Hamilton West Side team ready for regional

Local club to represent Ohio for the 5th time in 6 years.

Reid Ruhl and other members of the West Side Little League look at the T-shirts they received Wednesday, August 3, 2011 in Hamilton, Ohio during a sendoff celebration for the baseball team that will be leaving for Indianapolis.

Staff photo by Gary Stelzer Reid Ruhl and other members of the West Side Little League look at the T-shirts they received Wednesday, August 3, 2011 in Hamilton, Ohio during a sendoff celebration for the baseball team that will be leaving for Indianapolis.

ENLARGE PHOTO

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By Jay Morrison, Staff Writer Updated 1:02 AM Friday, August 5, 2011

HAMILTON — For the fifth time in six years, a Hamilton West Side Little League team will represent Ohio in the Great Lakes Regional in Indianapolis.

Only one other program in America can boast more state titles since 2006 — Laramie Little League in Laramie, Wyo., which has won six in a row.

But whereas Laramie has gone 4-17 and advanced to the semifinals just once in the Northwest Regional, West Side has posted a 15-7 mark in Great Lakes play since 2006, reached the semifinals all four times and advanced to the Little League World Series twice.

“These kids have seen all those other teams have success, and they want to experience that, too,” said West Side coach Josh Sams, whose squad will play its first of four pool games at 1 p.m. today against Rock Falls, Ill.

“There’s always pressure when you have ‘Hamilton’ written on your jersey,” Sams continued. “But when these kids are in the ballpark and they see all these players come back who they’ve watched play on ESPN, it gives them that fire to be a part of something great.”

Sams and assistant coaches Gary Grabel and Dick Plemmons are examples of what makes the West Side program so strong. None of the men have a son on the team, and the staff likely will be the only one at the regional that can make that claim.

The same goes for the coaches on last year’s World Series team, Kenny Coomer and Tim Nichting.

“There are a lot of good coaches over here who don’t have kids involved,” Sams said. “It’s just that they played over here, they love this league and what it means and what it stands for.”

West Side outscored its four opponents 57-3 to win the District 9 tournament, with three pitchers throwing no-hitters. At state, West Side outscored its opponents 36-9.

But everything ratchets up at the regional. The pitching is tougher, the defenses are sounder, and the fences are farther back.

“We just need to stay hot and hit like we can hit,” Sams said. “I really feel like we’ll pitch and play defense. The key is if we can keep hitting against the better pitching.

“These kids are as prepared as they’re going to get,” Sams said. “It’s going to be neat, and it’s going to be an experience. But at the same time, we have to remember we’re going over there for something more. Something bigger.”

Great Lakes Regional schedule

Friday — West Side vs. Rock Falls, Ill., 1 p.m.

Saturday — West Side vs. La Grange, Ky., 2 p.m.

Sunday — West Side vs. Burlington, Wis., 7 p.m.

Monday — West Side vs. Grosse Point Park, Mich., 1 p.m.

Wednesday — Semifinals, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Aug. 13 — Championship, 11 a.m.

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