LIVE: From the Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament

Dave Lax: We're There

The 2010 Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament has come to a close. Over 300 players took part in this elite event and they did not disappoint. Outstanding performances were delivered during the final day of action. The day was capped off literally by a walk-off. The tournament rules stated that six batters would come to the plate each inning. The final batter, in the final inning, in the final game of the tournament took his place in the batters box. The final batter, Dan Denton of Newtown, PA, took a great swing at a fastball and knocked it out of the park. As Denton crossed homeplate all of the players from both teams gathered to shake hands. Baseball Factory wants to congratulate all of the participating players in this year's Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament. Check out some pictures from the final day of action:

Game action from the first round of play.

A scout gets the velocity of a pitcher.

Team "USA" pose for a team picture after their final game.

A Baseball Factory scout talks to two teams after their final game.

For premium insider content, you can also follow the event by becoming a Fan of Baseball Factory on Facebook or Following us on Twitter.


Dave Lax is the Assistant Director of Marketing at Baseball Factory. Dave started with Baseball Factory in June of 2006 having earned his degree in Business from the University of Maryland, College Park. He majored in Marketing and minored in Communication. At Maryland, he played on the Scout Basketball Team for three years, where he was part of the National Championship team in 2006. In addition to his marketing responsibilities Dave serves as the administrator for Baseball University and helps design and maintain the website.

LIVE: From the Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament

Dave Lax: We're There

Day two is in the books. All twenty teams participated in a pro style workout and filming session. Along with the workout the players also took part in their first showcase style game. Check out some of the great action from Day 2 at the 2010 Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament.

Players warm up prior to starting their video workout.

A player takes batting practice during the morning workout.

Two teams battle in the first round of games.

Scouts look on during showcase style games.

The sun sets on Day 2 at the Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament.

For premium insider content, you can also follow the event by becoming a Fan of Baseball Factory on Facebook or Following us on Twitter.


Dave Lax is the Assistant Director of Marketing at Baseball Factory. Dave started with Baseball Factory in June of 2006 having earned his degree in Business from the University of Maryland, College Park. He majored in Marketing and minored in Communication. At Maryland, he played on the Scout Basketball Team for three years, where he was part of the National Championship team in 2006. In addition to his marketing responsibilities Dave serves as the administrator for Baseball University and helps design and maintain the website.

LIVE: From the Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament

Dave Lax: We're There

The 2010 Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament is underway. Over 300 of the nations best ballplayers gathered in Tucson, AZ to take part in this three-day event. This year's event has elite players from 33 states, Puerto Rico, three Canadian Provinces (British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta) and the Bahamas represented. During the first day's events players checked-in and received their Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Jersey, Hat and Cleats. They also recieved their commemorative certificate. After all the players filed through they were treated to a few opening ceremony speeches. Over 1,000 players, parents, friends and relatives packed into the Grand Ballroom to hear these speeches. The night was started off by Steve Bernhardt, Executive VP of Baseball Operations for the Baseball Factory. He was followed up by the Baseball Factory's CEO and Founder Steve Sclafani. The evening was capped off by Mac Seibert, National Cross Checker for the New York Mets.

If the excitement of the first night was any indication, we are headed for a great showcase and tournament.

Check back tomorrow for an update on the first day of on-field action.

For premium insider content, you can also follow the event by becoming a Fan of Baseball Factory on Facebook or Following us on Twitter.


Dave Lax is the Assistant Director of Marketing at Baseball Factory. Dave started with Baseball Factory in June of 2006 having earned his degree in Business from the University of Maryland, College Park. He majored in Marketing and minored in Communication. At Maryland, he played on the Scout Basketball Team for three years, where he was part of the National Championship team in 2006. In addition to his marketing responsibilities Dave serves as the administrator for Baseball University and helps design and maintain the website.

LIVE: From the Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament

Dave Lax: We're There

Check back here for daily recaps from Tucson during the 2010 Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament, powered by Baseball Factory. Check out the official Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament Page. Here you will be able to find all the important information you will need to stay up to date on this event. Check out the over 300 players that will be in attendance. Also on this page are the Team Breakdown, Tentative Itinerary and a map of the Kino Sports Complex, Spring Training Home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Under Armour Pre-Season All-America Tournament kicks off tomorrow evening. We look forward to a great event.

For premium insider content, you can also follow the event by becoming a Fan of Baseball Factory on Facebook or Following us on Twitter.


Dave Lax is the Assistant Director of Marketing at Baseball Factory. Dave started with Baseball Factory in June of 2006 having earned his degree in Business from the University of Maryland, College Park. He majored in Marketing and minored in Communication. At Maryland, he played on the Scout Basketball Team for three years, where he was part of the National Championship team in 2006. In addition to his marketing responsibilities Dave serves as the administrator for Baseball University and helps design and maintain the website.

From Dodgertown to Wrigley

Dave Lax: Tip of the Week

The old saying “practice makes perfect,” which has been modified through the years to “perfect practice makes perfect,” is still 100% accurate. I was recently in Chicago for the 2009 Under Armour All-America Game, powered by Baseball Factory and got the chance to meet one of the many Baseball Factory success stories. Every year Baseball Factory sees thousands of players and has had over 25,000 go on to play college baseball, yet every time we hear about another success story we get just as excited as if it were the first player we helped over 15 years ago. In Chicago, the top 36 high school players from across the country and Canada played at Wrigley Field in front of scouts, college coaches, family and fans. One of the participants was Davie, FL native Nick Castellanos.

