to preserve the shutout.

Offensively, Palma Ceia leadoff hitter Ronnie Ramirez scored three runs and Jake Bak was 3-for-3 in the game with two RBI and a run scored.

Florida will face Elkton Community, Virginia Tuesday at 5 p.m. in Greenville, South Carolina after Virginia defeated Wilkes County, North Carolina 10-0 Monday.

During pool play, Palma Ceia defeated Virginia 7-1 Sunday. The winner of the region final advances to the Junior League Baseball World Series in Taylor, Michigan August 14-20.

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