Texas Drillers Elite 14U Baseball - Houston, Texas

Drillers end the season with a 2-2 record at the USSSA Elite-24 in Orlando Florida.

Although disheartening, this does not demerit in any way the superb yearlong performance, filled with excitement, countless victories, and numerous tournament titles.

Coaches, parents, sponsors and supporters of the Drillers are very proud of the boys, and congratulate them effusively for such a memorable season. -- Enjoy the rest of the summer!

We’ve been following this class of teams for several years. During that time we’ve seen some great teams come out of the state of Texas, teams like the Houston Angels, Friendswood Falcons, Dallas Yankees and many others, but none have been better than this years Drillers team.

The Drillers were ranked #1 after an impressive win at the Elite Battle In The South tournament. The Drillers had an amazing 2007 season and have wins over two of the teams ranked above them. There's no question the Drillers have earned the right to be ranked as our #5 team.

This may be the highest any 1st year team, in any age group has ever been ranked at TBS.

Important organizational announcements also to be released in the ensuing weeks.

We're off to Orlando Florida in our Elite-24 Title quest. - Website will be updated upon our return to Houston on Aug-5th.

The Texas Drillers' journey to the Elite-24 at Disney's Wide World of Sports is now in progress.

Stay tuned for news and developments.

Knoxville, TN - The news all weekend from their home of Houston was of a relentless pounding rain mixed with thunderous lightning. The news from Rockwood and Oakridge, Tennessee was of a relentless offense mixed with thunderous blasts of baseballs flying off their bats. No team could stop the Drillers on this weekend at “The Battle in the South”, one of the most elite boys select baseball tournaments in the country.

The opponents tried everything from one forfeit, to a refusal to reschedule a game with rain forecasted for the next day, to a team clearly intended to take the Drillers concentration away with more talk on the field than play, not even a slow throwing righty, a very successful lefty, nor a right handed pitcher that hit 91 mph on the radar gun, could defeat this Drillers team. Tournament director ‘Doc’ stated that this team set a standard for all future ‘Battle….’ invitees, “by going a perfect 8-0 for the first time in Battle history.” He said “this format was designed to be very tough for a team to have the depth to come through the pool rounds unscathed but still have the depth to take it to a title”. The Drillers were tested on occasion needing walk off drama in two of their games. But they also put on a show in another, with 4 home runs in one game.

Many suggested that this tournament is tougher to win than the Elite 24 in Orlando, with 50 teams total compared to 24 for the Elite and with 16 of the 24 teams entered in the Tennessee tournament. Add to that the format was a four-day tournament versus the six-day Elite. Added Co-Tournament Director Rick Cosper “to win this one you have to have a solid ball club, with lots of depth, you have to play consistently, everyone must be on”.

The Drillers understand that this one was “sweet” but that there have been potholes along the way this season. They have been vulnerable against the easier teams that they should have handled routinely. But there is no denying the fact that this team rises to the occasion with the tougher competition. And they can be electrifying to watch.

Despite some games they should have won this season, but failed to seal the deal, this team showed it has the depth and explosiveness to stay with any 14U team in the country. Following their impressive showing at the Oklahoma Super NIT, they have proven they are capable of this type performance more than once.

Many fans from many eliminated teams stayed to watch the Final game against a very talented Carolina Angels team. With the score tied 4-4 in the middle of the fourth inning, the crowd wondered which way this one would go, another walk off drama? a blowout? or would the score stay the same? The Drillers answered that with a display of power in their half of the inning, scoring 10 runs to put it out of reach and the stands emptied.

With a short-handed 10 player squad, in the grueling Florida heat, the boys left it all out on the field, gave it their all, and heroically reached the semi-finals, but fell short in a fierce battle to a very solid Team CP from Urbanna, Virginia.

Team CP took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the 2nd on 2 walks, a sac. bunt, a sac. fly, and two singles.

The Drillers tied it all up 3-3 in the top of the 3rd on a single, two walks, a sac. fly, a stolen base, and two more walks.

In the bottom of the 5th Team CP scored the winning run on a single, a stolen base, a wild-pitch, a walk, and an infield-hit.

