Ballbusters dominate competition

12-and-under baseball squad ranked No. 1

The Las Vegas Ballbusters 12-and-under boys baseball team is so dominant, head coach Mike Bryant says, that other area squads in the same age group showed no interest in playing them in a USSSA state tournament.

Still, by virtue of a 153-14 record over the last year and a half, and wins in several local tournaments, the Ballbusters are the top-ranked team in the state by USSSA with 355 points.

This week, the Ballbusters, made up of 13 players from across the valley, are competing at the USSSA 12-and-under major division 2003 World Series at the Big League Dreams Baseball Complex in Chino Hills, Calif. The event is expected to feature close to 80 teams from across the country, with the championship slated for Sunday.

Bryant said he has high hopes for his squad, which has beaten most of the top teams in California and is ranked in the top 20 in the Far West region and in the top 40 in the nation overall.

"We're fully expecting to win it, no question about it. We have the depth to do it," said Bryant, a former player in the Boston Red Sox organization. "We've got pitching and hitting and defense. We've got the whole package. There's no question we'll be one of the fastest teams at the World Series. Our team speed is huge."

The Ballbusters feature six players who have been with the team for four years. Formerly the Las Vegas Rattlers, the squad placed 10th in the country in the 10-and-under World Series.

This season, the team qualified for the World Series by winning the Cranberry Thanksgiving Classic, President's Day Classic and Easter Classic tournaments, all of which took place in Southern Nevada. The Ballbusters also took second in a tournament in Phoenix, Ariz., and placed third in a Memorial Day event in California.

The team features five pitchers who throw 70 miles per hour or better and several dangerous sluggers.

"What's fascinating about this team is we have 12-year-old kids hitting the ball over 300 feet," Bryant said.

Kiefer Williams, who played in Western Little League, is arguably the top pitcher and hitter on the squad. He's hit 27 home runs in 100 games, including a 335-foot shot in a game in Phoenix, Bryant said, and his batting average is close to .500.

Williams, 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds, has also won 20 games on the mound.

"He's won more big games for us than anyone on the team. He has one of the strongest arms on the team," Bryant said. "He's also a very dangerous hitter and he's always a long ball threat."

The team also features 12-year-olds Anthony Gallo, Trevor Kirk, Joey Rickard, Enzo Bello, Ethan Gangwish, Jose Triana, Kody Gorden, Brady McManus, Kaz Smith, Eric Stewart and 11-year-olds Kris Bryant and Casey Greene.

Rickard, a left-handed pitcher, center fielder and leadoff hitter, leads the team with a .522 batting average and enjoyed a recent run of 17 straight hits.

Bello, a switch-hitting catcher, is second on the squad with a .518 batting average.

Bryant hit six homers in five games in a recent tournament and has 19 homers and 162 RBIs in 153 games. He also has a no-hitter on the hill.

Triana, one of the team's top pitchers, had 17 strikeouts in a game and also has home run power, while Gorden tossed a no-hitter and also can hit the long ball.

Kirk, the starting shortstop, has 16 homers, and Gallo, the first baseman, once went 80 at bats without striking out.

Bello, Gangwish and Stewart are the fastest players on the squad.

Tony Gallo, an assistant coach, also played professional baseball, with the Montreal Expos.

"We practice a lot and our leadership from the top on down is strong," Bryant said. "We've got a powerhouse and we're proud of them."


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