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.
HAMILTON — The chance to send a player to the Little League World Series is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most families, but it’s slowly turning into a ritual for the Pennington clan.
Jake Pennington and his Hamilton West Side Little League teammates are one step away from making the storied trip to South Williamsport, Pa., as they begin play in the Great Lakes Regional in Indianapolis on Friday.
And if West Side can win the six-team regional, Pennington will become the third member of his family to realize the dream, following in the footsteps of his uncle Chad (1991) and cousin Brandon Green (2007).
“I want to follow in their footsteps so we can have a family tradition of going to the World Series,” said Jake, who is hitting .571 as the team’s leadoff hitter during the tournament run.
“I’d love to see him be able to get there,” Chad said. “It’s been 20 years since I was there, but I still remember pretty much everything about it. It’s one of the greatest experiences a kid could ever have.”
Chad went on to win a state championship for Hamilton High School in 1997 and also played in the Connie Mack World Series, the AAU World Series and later the College World Series.
When Jake takes the field this weekend, he will be wearing the glove Chad wore when he pitched for Arizona State in the 1998 College World Series.
“He gave it to me a while ago, but I’ve just been using it for practice,” Jake said.
“This will be the first time I’ve used it in a game.
“What I really want to get is his Little League World Series glove,” Jake added.
“Not a chance,” said Chad, who doesn’t get to see many of Jake’s games because he works second shift at the Warren County Correctional Facility.
But that doesn’t keep the two from talking.
“I text him and call him all the time, just to ask him about pitching since he was a pitcher,” Jake said. “I’ll ask him what I should do with certain types of batters or in certain situations.”
West Side coach Josh Sams said it’s impressive, but not surprising, that Jake would take such an initiative to try to improve.
“He’s a perfectionist,” Sams said. “He wants to succeed every time, whether it’s pitching or playing the field or at the plate. He’s just so driven to do well.”
Prior to this year, Jake had never hit a home run. Now he’s at 18 and counting.
“He’s the catalyst for this team, and we go as he goes,” Sams said. “He can do so many things. He can bunt, he can run, he can slap the ball the other way and he can hit for power.
“He’s just a natural talent. Baseball’s in his blood.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2193 or jmorrison@coxohio.com.
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