Time expired as the Drillers were unable to record the third out on time, to extend the game and start the 6th inning.

Drillers go 2 - 2 in the Dallas Super NIT Tournament. -- Next stop : Pensacola, Florida Super NIT

Next weekend (June 1-3) we will play in a local 16U tournament. -- Details here soon.

Battle in the South - New teams added and game schedules released - Visit our Tournaments Page

Our best wishes for a speedy recovery go out to Mr. Tod Lawson, who was injured during the Oklahoma City Super NIT, while umpiring our game versus the Oklahoma Elite. -- Get well soon Mr. Lawson !!!

Oklahoma City, OK - The Texas Drillers 14U National Travel Baseball team journeyed to Oklahoma City to compete in a USSSA sanctioned Super National Invitation Tournament (SNIT). There are several of these qualifiers held across the US for boys baseball teams aged 11 to 15 years old. Winners qualify for entry as one of 24 teams admitted to the USSSA Elite World Series held at Disney's Wide World of Sports every August, in Orlando, Florida.

The Drillers dominated play in the pool round of three games including a 3-0 shutout of the very talented Houston Angels, who won the SNIT in North Carolina a week ago. The Drillers then defeated the overmatched Dallas Mustangs 18-2, and then beat the St Louis Orioles 7-1. The Orioles came into this game on a 16 game winning streak having not lost a game since fall 2006.

In Sunday’s bracket elimination play the Drillers took their time waking up the sticks after a late night at the ballpark the night before, and an early start in the morning. The solid team-pitching efforts and crisp defensive play, once again prevailed until the Drillers got a key double to seal the win over the tough Austin Eagles, 2-1 in 8 innings. The next game would prove to be a very good test for both the Oklahoma Elite and the Drillers. The Texas Drillers scored early and often and never let the Elite draw close, cruising to a 10-3 win as the bats stayed on fire.

In the championship game, the Drillers closed out the tournament like they started it, with a solid performance against one of the top 20 ranked teams in the US, the Houston Angels, 10-2. The Drillers opened up the game with an 8 run first inning and took control of the game. The Drillers are now riding a 10 game winning streak having won their last two tournaments.

The Coaching Staff of Randy Brown, Tim Belk and Tony Metoyer did a great job motivating the players to get every bit of their potential out on the field, but as Brown told the boys "we are still making some mistakes that we need to clean up, and we need to stay focused for every inning, over the whole tournament". Metoyer stated at the Airport on the way home "This tourney victory was huge since it guarantees us a berth to the USSSA Elite-24 World Series. The boys played a fantastic tournament against some very tough teams allowing only 9 runs scored in 6 games. We have been playing out of hotels for the last 4 straight weekends and will take a week and weekend off for some much needed recharging and to honor their mothers next weekend on Mother's Day."

Drillers go 4-0 to win the Calcasieu Classic V Tournament in Lake Charles, Louisiana

Drillers go 3-1 in the 2nd Annual International Friendship Tournament in Round Rock, Texas.

We were blessed with a gorgeous day; everything ran smoothly, thanks to all the sponsors, players, and volunteers who made this event a colossal success.

The Texas Drillers is a non-profit organization. All proceeds go towards the team's expenses for tournaments, equipment, uniforms and travel.

In the Puerto Rico Classic II - 14U tournament in Ponce PR, the Drillers go undefeated in pool play, get a first-round bye, but fall short in semi-finals, finishing in a very honorable third place.

Facing the top 3 Puerto Rican teams in pool play, in a hostile, pressure-filled environment, the Drillers still managed to pull out 3 wins (2 coming from behind), and obtain the Number 1 seed.

In semi-finals the Drillers once again battled the Bravos de Vega Baja team, this time the Bravos emerged victorious to move on to the championship game.

"It was an incredible place to play, as the emotions of each country brought out a fierce competitiveness not seen in just ordinary baseball games at Baseball USA."

With an undefeated 4-0 record, the Texas Drillers win the Super Fall Classic II 16U tournament.

This is the second tournament championship in the 16U age group for the Drillers, in the current 2006 Fall Season.

In addition, the Drillers are undefeated with a 10-0 record, with two tournament championships in the 14U age group.