Nick came to Chicago as a highly touted third basemen and power hitter. He has been compared to five-time Major League All-Star and seven-time Gold Glove winner, Scott Rolen. Nick, who should one day make an impact for some Major League Team, worked very hard to make it where he is today. He is also the epitome of a Baseball Factory success story. Not because he has been so highly recruited or even looked at as a top pick for the 2010 First Year Major League Draft. Rather he is considered a success because of the player development that he has gone through during his years of working with Baseball Factory culminating in his verbal commitment to the University of Miami to further his baseball and academic career. The prestigious Under Armour All-America Game in Chicago was just icing on the cake for Nick.

Nick realized early on that player development was the key to improving his game and his career. Nick attended one of Baseball Factory’s National Tryouts in 2006 to see where he graded out and what he needed to improve. After going over his evaluation with his Player Development Coordinator he was selected and attended the Dodgertown World Series (now Pirate City World Series) in Vero Beach, FL. Nick had just finished 8th grade when he attended the camp. At the camp he was immersed with baseball from dawn till dusk. Nick took advantage of the training and coaches at the event as he continued his baseball career into high school.

During the summers Nick plays for the All-American Prospects, one of the elite travel baseball teams in the country. Nick’s development continued with his play with and against some of the top players in the country. Nick’s team has played in the Under Armour Southeast Wood Bat Tournament, operated by Team One Baseball since the tournament’s inception. This tournament attracts many of the top travel teams and in turn some of the best high school players. Some of the Under Armour Southeast Tournament Alumni include Tim Beckham, #1 Overall Pick in the 2008 Draft, Bobby Borchering #16 Overall Pick in the 2009 Draft and Mychal Givens teammate of Nick’s and #54 Overall Pick in the 2009 Draft. Being surrounded by these top players allowed Nick to keep getting better even as he became one of the highest rated players in the country.

In August, Nick traveled to Chicago to play in the 2009 Under Armour All-America Game. Nick had a game to remember. After taking home the hardware in the Mattingly Sports Home Run Derby Contest, he went on to go 4-4 at the plate, all doubles, and had 3 RBI’s and 3 runs scored. Nick added a stolen base and a walk to round out his day (Check out the Under Armour All-America Game Recap). He proved that he not only deserved the MVP honors that he received but that starting player development early and continuing to work hard pays off. When I spoke with Nick out in Chicago, he told me his ultimate goal was to win the College World Series followed up by a World Series Championship. With the work ethic, dedication and desire to play the game it seems like Nick will be able to make his dreams a reality.

Finally I wanted to congratulate Nick on his selection and subsequent performance in the Under Armour All-America Game along with his commitment to further his baseball career and education at the University of Miami. Everyone at the Baseball Factory is proud of the baseball player, and more importantly the person, Nick has become.


Dave Lax is the Assistant Director of Marketing at Baseball Factory. Dave started with Baseball Factory in June of 2006 having earned his degree in Business from the University of Maryland, College Park. He majored in Marketing and minored in Communication. At Maryland, he played on the Scout Basketball Team for three years, where he was part of the National Championship team in 2006. In addition to his marketing responsibilities Dave serves as the administrator for Baseball University and helps design and maintain the website.

Good Loser, Bad Winner

Dave Lax: Tip of the Week

I was recently out at the Under Armour Winter Classic, operated by Team One Baseball, a wood bat tournament held every December in Tucson, AZ. When I was out there I saw an incredible display of character by a young player. This player’s team had gone 0-4 with only one game left to play. However, in every game thus far whether it was a blowout or a nail biter this young man designated himself as team leader in the dugout and on the field. Whether it was leading warm-ups or hustling over to the batting cages to get the most out of soft toss. He was also vocal in the dugout letting people know who was up next or where people were playing in the field. Also there was the encouragement he gave to his teammates. Always encouraging them, trying to motivate them to get a hit, make a play, shake off a mistake or call out for a two out rally, which had yet to be answered. It was this devotion to his team that took me by surprise, not because I don’t expect to see that on baseball fields, but because the team this young man was playing on had met for the first time only two days prior. It was amazing to see this guy take such an immediate and vested interest even when things weren’t going well for them on the field. He was so positive and upbeat that everyone on his team seemed to get pumped up just being around him. They even pulled out a win on the final day in the final game. With every loss he became more gracious and seemed to take away lessons with every loss. At the end of the day, I guess it does pay to be a good loser.

In the same tournament I saw many many more displays of cocky, negative attitudes. Most of these came from teams that were winning and blowing out others including the team I mentioned before. I saw such un-sportsmen like displays as not coming out of their dugout after a game to shake the other team’s hand. Let me note that not every player on these teams were like this. It was unbelievable to see that a player could be an outcast even in his own dugout and still be the main reason a few of these teams were winning. I saw one instance that a player, after he struck out the side solidifying a shutout, walked directly off the field to his parents and waited with them until the rest of his team and coaches finished a team talk and cleaned out their dugout. In my mind that’s a bad winner.

