VERO BEACH, Florida – Great weather for playing baseball was expected for this year’s Dodgertown World Series, however, the sunshine state did more then just deliver beautiful weather. The six teams that participated in the 2006 Dodgertown World Series were treated to sun-filled days along with immaculate field conditions for their week of baseball. The Dodgertown complex provided a perfect backdrop for this event, which produced everything from great baseball, to instruction, and even a few inspirational speeches. The six teams, which were named after top college programs around the country, each competed in four games. The winning team was the Yellow Jackets managed by Mitch Zwolensky, who is a former Major League player and former manager in the Brewer and Expo organizations. However, the Yellow Jackets weren’t the only ones that stood out. There were many outstanding individual achievements that occurred on and off the field.

The Yellow Jackets, who finished with a 3-1 record, beat out the Sun Devils, who were undefeated going into the championship game. The final score was 4-2 with two of the Yellow Jackets’ runs coming off a double by MVP Mitchell Pitts. Mitchell not only helped his team offensively, but did not allow a run in six innings pitched. Another Yellow Jacket standout was Matt Crandall. Matt, a right handed pitcher and infielder from New York, helped the Yellow Jackets take home the 2006 title.

The Sun Devils reached the championship where they received their only blemish on their perfect record at the hands of the Yellow Jackets. The Sun Devils were the team to beat in the tournament, winning their first three games. The Sun Devils were led by catcher Blake Olsen from Utah. Blake was consistent at the plate both offensively and defensively. The Sun Devils also had Kiel Melvin, a fire throwing pitcher from Illinois. Kiel had the highest velocity of any pitcher at the event topping out at an impressive 91 mph. Blake and Kiel were an integral part of the Sun Devils’ impressive run to the championship game.

The Gators were a talented team that fought hard to achieve a 2-1-1 record over the course of the tournament. Like the teams that faced off in the championship game, the Gators only had one loss; however, a tie with the Longhorns kept them out of final place in the championship game. Some of the impact players for the Gators were catcher Joe Waropay, Daniel Gibson, a strong left handed pitcher, and Ryan Casey a shortstop/pitcher. Joe Waropay was considered the hardest worker at the 2006 Dodgertown World Series, which made him a strong role model for his fellow Gator teammates to follow.

The Owls sat in the middle of the pack at the finish of the tournament with a 2-2 record. With Scott Kalma, a strong hitting catcher from Washington, and an impressive batting performance at the plate from Tomas Cardenas of Texas, the Owls couldn’t complain about a lack of offense. The Owls were very consistent throughout the entire tournament, only falling in two close games.

The Longhorn team which finished 1-2-1 may have not had the record they wanted, but they certainly gained a lot of experience and had a fantastic time at Dodgertown. Marvin Banyon, who was clocked as the fastest kid at the tournament running a 6.78 60-yard dash, said that “it was an amazing experience.” Max Caggiano, Marvin’s teammate who played middle infield, had similar feelings about the event. Max said that, “This experience was very instrumental for me in reaching my peak performance.”

The Hurricanes had a rough time winning games at Dodgertown going 0-4. However, they had some standout players that performed well throughout the tournament. Jonathan Perea, the Hurricanes middle infielder, played solid defense during his time in Dodgertown. Wilson Withiam, who played a consistent third base, was also a bright spot for the Hurricane team.

Overall the entire World Series was a great experience. Parents shared the players’ enthusiasm. From the coaching to the facilities where the teams played, parents thought the event was a huge success. Angelo Caggiano said that, “The level of instruction was superior and the weeklong complete immersion in baseball at the best facility I’ve seen was worth the investment.” However, it was not just on-field events that had the players and parents pleased; but off-field events like an inspirational speech by Rick Sofield, that took place in the aptly named Jackie Robinson room, which was the topic of discussion for days.

If the 2006 Dodgertown World Series is any indication, this tournament promises to be a great experience for talented ballplayers to show off their abilities, learn the intricacies of the game, and have a good time playing baseball at one of the country’s top baseball facilities for years to come.