Although they all went to different grade schools, the boys on the Acton Boxborough Youth Baseball (ABYB) U12 Little League World Series (LLWS) baseball team have united to do something that hasn’t happened since the year they were born: to possibly represent Massachusetts in the Little League World Series. They are now just two steps away from the big show in Williamsport PA.
Their journey so far has not been an easy one. On July 11, the team beat consummate Little League powerhouse Reading 8-3 to win their District 13 Championship (the first District Championship since 2015). Then on July 17 they suffered their first loss of the tournament to Danvers 6-2 in game 1 of the Sectional finals. Undeterred, the next night they beat Swampscott 6-5 and then Beverly Friday night 3-0. Those two wins earned them a spot in the final game where they had to once again face Danvers. On a cloudless Saturday morning the boys from AB enjoyed the sweetest reprisal, defeating Danvers 5-0 and winning the Sectional Championship, their first since 2012.
Skippered by the tireless Eric Vroom and coached by Kevin Ryan and Aiden McLaughlin, the team of rising seventh graders has come together to be one of four teams left standing in the battle to represent Massachusetts in the LLWS. Although this journey officially began in Acton on June 19, this exceptional group has been playing together on and off since they were all 9 and 10. But there has been something a little different about this year. This year the kids are a little bigger, the practices are a little longer, they dig in a little deeper in the batter’s box, the pitches are a little faster, and the focus in the field is a little sharper. It has to be, this is the Little League World Series. What also isn’t little are the ear-to-ear smiles, the crisp high fives, the cheering, the yelling, and, most importantly, the comforting pats on the back. It’s everywhere, on and off the field, and it’s contagious.
Many LLWS teams rely heavily on their superstars to win, however this Acton Boxborough team is uncommon; it has multiple superstars, and it is electrifying to watch them play. Their pitching is terrifying, their infield stifling, and I’m sure a few of the home run balls have yet to land. After their Friday night win against Beverly, 2012 Coach Vic Otero (who coached the last AB team in a state final) spoke to the boys. He spoke about being a close-knit team and the importance of doing all the little things it takes to win. That is where this club is unique. It’s this club’s depth, and the little things they all do that have them 9 and 1 in tournament play, just three wins away from being state champs. When needed, the hits come from everywhere, as do timely catches and plays all over the field, clutch strikeouts, manufactured runs–and yes, even the home runs come from all over the lineup.
There are twelve young men on this team who never take a night off. They tirelessly support each other in victory and, even more importantly, they pick each other up in defeat. The result is some very impressive team baseball. I have a feeling that Manager Eric Vroom saw this potential three years ago and it is starting to come to fruition. The boys are starting to believe in themselves and, if they are lucky, they are peaking at just the right time.
[Update as this edition of Acton Exchange goes to print: In the final weekend of the State Tournament, the Acton team beat Melrose 8-4 on Thursday, July 25, at Deyermond Field in Andover. Friday, July 26, on the same field at 7:30 pm, they play Bridgewater.]
Todd Shestok is a parent of one of the players. He and his family have been fans of the team for about three years. He owns a local remodeling company and was an athlete himself when he was a much younger man. Shestok explains that “‘Boys of Summer’ was the title of a book in the early 70’s about baseball and has been adopted as a term used by writers and broadcasters for baseball teams or players ever since.”