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Bound For Japan
Three Fairhope baseball players to compete in Gold Medal Games
By ROBERT LADNIER -
Mobile Press-Register Sports Reporter
Fairhope,
AL (October 14,
2009) --
Three
players from the Fairhope High baseball team have been
chosen by USSSA Baseball and Amateur Baseball Report to
compete on the inaugural USSSA National team in the Gold
Medal Games.
Chosen based on skill level and knowledge of the game,
representing the Eastern Shore on the 16-under squad are
catcher Evan East, second baseman Wes Kent and middle
infielder Peyton Fuller.
"Fairhope is very blessed to have three players of their
caliber," said Fairhope High coach Stu Fuller, who is
Peyton's father. "All three of them had good weekends
down in Orlando at the All-American Games. They are
fortunate to have this opportunity and I know they will
represent our city, state and country well.
"All three played substantial roles for Fairhope High
School as sophomores and they will be expected to play
even bigger roles as juniors as next year gets closer."
The U.S. team will face international competition, with
the 16-under team traveling to Japan and the 15-under
and 14-under squads competing in Kissimmee, Fla., in the
summer of 2010.
"It feels good," Kent said. "It is pretty cool that we
get to go to Japan and play against other countries."
Peyton Fuller said it meant a lot to be selected.
"Just to go international with our game is a compliment
to how well we played in Orlando," Fuller said. "We just
went down there and played and after we played they told
us we were going to the international games."
East said it was a surprise to be selected from so many
players.
"The coaches were talking with me, but it was still a
shock when they told me," East said. "They had a clinic
before we played and they tried to teach us a few
pointers. It is an honor to be chosen. It's going to be
fun, a good opportunity to go play internationally,
especially with my teammates that I hang around with all
the time."
Coach Fuller said there was a series of qualifiers held
before players advanced and were chosen for the teams.
"This is the inaugural USSSA team going to international
competition, but they actually started with some local
tryouts, then regional tryouts, those that got past the
regional tryouts advanced to Kissimmee -- right around
Orlando -- to these All-American games," Fuller
explained. "Ninety players from California, Illinois,
Florida, Alabama and all over the country met there.
They went through a pro-style workout and then played
four games in two days and they were chosen from that.
"There were college coaches there, and some USSSA
officials, I don't think there were any pro guys there."
It is possible that fundraisers may be held in behalf of
the three players.
"We will see what their needs are and what USSSA and the
two governments can do," coach Fuller said. "We will see
what is left and what we've got to do. If we do have to
fund raise then we will announce that later."
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