It is that kind of attitude that really shows what kind of person you are. I am not a baseball coach, but I would be willing to bet that most coaches, given the positions needed of course, would take the player from the losing team rather than the player from the winning team. If I was scouting both of those players the way each of them acted on the field stands out more than their actual play on the field, especially if these two players are similar or only slightly different athletically. In my mind being a bad winner can cause people to steer clear of you. Being a bad winner doesn’t only make you look bad but it makes any organization you are representing look bad as well. On the flip side being a good loser can really show more than just character it can show what type of ballplayer you will be. Someone who stays in the game, someone who keeps focused on the game and someone who never quits until the final out is recorded.

I remember back to when I was in Little League. My team of decent players, not great, made our way into our league championship game. To make matters worse, two of our best players were out of town during the championship game. We were taking the field against the best team in the league, a team that was put together entirely of players from a local travel ball team. This was recreational league so travel ball kids stood out. We were down and down big but most of my team never gave up. In our final at-bat we got two quick outs and then my best friend on the team led off with an infield single, hustling down the line to beat the throw to extend the game. I came up next and smashed a single through the legs of the first basemen, my first hit of the game, I got to second with a throwing error and my friend scored. We were getting excited to be putting any kind of rally together. I am standing on second pumped and getting ready for our next batter to try and get me in. However, he decided that it was already over and packed it in. His body language, swings and overall lackluster attitude was evident. He struck out with three straight pitches ending the game. As I came in the dugout I overheard him say “now we can finally get out of here.” He didn’t even want to be there. I don’t even care that the game ended and we lost. I was upset that he gave up. Most of our team was being good losers (honestly with our talent we were just happy to have made it to the championship) fighting till the end, but one player was a bad loser and he brought down our team and all that we had accomplished.

Basically what I am trying to get across here is that no matter what the outcome on the field being a good sport win or lose is so much more evident and impactful then being a bad sport. In my mind coaches, scouts and recruiters would take a good sport that may not be as athletically talented over a bad sport simply because of what they have in character. I overheard one scout at the tournament in Arizona say, “that kid has heart, you can’t measure that, but he has tons of it.” So remember when you take the field that being a good sport versus a bad sport, win or lose, can really make an impact on the people in the dugout and those watching the game. As I said in my last two blogs you never know who is watching.


Dave Lax is the Assistant Director of Marketing at Baseball Factory. Dave started with Baseball Factory in June of 2006 having earned his degree in Business from the University of Maryland, College Park. He majored in Marketing and minored in Communication. At Maryland, he played on the Scout Basketball Team for three years, where he was part of the National Championship team in 2006. In addition to his marketing responsibilities Dave serves as the administrator for Baseball University and helps design and maintain the website.

From Television and Newspapers to Youtube and Facebook: Part 2

Dave Lax: Tip of the Week

Last blog I talked about a few ways a player should act with the media. I wanted to conclude my topic on “How to Interact with the Media” with a few more important issues that should be considered. The first two points I want to bring up are regarding the way the media views you externally.

1. Always speak to and look directly at the interviewer when answering questions. Resist the temptation to look at the ground or the sky.

You may think that the media would understand your jetting eyes or poor posture because you are excited after a win or down after a loss, but it is very important to push aside all of that and conduct an appropriate interview. If you are being interviewed after or even before an event it is important to look at the reporter and stand or sit up straight. All of these fundamental interview techniques give off the air of confidence and maturity. This is also true for interviews outside of the athletic world. Anytime you are being interviewed, you are representing your school, your team and yourself. You want to make sure that all three groups are looked at in a good light.

2. Understand the importance of personal appearance and dress appropriately for all situations. Make sure team sponsors’ logos and products are visible.

If you are speaking with the media and are part of a team, whether it is a professional team or your local travel team, you need to keep in mind that you are playing for the greater good. You are part of a unit and I hate to bring out the cliché, “There is no I in team,” but it seems to best describe my point. You need to think for the whole, not just yourself. You were not the only one on the field and you are not the only one working hard for your team. Thus, when you are doing an interview the Team should come first. This usually starts with your appearance. If you have a uniform, team polo or other team apparel you should wear this. You are not posing for GQ so whatever new style is out there can be worn after the interview. When you are playing for a sponsored team or even sponsored yourself, your sponsors expect and probably demand in your contract that their logo shows when you give interviews. Make sure to avoid wearing any competing brands!

The next two topics are more about the question and answering done in an interview.

3. Make the effort to reveal a good personality during an interview. Be enthusiastic and animated in interviews after a win or loss. Understand that it is acceptable to talk about issues other than sports (i.e. music, politics, world events, etc.).

When you speak to the media they may often try to elicit responses from you that show a negative personality. You must try to avoid overreacting or showing a negative side even if it’s how you feel. Whether it was because of a loss, a bad call by an umpire/referee or a bad play in the game. One of the worst ways to do this is by blaming another teammate for a loss or a bad play. More times than not someone on a team feels that a bad call or play cost them the game; however, as a teammate you cannot throw another player under the bus whether you believe it’s true or not. You need to keep things positive or at the very least, neutral.

