TAYLOR – When Taylor North manager Rob Dotson needed one out in the bottom of the seventh inning against a strong Tampa, Florida, team that had cut the deficit to two runs (9-7), he called on the only player on his team who had never played in a World Series before this year to get the job done.
Members of the heavily pro-Taylor following roared as they saw Carmino Koski heading to the mound, determined as ever to get the last out. Imagine the “Wild Thing” scene with actor Charlie Sheen in the movie “Wild Things.”
Koski quickly threw to Tampa’s Noah Caraway, who hit a hard grounder right back to the mound. Koski caught the ball in his glove and threw it to first baseman Tristen Spencer, and Taylor North celebrated winning the U.S. Junior League Baseball World Series title for the second year in a row at Taylor’s Heritage Park.
Tampa, which came to Taylor as champions of the Southeastern United States Region, was one of four regional champions from across the country defeated during the week by Taylor North, the host team from Michigan District 5, which earned its way into the World Series for top teams in the 13- and 14-year-old division.
Earlier this week, Taylor North defeated USA West Region champion Honolulu, Hawaii, 8-0, Central Region champion River Valley/Elmhurst, Illinois, 13-0 and Southwest Region champion New Braunfels, Texas, 9-5.
By defeating Tampa, Taylor North qualified for the World Championship the next day against undefeated international champions Chinese Taipei, who lost 5-0 to Taylor in the final for the second year in a row.
Koski was also the starting pitcher against the Asia-Pacific champions and Hawaii. Despite the loss, Taylor North was able to stake its claim as JLWS national champions for the second year in a row.
“The week was amazing,” said manager Rob Dotson. “It was a long week, but the support from the entire community, the city and Taylor North was incredible. Seeing them pack the stands was pretty cool for us. We couldn’t have asked for a better week. It was everything we hoped and dreamed it would be.”
“Winning a U.S. championship isn’t easy,” Dotson added. “But it was definitely fun. And it’s not often you get to play for a world championship. We were grateful for the opportunity, but we were outmatched in Chinese Taipei. We take our hats off to them. They have a great program.”
In addition to Koski, champions are Kole Boike and Jaxon Shufeldt, both of whom were also on the 2023 team, and nine other players who participated in the Little League Intermediate World Series for 11- to 13-year-olds a year ago in Livermore, California: Spencer, Brodii Hollobaugh, Chase Omodio, Griffin Krakow, Lucas Doute, Cruz Rodriguez, Alex Miller, Richard Loriaux and Lucas Brewer.
“I couldn’t ask for a better group of 12 kids,” Dotson said. “They worked hard. They were focused on their goal. They were the real stars of this whole World Series.”
Dotson also praised his coaches Ryan Doute, who has been with him for five years, and Robert Shufeldt, who joined the team this year, as well as team mother Stephanie Shufeldt.
“The parents and families also put in a lot of time, effort and money,” Dotson said. “We had a lot of donations and sponsorship from local businesses. It was all great. It made the week special. The boys felt like celebrities.”
Dotson, who works with Ryan Doute in the City of Taylor’s Public Works Department, admitted he had a lump in his throat while talking to the team after the loss to Chinese Taipei.
“We were in the dugout after watching them celebrate and then the graduation ceremony,” he said. “Ryan started talking. I could see the kids were a little emotional. I was moved. I hugged each one and told them how much they meant to me.”
“I told them at the end that if they wanted to go again next year, we could take our chance at the Senior World Series.”
To be continued?
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