June 2013 Monthly Quote Listen if you want to be heard Grand Slam USA will be providing you with a monthly newsletter to update you on the facility, training opportunities, and the Grand Slam Baseball Club. Check this newsletter for the latest announcements regarding central Iowa’s most experienced baseball/softball training facility. Don’t forget to Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/grandslamusa and follow us onr twitter @grandslam_dm and visit our website http://www.grandslamdsm.com ANNOUNCEMENTS For Your Information • Grand Slam USA will host a week of summer camp from June 17- 21 st and Walnut Creek Little League. Camp runs from 9:00am- Youth Baseball and Softball Information 3:00pm with a lunch break at noon. For more information and to register stop in at the front counter, call, or access our website. Grand Slam USA will be conducting a youth baseball fall league at Walnut Creek Little League, starting in August and running for 8 consecutive • Information and registration for the Grand Slam High School Fall weeks. This will be an instructional league open to any baseball player ages League and skills clinics are available. This year an added bonus is 10-14. Grand Slam USA instructors will be present at every game to help the assembly of an All-Star Team that will compete against teams enhance players’ skills and game instincts. from Omaha and Kansas City. Please inquire at the front counter or call to register. Spots are filling up quickly, so be sure to register! Grand Slam USA will also be running youth softball clinics this fall. Any The registration deadline is July 1. softball player from ages 9-12 may participate. These clinics will cover several aspects of softball over an 8 week period. • Scheduling for lessons and rental times is now available online. Check our website for more details. Scheduling CAN still be done *More information and registration for the youth fall league and over the phone or at the front counter. softball clinics will be available later this month. Please continue to check our website, Facebook, and Twitter.* Phone # 515.278.1070 Grand Slam Baseball Club Grand Slam Baseball Club Results: May 11-12 The Riders dominated the competition at the Slugfest NIT, outscoring opponents 51-4 for the weekend. The team went 5-0 for the weekend and destroyed their opponent in the championship game, scoring 19 runs and giving up zero. nd The Razorbacks went 3-1 and finished 2 in the Early Bird Tournament in Fort Dodge. Mitch Pomeroy and Noah Janssen led the way for the Backs at the plate, both batting .500 on the weekend. May 18-19 Grand Slam Red went 3-0 in pool play at the Kansas City Sports Challenge, earning a first place seed for the championship bracket. With the help of a productive offense and the slugging of Nick Addison, the team took home the first place trophy, and improved their record to 14-5. Tristin Salcido played a solid second base, and helped his team with productive innings on the mound. The Longhorns took third place in the Slugfest Tournament, going 3-2 or the weekend. Carter Baumler opened up the weekend for the team, helping his team to an 8-5 victory, by going 3-3 at the plate and throwing three productive innings on the mound. The Longhorns scored 35 runs over the weekend with the help of Drew Jirak, Caden Backstrom, Adam Brauch and Anthony Potthoff. May 24-26 The Vipers won their third tournament of the season, improving their record to 17-7 on the season. The boys placed first in the Stars and Strikes NIT, with a solid 5-0 record. After moving up to AAA competition, the Riders finished first in the Silver Division of the Stars and Strikes NIT. The team’s stellar win streak ended, after losing two games on the second day of the tournament. The Riders bounced back from the losses and scored a total of 26 runs in its next three games. Grand Slam Baseball Club Grand Slam Baseball Club Results: June 7-9 Grand Slam Longhorns 11U offense too much for Oklahoma Ambush in 11-1 rout Grand Slam Longhorns 11U refused to relinquish the lead after grabbing it early against Oklahoma Ambush, recording an 11-1 victory on Friday at LineDrive Super NIT. Eleven runs in the first three innings allowed Grand Slam Longhorns 11U to put the game away early. A hit by pitch, a groundout by Jack Johnson, and a two-run single by Jake Auer during the first inning