Also if a question elicits talking about topics outside of the sports field feel free to speak about this; however, I would recommend that in order to talk about this in the public eye make sure you have a good understanding of anything that you are speaking about. Also, even if you have a strong feeling or know a lot about the topic it may not be an appropriate question to answer, and there is nothing wrong with politely declining to answer a question.

That brings me to my final point.

4. Recognize that questions of a personal nature do not have to be answered. Be aware that nothing is “off-the-record.” Anything said to a reporter may be printed in the newspaper that day or be on television that night.

Finally, you never have to answer a question. Feel free to say politely that you have no comment on something that you feel is too personal or that would make you respond negatively. However, if you avoid every question they ask you most likely will not be asked to do an interview again.

Just remember, be aware of what you say and do. Someone is always listening, recording or filming and whatever you say and do can be potentially published in a newspaper/online or put on YouTube/Facebook for everyone to see.



Dave Lax is the Assistant Director of Marketing at Baseball Factory. Dave started with Baseball Factory in June of 2006 having earned his degree in Business from the University of Maryland, College Park. He majored in Marketing and minored in Communication. At Maryland, he played on the Scout Basketball Team for three years, where he was part of the National Championship team in 2006. In addition to his marketing responsibilities Dave serves as the administrator for Baseball University and helps design and maintain the website.

From Television and Newspapers to Youtube and Facebook

Dave Lax: Tip of the Week

Back when I was in high school, you would rarely see a local newspaper reporter or photographer at your game. Talking to the media wasn’t a lesson that most coaches would address. Back then if I was approached by a reporter I would answer their questions and try not to stutter too much. I mean how many people were actually going to read the Columbia Flier’s local high school sports section (circulation 37,000)?

However, today everyone has a video camera, phone that records audio/video and digital cameras. Every action you take off the field is just as noticed and talked about as the ones you take on the field.

I cannot tell you how many times I am at one of our Baseball Factory Player Development events and I see or hear a player act or speak inappropriately to a reporter or even a coach. Now “reporters” can come from anywhere. It doesn’t have to be the beat writer for the Washington Post, it can be a local publication, a blog, coach or even a parent for the team’s newsletter. How you carry yourself and understanding how to speak to the media is very important. With access to videos, pictures and newspaper articles, college coaches, recruiters and the general public can learn more about you then you may even be aware of.

I wanted to talk about the importance of speaking to the media (including television, newspaper, parents, bloggers and anyone documenting the event). When addressing an audience, television camera or even conducting a phone interview try and think about the following:

1. Be able to control your emotions after a game whether you win or lose.

2. Thank the sponsors, tournament director, staff, umpires and fans.

Usually the people putting on the event or game put a lot of effort making the event run smoothly. It shows maturity to recognize all the people involved in the process of this event.

3. Speak positively about opponents, being respectful of their playing ability and personal attributes.

If you watch most pro athletes give a post-game interview, you will hear them speak about the quality team they just played. You will never hear Derek Jeter say “Can you believe how bad that second baseman was tonight?” Whether it was a blowout or a hard fought battle, both sides deserve to be there and the credit that goes along with getting to that stage. So win or lose, being respectful is a must.

4. Be aware of posture and make eye contact with fans and on-field personnel.

5. Answer questions with a clear and concise answer.

Try not to ramble, as this may cause you to go off topic.

6. Always appear to be friendly, considerate and easygoing with reporters. Try to remember names and always be polite and patient with reporters who may not have an understanding of sports terminology.

You always want to be courteous to whomever you speak with after a game. I know how hard it is sometimes to speak about a game after a tough loss, but sometimes as a leader you will need to talk about the game and represent yourself and your team. It is important to approach the media with respect because they will publish how they view you and if you are hostile it may affect the way others see you. A good tactic is to always repeat the reporters name and publication back to them to help you remember who they are.

Not everyone grows up playing sports; even if they follow it on a regular basis there are certain terms and language that the general “fan” may not understand. When explaining something to a reporter, keep your explanations simple so that both advanced and beginner fans can understand your description.

Check back next week for more philosophies you should be aware of when speaking to the media.


Dave Lax is the Assistant Director of Marketing at Baseball Factory. Dave started with Baseball Factory in June of 2006 having earned his degree in Business from the University of Maryland, College Park. He majored in Marketing and minored in Communication. At Maryland, he played on the Scout Basketball Team for three years, where he was part of the National Championship team in 2006. In addition to his marketing responsibilities Dave serves as the administrator for Baseball University and helps design and maintain the website.

LIVE: From the Under Armour Southwest Tournament

Dave Lax: We're There

In the end of July temperatures above 110 would make you believe that you were in the desert. At the first day of round robin play at this year’s Under Armour Southwest Regional Tournament the temperature touched 113 degrees. However, the scorching temperatures did not seem to sway the players or the fans. All of the teams came out with good spirits and played good baseball.

In the early games of the day the St. Louis Pirates took advantage of extra outs given at the expense of the Baseball Factory White team and notched the first win of the tournament 11-3. The Arizona Clash, which played in the finals of last year’s tournament, was back and came out with an opening game win against Baseball Factory Red. The Clash squeaked out the win by a slim margin of 4-3. The final game of the morning showcased a high level of defense as only four runs came across the plate. In the end the Players Baseball Academy 16U team won 3-1 over the Baseball Factory Navy.

