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Cheers Greet Citrus Park Little Leaguers On Return

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By B.C. MANION | The Tampa Tribune,

Published: August 25, 2008

They didn't win the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., but the Citrus Park Little League did their community proud.

The marquee at Tampa International Airport proclaimed its pride in the team. And when the 12- and 13-year-old players strode into the airport Monday night, they were greeted with cheers, applause, whistles and signs welcoming them home.

"To make it to the Little League World Series is unbelievable," said Greg Mills, president of the Citrus Park Little League. "What an accomplishment for these kids and coaches.

"We're all beside ourselves. We are just so proud of them."

The team didn't just make it to the World Series. It made it all the way to the U.S. semifinals.

It started out strong, crushing the team from Rapid City, S.D., in a 10-0 game, ended in the fourth inning by the 10-run mercy rule.

The tables were turned the next game, when the team lost 10-2 to Waipahu, Hawaii, which later would win the series.

In its third outing, Citrus Park proved its toughness, coming from behind to defeat Shelton, Conn., in a game that required an extra inning before it became an 8-2 blowout.

In its fourth and final outing, the team's bats were silenced by a right-hander from Lake Charles, La., who struck out 11 and allowed just two hits in the 6-1 semifinal.

The wins and losses were irrelevant to the cheering crowd Monday night.

They were thinking of the thrill of being in Williamsport and what it meant to the boys.

"Every second of the experience was worth it," said Kim Garcia, who made the trip to Williamsport to watch her son, Brennan, play. "They treated the boys like celebrities. People were waiting for their autographs."

One of the magical moments of the series came when Kevin Merrell hit a solo homer in the sixth inning against Connecticut, tying the game and sending it into a seventh inning.

Watching her son's home run was thrilling, said Marty Merrell, Kevin's mom. "It was just one of those things that you always hope for," she said.

The homer kept Citrus Park in the game, and the next inning they finished it off.

"To see them just explode was really fun," Merrell said.

Stephanie Gilcrease said her son, Levi, couldn't have had a better experience.

"It was incredible all of the way around. They got to meet kids from all over the world and make friends and hang out and play some baseball," she said.

"Just playing in Williamsport," was the high point for Citrus Park player Danny Lastra.

Citrus Park player Brennan Garcia liked nearly everything about the experience, except for one thing: "We had to wake up really early."

Reporter B.C. Manion can be reached at (813) 865-1507 or bmanion@tampatrib.com.

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