and an error, a groundout by Caden Backstrom, and a wild pitch in the second inning supplied the early offense for Grand Slam Longhorns 11U. Adam Brauch got a hit in each of his two at bats. He singled in the first and third innings. Jake looked sharp on the mound. Oklahoma Ambush managed just one hit off of the Grand Slam Longhorns 11U's pitcher, who allowed one earned run, walked four and struck out four during his four innings of work. Anthony Potthoff's big day not enough, as Grand Slam Longhorns 11U loses 11-3 to Lou Collier Baseball Stars Anthony Potthoff went 2-3 at the plate, but Grand Slam Longhorns 11U fell 11-3 to Lou Collier Baseball Stars at LineDrive Super NIT on Saturday. Grand Slam Longhorns 11U gets more hits, but not more runs in 8-3 loss to Rico Smoke. Grand Slam Longhorns 11U lost 8-3 in four innings at LineDrive Super NIT on Saturday, despite outhitting Rico Smoke five to three. Drew Jirak had a busy day at the plate, collecting two extra-base hits. He doubled in the first and second innings. Rico Smoke was sparked by Jackson Dixon and Jake Powers, who teamed up for three hits and four RBIs. In the top of the first, Grand Slam Longhorns 11U grabbed the early lead, 1-0. Drew doubled to ignite Grand Slam Longhorns 11U's offense. A single by Caden Backstrom then moved Drew from second to third. Rico Smoke quickly matched Grand Slam Longhorns 11U's strong inning with a three-run inning of its own in the first. Rico Smoke scored on a wild pitch, an RBI single by Jackson D, and a fielder's choice. Grand Slam Longhorns 11U tied the game in the second on a two-run double by Drew that scored Jake Auer and Cole Perlinger. Rico Smoke never surrendered the lead after the third inning, scoring four runs on a two-run home run by Jake P, a groundout by Jackson Buss, and a walk by Jake Wilcox. Grand Slam Longhorns 11U gets more hits, but not more runs in 1-0 loss to Rico Smoke Grand Slam Longhorns 11U lost 1-0 in six innings at LineDrive Super NIT on Sunday, despite outhitting Rico Smoke four to three. Rico Smoke couldn't get anything going as long as Jack Johnson was pitching. J gave up just three hits, allowed no earned runs, walked none and struck out three during his five innings of work. Rico Smoke's lone run of the ballgame came in the second inning on an RBI double by Jake Wilcox. IF YOU DON’T TRY IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN Michael Bennion, Instructor If there is one thing I have learned from the game of baseball, it is to never give up. The game is not over until the last out is made. At every level, I have seen players lethargically run down the line. At every level I have seen players sluggishly go through the motions of drills during practice. Nobody in this game is gifted enough and skilled enough to stop practicing and lazily go through the motions. It’s been nearly a century since Babe Ruth first displayed his abilities, and we have yet to see a player who has been considered better than the “Great Bambino.” You can never be satisfied with your skill level because there are always milestones to reach, and these days, people are always looking for the next greatest. I’ve never seen anybody increase their skills by participating in drills at a 50 or 60 percent level. I’ve never seen anybody beat out an infield single by jogging to first base. When an inch can be the difference between a win and a loss, why would a player jog down the line on a routine ground ball, when they can run as hard as they can for 90 feet and increase the chances for their team to score a run? I see too many players quit running three steps out of the batter’s box because they failed to hit the ball past a fielder, when all it takes is a bobble, a throw in the dirt, or improper footwork, for a runner to make it safely to the bag. I see too many kids hit a routine ground ball or fly ball in the infield, and start jogging down the line. The second they start jogging, they have given up. They have quit on themselves and their teammates before the defense has successfully fielded the ball and made the throw. They have taken themselves out before the umpires have told them they are out. You will not reach base every time you hit a ball, but you will reach base a lot more if you sprint there instead of jog. You will fail at some point in your life, whether it’s sports, school or your job.