As the temperatures started to rise, the second set of games kicked off shortly before noon. A couple of the Baseball Factory squads took advantage of their back-to-back games and stayed loose to cruise for a win. The Baseball Factory White took out the Tucson Baseball Academy 10-1 using strong pitching and an explosive offense. The Baseball Factory Navy team was squaring off against the St. Louis Pirates who took out Baseball Factory White in the early game. With the Baseball Factory Navy down by one run going into the last inning, they strung a few hits together, tied the game and then a patient at bat eventually lead to the “walk” off win for the Navy squad. In the final of the three games played at midday the Baseball Factory Red ran into the Under Armour Winter Classic powerhouse West Texas Cats. The Cats took their well-oiled machine to an 11-1 win.

In the final two games of the day in possibly the hottest temperatures, the two teams from Texas squared off. On a side note, the sportsmanship of the West Texas Cats was spectacular as they allowed their opponents, the El Paso Dragons, to use some of their baseball gear because the Dragons gear was lost by the airline. As for the game, extra innings were needed to decide a winner. It seemed that generosity would be rewarded as the Cats scored two runs in the top of the eighth; however, the Dragons made a run at the comeback scoring one in their half of the inning. In the end, the Cats held on for the victory.

The West Texas Cats thus far have the best record in the tournament at 2-0. In the other game the Players Baseball Academy 18U team and the Lake Havasu Stars battled it out in extra innings as well. The Players Baseball Academy eventually took the win 5-4.

In an exciting and over-heated day the Under Armour Southwest Regional Tournament was officially underway and we can’t wait to see what the rest of the tournament has in store for us. We know the temperatures will be hot, and lets hope the baseball is too.


Dave Lax is the Assistant Director of Marketing at Baseball Factory. Dave started with Baseball Factory in June of 2006 having earned his degree in Business from the University of Maryland, College Park. He majored in Marketing and minored in Communication. At Maryland, he played on the Scout Basketball Team for three years, where he was part of the National Championship team in 2006. In addition to his marketing responsibilities Dave serves as the administrator for Baseball University and helps design and maintain the website.

LIVE: From the USA 16U Baseball Championships - Recap

Dave Lax: We're There

We had a good run, but ultimately the Baseball Factory team lost and was eliminated from the tournament Friday morning, losing to the Orlando Scorpions 8-7. The game started on Thursday at 5 PM. After four scoreless innings on both sides, the rain finally came and postponed the game for the day. We resumed play Friday at 8 AM. After a rough fifth inning, Baseball Factory was down 6-0.

But we wouldn’t give up without a fight. Baseball Factory would come back with three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Michael Bradshaw (Crestwood, NY) led the charge with a 2-RBI double to right field. The Scorpions would score another run in the bottom of the sixth, making the score 7-3 as both teams entered the seventh inning. With no outs and runners on first and second (walk and hit by a pitch), Joseph McCrary (Stone Mountain, GA) doubled to right to score one, leaving runners on first and third with no outs. The very next batter, Joe D'Annunzio (Scotch Plains, NJ) hit a 2-RBI triple to right field to cut the deficit to one, 7-6. Mike Ford (Belle Mead, NJ) then singled to left to tie the game, 7-7. After such a dramatic comeback, we unfortunately couldn’t hold on in the end. The Scorpions scored the winning run in the bottom of the 7th to defeat Baseball Factory, 8-7.

While it was a heartbreaking loss, these boys should be very proud. The Orlando Scorpions went on to win the USA Baseball 16U Championship title. The Baseball Factory finished in the top 16 out of a 72-team tournament. A special thanks goes out to Rick Sofield and Reggie Harris for coaching and motivating the boys throughout our championship run, and the parents for being so flexible and patient through this crazy week of rain. And finally to the players, who played their hearts out this week, thank you so much for such a fun and entertaining week of baseball!!!

LIVE: From the USA 16U Baseball Championships part 2

Dave Lax: We're There

A winning trend has started for the Baseball Factory team! Baseball Factory took out the 2006 USA 16U Baseball Champion All-American Prospects Red. The Baseball Factory came away with their third victory in a row at the USA 16U Baseball Championships East. As the visiting team, the offense wasted no time as they loaded the bases in the 1st inning. With two outs, Joe D'Annunzio (Scotch Plains, NJ) came through with a 2-RBI single to left. Two batters later, Mike Ford (Belle Meade, NJ) scored the 3rd run on a passed ball.

After shutting down the Prospects in the bottom of the inning, Baseball Factory's offense got back to work in the 2nd. Patrick Martin (Bassett, VA) started things off with a double. He eventually would score after an overthrown pick-off attempt and a fielder's choice. With a runner on 1st, Denzel Campbell (College Park, GA) hit an RBI double down the left field line, putting the Factory up 5-0.

For the rest of the game, Baseball Factory continued to get on base, but were unable to get anyone across the plate. However, the story continues to be Baseball Factory’s pitching. Mark Williams (Vienna, VA) and Harrison Musgrave (Notter Fort, WV) pitched four innings and three innings respectively. Both shut down the Prospects throughout the game, scattering hits while striking out seven batters (Williams 2, Harrison 5). Our defense was also solid behind them, with only one error throughout the entire game. There were also two outstanding plays made in the field - a diving catch in left field by Campbell and a heads up double play by Sean Hagen (Reading, PA) behind the dish. The Factory won the game by a final score of 5-1.

