CARTERSVILLE,
Ga. – The Houston Heat (2-0) have been rolling of late, allowing a
total of two hits in 16 innings of tournament play at the 2012 WWBA
15u National Championship.
The
team’s dominant pitching showed a small crack in its armor on
Satruday afternoon against the Kennesaw Rays as Houston right-hander
David Petrinsky surrendered a
first-inning run. But the Houston, Texas-based team came roaring back
with a four-run fourth after Petrinsky struck out the side in the
previous half inning.
Ultimately
this matchup at the Cartersville Baseball Complex was suspended due
to heavy rainfall in the top of the fifth.
Houston
Heat head coach Chris Burton said he sees several strengths in this
team.
“I
think the strength of this club is that the majority of them played
varsity baseball as freshmen, which gives them a lot of confidence,”
said Burton, who is in his fifth year with the organization.
“Also
another one of their strengths is that this team seems to come
together as one pretty quickly. If a kid’s not playing, it’s not
like he’s hoping that the starter does bad so that he can play.
Everyone’s pulling for each other so I think it’s a good, tight
unit.”
In
his team’s opening game on Friday afternoon, Cameron Kremers, a
six-foot-six left-hander, threw one of six no-hitters on the day,
facing the minimum number of batters in six innings. One Perfect Game
scout noted that Kremers did “a great job of changing speeds to
keep hitters off balance.”
“He’s
from Beeville, Texas, which is a small town in South Texas,” Burton
said. “He travels three hours up to Houston to be a part of this
team.”
In
the Heat’s second game on Friday afternoon, rising sophomore Shane
Kallman continued the team’s hot streak on the bump, using a
mid-80s fastball, a breaking pitch and a changeup to mow down 12
batters in a 1-hit blanking of Alabama Baseball Academy.
“You
go out the first day and throw a couple goose eggs out there, and it
gives you confidence,” Burton said.
Tournaments
like these are important because players have the chance to figure
out where they stand on the national level, Burton explained.
“It’s
an opportunity for these guys to be put on a platform to get to the
next level,” Burton said. “It’s an opportunity for some of
these talented guys to see other players from around the country. A
lot of times you’ll get pigeonholed just looking at the guys around
you.
“Now
you can take a look at the big picture. ‘Alright. Who am I
competing against not for high school jobs but college and
professional jobs?”