Blasters on a roll

By JERRY PITCHFORD
The Blasters, a traveling team consisting of mostly players from LeFlore County, have gone on a run in the past few months finishing either first or second in five of their last six tournaments.

They are currently the #1 ranked team in both Oklahoma and their Region and they are also the #7 ranked team in North America in 14 AAA.

Please click on the picture for a larger version. The Blasters, a team consisting mainly of LeFlore County players, is ranked No. 1 in Oklahoma and the region. Team members are: back row from left: John Didway, Colby DeMato, Colton Gamble, Ricky Manzano,  Kory Pollard,  Conner Mangham,  Jace Pitchford,  Brennan Dooly, Chris Dooly.  Front row:  Jeff Francis,  Hunter Wilson, Tanner Francis, Kaydon Evans, Michael Didway, Russell Wilson.

Back in May they went to Little Rock and won the Hard Ball Classic, beating Major teams from Arkansas and Tennessee to take home the Championship after playing in what was arguably the best comeback in Blaster history. After getting down 10-0 to the then Major and now current Arkansas AAA State Champions in the finals, they came back to win 15-10 in a game that lasted almost 3 and 1/2 hours and ended just after midnight.

A few weeks later they came home for the first time this year, playing in the Hum Baby Memorial Classic at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith. This was a great time for them because so many of their friends and families got to come and watch. At a few of the games there were over 100 people there taking advantage of the opportunity to watch the Blasters play. In the finals, they faced an old foe and actually old teammates for some of the Blasters, when they took on the Greenwood Bulldogs, formerly the Arkansas Stealers. Greenwood jumped out on them 5-1 before the Blasters came back and won in the final inning 6-5 to take home the Championship again.

Their next tourney took them to NWA where they played in the Dairy Queen Classic. In this tourney there were several home runs and a no hitter for the Blasters that took the team to the finals where they met up with one of the top Major teams in Arkansas, the Wild Hawgs. The Hawgs had their top pitcher and were having a very good game when they jumped out on the Blasters 7-2. That score lasted up until the last at bat when a team that does not give up decided to make a run. Two base hits got two runners on then another walked and another few hits and a hit by pitch and the score was 7-6 with bases loaded.  The next hit was perfectly hit between first and second base but the Hawg's first baseman made a great dive to stop what would have been a base hit and then turned and threw to a racing pitcher that just beat out the runner to first base.  

That gave the Blasters the runner up trophy but the comeback was exciting and made a great memory for everybody there.

The next week was the State Tournament for the Blasters. They originally thought they would be playing in the traditional 14AAA Oklahoma State tournament, but a last minute change of plans from USSSA sent the Blasters to NWA again for the combined Arkansas/Oklahoma Major State tournament.  For those that don't know the classifications, the Blasters are an AAA team. The classification just above that is Major, which is the highest classification out there. Granted the Blasters are arguably the top AAA in Oklahoma but this was still going to be a huge challenge. In the first game they jumped out on Texarkana with two grand slams in one inning,  before the game ended up in a tie.  In the second game they took on the Wild Hawgs from the week before and this time the game had a different ending.  

The Blasters jumped out in front and never let off the gas, beating them 8-2 in 100 plus temperature. By Sunday afternoon, when the finals started the heat had taken it's toll on everyone there. The finals with Texarkana ended up being a battle of attrition where the Razorbacks ended up winning the game to become back to back Major State champions.  That made the Blasters the Arkansas/Oklahoma Major State Runner up and being the second best team in Arkansas and Oklahoma combined in all classes is something to be very proud of. Normally a second place finish in a Major state tournament would bump the Blasters up to Major, but at this late date USSSA graciously allowed them to stay down in class for their upcoming World Series.

Their last tourney was in Dallas this past weekend where the Blasters took on 11 of the top teams in North Texas and the Dallas/ Fort Worth area. They were the talk of the tournament from the moment they got there and they didn't disappoint, winning five games in a row, including a come from behind last inning win in the finals. It was a great tournament and a lot of fun for everybody that got to go.

Up next for the Blasters will be the 14 AAA World Series in St. Louis the week of July  20th. In the mean time they are scrimmaging teams in the area in an attempt to get ready to make a run at a World Series Championship.