Baseball Factory will take on the 7th overall seeded Virginia Mavericks at 8 AM on Thursday.

THIS JUST IN: Baseball Factory upended the #7 Mavericks 8-2 in the first game of the day. A full recap will come in later today. Our next game is at 5 PM.

Update: (3:00PM)
Same Old Story

Once again, the bats came alive and the pitching stayed strong as Baseball Factory beat the 7th seeded Virginia Mavericks, 8-2. Michael Bradshaw (Crestwood, NY) pitched a solid 3 innings, giving up just one run and recording two strikeouts.

The offense got going in the 4th, when Joseph McCrary (Stone Mountain, GA) led off the inning with a double to right. The next batter, Mike Ford (Belle Mead, NJ) reached first base on a throwing error by the second baseman, which would also score McCrary. After a single by Denzel Campbell (College Park, GA), Anthony Bowman (Damascus, MD) hit a sacrifice fly to score Ford and Baseball Factory went up 2-1.

Andrew Chin (Newton, MA) came into pitch in the top of the 4th inning. The Mavericks came up with a tying run, but stranded two to keep the game tied at 2-2.

Andrew Green (Mt. Juliet, TN) terrorized the base paths to start off the 5th inning. He reached 1st and advanced to second on a throwing error and would later take 3rd on a passed ball. After a walk by Chad Miller (Angleton, TX), McCrary beat out an infield hit and scored Green from 3rd. Miller would later score from 3rd when Mike Ford hit into a double play. After the 5th inning, Baseball Factory had a 4-2 lead.

Chin came back with two more great innings. He ended his day pitching three innings, giving up one run and striking out three.

Still leading 4-2 at the top of the 7th inning, the Baseball Factory team took advantage of some Mavericks errors and had some timely hitting. Baseball Factory added 4 runs in part by McCrary's RBI single to center, Ford's RBI triple to the right center gap and Trevor Larson's (Northbridge, MA) RBI single to left.

With the score 8-2 going into the bottom of the 7th, Mike Ford came in to close the game. After a couple harmless hits, Ford shut out the Mavericks to give Baseball Factory its 4th victory in a row, 8-2.

Baseball Factory is now 1 out of 16 teams still fighting for the championship. Remember this tournament started with 72 teams! Wish us luck as we play again today at 5pm!

LIVE: From the USA 16U Baseball Championships

Dave Lax: We're There

Greetings from Florida!

The Baseball Factory has brought together 16 top players from 11 different states to compete in the USA Baseball 16U Championships in Jupiter, Florida. After our Friday afternoon practice was rained out (a reoccurring theme as you will see), our first game began the following morning versus South Florida Baseball Blue. After spending only a few hours together, the Baseball Factory was down 6-0 after 5 innings. After persistent rain, our game was officially called and we took our first loss of the tournament.

Game 2 versus the Southwest Florida Underclassmen began Sunday afternoon after a brief lightening delay. With the game tied 2-2 at the top of the 5th inning, a lightening bolt struck VERY close to our field and was followed by another heavy downpour. Our game was suspended for the day and we resumed play early Monday morning. Losing some of the momentum we had from the day before, Baseball Factory took its second loss of the tournament, giving up a winning run in the bottom of the 7th inning.

But it was evident that this team was starting to gel. Later that day, the bats came alive versus the Proway Colt 45’s. Along with strong pitching performances, the team earned its first victory, 8-2. They kept the offense going Tuesday morning, as they beat the Florida Bombers 8-6.

The Baseball Factory team is now at .500 and looking to win their third straight. With more time together on the field this team is only getting better. Timely hitting and overpowering pitching has kept us in every game.

Check back for more updates from Jupiter and the USA 16U Baseball Championships.

LIVE: From the Omaha Pro Select Training and Tournament - Part 1

Dave Lax: We're There

Omaha, Nebraska: the Mecca of College Baseball. How appropriate is it that this should be the place where 165 high school baseball players from 25 different states around the country descend to participate in the Omaha Pro Select Training & Tournament, powered by Baseball Factory. Recognized as elite players at their local tryouts, each is here to compete and train in a tournament setting, as they pursue the dream of playing college ball. Each of them will have the opportunity to learn from the experienced staff which includes professional scouts, former professional players and former college coaches. These coaches will work one-on-one with every player to make adjustments that will lead to success in the future, maybe even a chance at playing in the revered Rosenblatt Stadium, home of the College World Series.

After everyone got settled in, the first night was highlighted by the words of a man who knows what it takes to succeed not only as a ball player, but also how to conduct yourself off the field: Rick Sofield. As a former major leaguer and current Assistant Athletic Director and Head Baseball Coach at the University of South Carolina - Beaufort, Sofield brought a wealth of knowledge and a presence that all members of the audience, players and parents, could gravitate to. Within his moving speech, Sofield focused on three main issues for the maturing players:

1. Prioritize what’s truly important

2. Excel not only athletically, but also academically and socially

3. Make sound decisions.

Since he is a father of a teenager and is a former ball player himself, Sofield understood what each of the players and parents are going through in terms of the college decision process. With his confident and comedic at times manner, he was able to share his insight on the entire process, explaining how players should be preparing themselves physically as well as mentally for the next step of their careers. Sofield also called for the parents to realize what is truly within their control, and to understand that the responsibility rests with the player in terms of contacting college coaches, balancing the academic rigors with their busy baseball schedules, and making baseball a priority in their lives. He concluded by reassuring the players that there is a college out there for each of them, and that by making good decisions in every part of their lives they will be able to achieve their goals.

