September 2, 2006 – The Virgin Islands Minor Little League All Star team emerged victorious over St. Maarten, 13-3, on Friday in the Latin American regional championships. The Minor Leaguers, 9-10 year olds, are the fifth team to represent the Virgin Islands in a regional Little League tournament.
The V.I. pitchers allowed no hits, but walked 16 batters and hit another batter with the pitch. Starting pitcher Shakeem Foy walked six batters in the top of the first inning to begin the game, and two of those scored to give St. Maarten an early lead.
St. Maarten returned the favor by walking the first two batters that they faced in the bottom of the inning.
Aseah Thomas of the Virgin Islands then smashed a three-run homerun over the left-center field fence to give the territory the lead. The V.I. team scored a total of nine runs in the bottom of first inning.
In the second inning, Foy walked the first three batters and was relieved by Kelvin Hansen Jr.
Hansen struck out the next two batters and the third grounded out to the second baseman.
The drama was not over for the V.I. team as next, Hansen fell ill in the dugout in between innings. He was quickly attended to be medical personnel and found to be dehydrated.
Shaquan Webster relieved Hansen and allowed one run over the next two innings.
The V.I. team scored two runs a piece in the second and third innings. However, due to the 10-run mercy rule, the game ended after St. Maarten was unable the cut into the deficit after they batted in the top of the fourth inning.
The V.I. team next plays Curacao in the round robin play of group B at 11:30 a.m. Saturday.
There are three groups. Four teams make the playoff, the winner of each group, and then of the remaining teams, the team with the most runs per inning played will be the wild card.
R- H-E
St. Maarten 3- 0-0
Virgin Islands 13- 7-0
Winning Pitcher: Shaquan Webster
Aseah Thomas 2-2 3 run homerun in 1st
Kyu Matthews 2-3
