BY RICHIE HALL
A couple weeks ago, a bunch of kids from Noblesville flew to Dallas.
For some, it was the first time they had ever flown on a plane. A week later, those kids returned home as national champion baseball players.
The Noblesville Millers 13U team won the AAA division of the USSSA National World Series, which took place July 11 to 17 in Dallas. Noblesville was one of around 30 teams from seven different states in the tournament.
The Millers cruised through the double-elimination tournament playing 10 games and finishing 8-1-1. Noblesville’s final opponent was a team from Texas. Since the Millers came through the winner’s bracket, the Texas team would have to beat them twice.
The Texans did win the first game 12-0, setting up a winner-take-all game for the championship. In that second game, the Millers were down 5-1 after the first inning, but roared back to win 24-15, thus claiming the championship.
“It was an absolute slugfest,” said Noblesville coach Billy Finn. It was also downright hot – Finn estimated the temperature was 100 degrees, and on the turf it was 110. Such conditions would obviously favor a team from Texas, but the Millers came through.
“They’re a group of fighters,” said Finn. “They’re just a group of fighters. Even after we lost the first game of the championship, we all talked about how we were going to forget about that.” Indeed, the Millers kept themselves loose for the final game, and that resulted in victory.
“It was a really good experience,” said Finn. “Before that we had played teams from Iowa, Oklahoma, a couple teams from Texas. Some really quality competition from the south.”
The Millers actually made instant fans out of their opponents. The coaches of the Iowa and Oklahoma teams gave Noblesville many compliments, telling the team “you guys play the game the right way.
“They respect the way we play,” said Finn. “There’s just a way the kids attack the game, even if it’s 100 degrees. It’s nice to get appreciated by other teams.”
Two Noblesville players received awards for the tournament. Nolan Decker was named the MVP of the entire tournament, while Blake Widget was named the most outstanding offensive player for the tournament.
But of course, everyone on the team contributed to the win. In fact, Finn pointed out that the Millers were the only team that batted its entire lineup of 12 people, which is unusual for that level of travel team ball.
“I think that gives us a little bit of an edge,” said Finn. “Shows you what good teammates you have. We’re a team that still believes in development, not just wins and losses, but you can still do that and win.”
The USSSA World Series win was a culmination of a successful season for the Millers. The team won five tournaments and collected 30 wins in a 41-game schedule.
“That’s pretty darn impressive for the tough schedule we played this year,” said Finn.
The trip to Dallas was one of many that the Noblesville team took this season. The weekend before the USSSA Nationals, the Millers won a 14U tournament at the Cincinnati Reds complex. “It was a really cool place,” said Finn.
Noblesville also played at a tournament in Omaha, the site of the College World Series, another event that Finn called “a really cool experience for the kids and the families.” They also got to visit the ESPN trailer at the College World Series as well. While in Dallas, the Millers got a chance to see a tour of the Dallas Cowboys facilities.
The Noblesville Millers 13U had a successful season, culminating with a victory in the AAA division of the USSSA National World Series, which took place July 11-17 in Dallas. The Millers finished the tournament 8-1-1 and came back from a 5-1 deficit in the final game to win 24-15, thus clinching the championship. (Photo provided)
The Noblesville Millers 13U won five tournaments over the course of their season, including a 14U tournament in Cincinnati (pictured here), and won 30 of their 41 games.
Bottom row: Trevor Corbett, Sawyer Cleland, Brady Bishop, Jacob Baker, Nate Gregory, Max Finn. Top row: Blake Widget, Cameron Wilson, Nolan Decker, Hunter Walston, Gideon Springer, Reece Corley, Jackson Bethel. (Photo provided)