What a way to start off the event!

Soon to come: a breakdown of the preliminary games and the announcement of the highly anticipated playoff seeding. Check back soon.

LIVE: From the Under Armour Southeast Regional Tournament: Day 5

Dave Lax: We're There

A second serving of Juice, please.

That’s right the Chet Lemon’s Juice captured their second straight Under Armour Southeast Regional Tournament. After a long day of baseball and many threats from mother nature the conclusion to this year’s tournament had a familiar feeling. But first lets take a look at how the final day of competition played out.

Starting the day we had eight teams looking to earn a spot in the semi-finals. The Palm Beach Clippers kept their Cinderella story alive by taking out the #8 seeded Miami Fat Cats. In the early upset of the day the Palm Beach PAL beat previously undefeated Line Drive Baseball in a battle that went into extra innings. On the other side of the bracket the most anticipated game of the day was between Chet Lemon’s Juice and the All-American Prospects - Navy. In another extra inning game the Juice came through in the bottom of the eighth inning to win 4-3 and move on. The lowest seed still in the tournament was the Florida Pokers. The Pokers took out two of the tournaments top teams and were looking to take down the boys from Texas, Team DeMarini, but a few early runs were all Team DeMarini needed. They held on to win 4-1.

As the field was cut down to four, the teams geared up for their next game with hopes of gaining a berth in the championship game, which was played at Roger Dean Stadium.

In the first semi-final Team DeMarini’s starting pitcher threw an incredible game. He pitched four hitless innings and his team led 1-0 entering the fifth inning; however, the Juice and their experience were not thwarted by a stellar pitching performance. The Juice finally broke through with some hits knocking the starting pitcher out of the game, which opened the flood gates. The final score of 9-1 was not indicative of how close the game really was, as both teams gave everyone watching some excitement. In the second semi-final the Clippers magical run came to an end as the Palm Beach PAL took them down with strong defense and timely hitting. The championship was now set and the teams hurried over to the stadium field as rain clouds covered the sky.

In the championship game the Juice struck early and often. With Under Armour Undeniable Player of the Game, James Ramsey walking in two consecutive at bats he quickly turned those walks into runs with his blistering speed and teammates clutch hitting. The Palm Beach PAL put up only one run as the Juice captured their second title in as many years with a 7-1 win. We look forward to seeing what next year has in store for the Under Armour Southeast Regional Tournament and we congratulate Chet Lemon’s Juice on another incredible tournament.

If you are interested in reviewing some of the scouting reports from the event, please check out Team One Baseball.

LIVE: From the Under Armour Southeast Regional Wood Bat Tournament - Day 4

Dave Lax: We're There

Elimination Day is here and some teams as expected moved onto the final day of play while other teams had some surprises for the entire tournament. Upset was the name of the game in the first set of games. Although the teams that were playing were only a few seeds apart it seemed that the team with the lower seed kept on winning. The Florida Pokers took out the always dangerous Atlanta Blue Jays 3-2 in a great game. The Florida Pokers went on to beat the #2 overall seed All American Prospects Red team 4-2.

Most of the big names in the tournament held true to form as they moved easily into Day 2 of elimination. Chet Lemon’s Juice beat a stingy Treasure Coast Young Guns squad 3-0 to advance. The All American Prospects Navy avenged an early pool play loss to the Broward Mavericks to move into the final eight. Line Drive Baseball had the most convincing win blanking the Pirates Prospects. The Palm Beach PAL dispatched of the Baseball Factory Red team 10-2 after the Baseball Factory Red edged out their counterpart Baseball Factory Navy in the first round of games.

The big surprise of the day was the upset of #1 overall seed DiamondVision Elite. The Palm Beach Clippers who were a #17 seed took out the top seed in the tournament with a 3-2 win. So as it turned out both teams that were undefeated lost their opening game and were eliminated from the tournament along with 14 other teams.

We look forward to our final day of the 2008 Under Armour Southeast Regional Tournament. Who will be playing at the stadium at the Roger Dean Sports Complex? Who will take home the crown? Will it be a top seed or one of the many underdogs?

Check back tomorrow for a recap of the entire event.

LIVE: From the Under Armour Southeast Tournament - Day 3

Dave Lax: We're There

The stage has been set. The seeds have been assigned. It is now time for the elimination portion of the Under Armour Southeast Regional Wood Bat Tournament. After another intense day of baseball all 24 teams now know who they will face in the first round or if their hard work was enough to earn a first round bye.

We finished the round robin portion of the tournament with three undefeated teams. The top two seeds going into the single elimination bracket are the DiamondVision Elite and the All American Prospects – Red. They enter the next round as the #1 and #2 seeds respectively with 3-0-1 records. DiamondVision kept their perfect record intact by coming back in the last inning to tie the Line Drive Baseball team. The All American Prospects – Red finished the round robin play by winning three straight games after tying their first.

