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Distractions help Little Leaguers ease pressure

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published August 22, 2006

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - The bright lights, big crowds and media hype of the Little League World Series can get to a 12-year-old baseball player sometimes. So coaches and parents look for distractions.

Some get away from baseball entirely. The kids from Venezuela went to the mall. The Phoenix team bagged practice Monday and planned to picnic at a serene lake in the Poconos.

Twelve-year-old Devin Dejardin struggled on the mound in his first game Friday for Beaverton, Ore., before rebounding Sunday with a nice performance in a 9-1 win. His manager, Jeff Keller, gave the team time off in between game days, and the move seemed to have helped.

"He just let us be kids," Dejardin said. "We goofed around. It kind of relaxed us."

They withstood more pressure Monday night, defeating Missouri 2-1. Dejardin even drove in the winner, singling home Austin Perry in the top of the sixth.

NEW HAMPSHIRE 5, LOUISIANA 0: Jordan Bean pitched a two-hitter with 12 strikeouts and Portsmouth (2-1) scored all five runs in the fifth inning to eliminate Lake Charles (1-2).

VENEZUELA 1, SAIPAN 0 (8 INNINGS): In the completion of a suspended game, Roberto Valera singled in a run with two outs in the bottom of the eighth. Venezuela is 1-0, Saipan 0-2.

CURACAO 8, RUSSIA 0: Dienston Manuela pitched a two-hitter and struck out 12 and Alexander Rodriguez had three hits as the Caribbean representative (1-1) eliminated the Russians (0-3).

JAPAN 6, MEXICO 1: Three homers in the third inning and a 12-strikeout four-hitter by Seigo Yada lifted the winners to 2-0. Mexico is 2-1.

INJURY REPORT: Lemont, Ill., outfielder Austin Mastela, who was treated at a hospital after being beaned by a pitch Sunday night, could be back on the field for his team's final opening-round game tonight.

Staten Island shortstop Chris Goetz will miss the rest of the tournament. Manager Nick Doscher said Goetz suffered two fractures in his right leg during a slide at home plate and was in a cast.

BAD MOMENT: Doscher and one of his players were reprimanded by Series organizers Monday after an incident during the New York team's 1-0 loss to Illinois Sunday night in which the player yelled an obscenity and Doscher responded by striking him. The obscenity was clearly heard on ESPN's prime-time broadcast. ESPN said it will use a five-second delay from now on.

[Last modified August 22, 2006, 01:39:52]