After tying DiamondVision Elite in their first game of the day, the Line Drive Baseball team sent a message to the rest of the field in the second game by dismantling the #23 seeded Hitaway Prospects 11-3. At 2-0-2, Line Drive Baseball earned themselves the #3 seed edging out the four 3-1 teams.

The three “powerhouses” of the tournament Freshwater Storm, Chet Lemon’s Juice and All American Prospects – Navy all finished 3-1. The Storm lost its bid for a perfect 4-0 record at the hands of the All American Prospects – Navy in the days’ first round of games. The Prospects came out on all cylinders winning easily 7-0.

Only time will tell who will become this year’s champion. Will it be the #1 seeded Elite team? Will the Juice prevail to capture their second straight title or will one of the other 22 teams get hot and bring home the championship. We will soon find out as elimination play starts tomorrow morning.

Check back for all the updated tournament information.

Click Here to check out the elimination bracket.

LIVE: From the Under Armour Southeast Tournament: Day Two

Dave Lax: We're There

Sunday has always meant big time sporting event finals. Golf has its championships for most tournaments on Sundays. Tennis’ Grand Slams have their fortnight of action conclude with the championship on Sunday. Football is played on Sunday. However for the second day of play at the Under Armour Southeast Regional Wood Bat Tournament Sunday only meant the second of three days of round robin play. This was an important day for teams looking to fortify their standing in the tournament. 16 more games took place today as the field started to take form heading into Tuesday’s elimination portion of the tournament.

Going into Day Three there will be three undefeated teams. Team DeMarini out of Texas fought hard with the Miami Pokers to win 6-4 and improve to 2-0. They were fuelled by back to back homeruns by catcher Drew Benefield and shortstop Victor Guerra. However, Team DeMarini will have its hands full tomorrow with a double header including match-ups with the Hitaway Prospects and the Miami Fat Cats.

The Freshwater Storm still stand as the team to beat with a 3-0 record. Today the Storm took down the 2007 Under Armour Southeast Regional Wood Bat Champion, Chet Lemon’s Juice. The game was the most exciting one of the day coming down to the final half inning. Both teams showed that they had offense putting up 15 total runs, but it wasn’t until the bottom of the seventh that the Storm’s true character appeared. Faced with a two run deficit the Storm came up with the determination and “never say die” attitude to push across three runs and take the win to stay perfect in the tournament.

The final undefeated team is Line Drive Baseball which went into their day with a 0-0-1 record. They took out the Florida Pokers in the first round of games today to improve to 1-0-1.

With hundreds of spectators in attendance and over 40 college coaches and pro scouts scouring the fields every play and every game is important. As we get closer to the elimination round and the seedings start to take shape, we look forward to what Day Three has in store.

Click here to see the full updated scores.

Check back tomorrow for a Day Three update and the bracket for the elimination round.

LIVE: From the Under Armour Southeast Tournament

Dave Lax: We're There

With temperatures hitting the mid 90s and high humidity in the air it can only mean one thing: Jupiter, FL. It is that time of year again when the top travel teams come from all over the southeastern part of the United States to compete for the title of Under Armour Southeast Regional Wood Bat Champion. 24 teams take the stage at the Roger Dean Sports Complex in Jupiter, the spring training home of the St. Louis Cardinals. In only its second year, the event has already made a name and reputation for itself. There was a 15 team waiting list to even enter this year’s tournament.

Scouts and college coaches were out in force to hopefully find the next Tim Beckham, 2008 #1 overall draft pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in this years Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. Tim dazzled at this very same tournament one year ago and his team the Atlanta Blue Jays are back. The Blue Jays bring a strong team again this year with standout players like Braxton Lane who will be competing in this year’s Under Armour All-America Game, powered by Baseball Factory, held on August 17 at Wrigley Field. With each team playing four games in the first three days of this tournament, which is also the round robin portion of the event, teams were looking to get off to a quick start.

The Freshwater Storm made the first noise of the day with an 11-2 victory over the Broward Mavericks. They later went on to win their second game of the day improving to 2-0 with a win against the Columbus Explorers. However, the Storm was not the only hot team on this day. The Baseball Factory Red team proved to be a force in this tournament. Baseball Factory Red won their first game with a 4-1 margin over the Palm Beach PAL. In their second contest of the day a close game was broken wide open in the top half of the last inning when the Baseball Factory Red put up eight runs against the Pompano Beach Post 142 to cruise in with their second victory.

In one of the highly anticipated match-ups of the tournament the Atlanta Blue Jays took on the All-American Prospects Navy. With three Under Armour All-Americans between the two competing teams and a former Cape Cod High School Classic participant there was no shortage of talent on the field. The game did not live up to the hype as a pitching and defensive battle took center stage until the Prospects pushed a few runs across in back to back innings taking the win 7-0. However, the game must have taken its toll because the very next game the Prospects played they lost to the Broward Mavericks.

As we look forward to Day 2 we can only hope that there is more great baseball to come from Jupiter. Check back in tomorrow as we continue to recap the highlights from the tournament.