Playing in Valpo's own Little League "Triple Crown Crosstown Classic" were the 9 & 10 year old players of the Valpo Americans and the Cal Ripken Little League teams. The game was played just before dusk on July 19, 2011 with hopes there will be many more to come.
There was a constant sea of green jersey's on the field and at bat during the Triple Crown Crosstown Classic, both teams being from Valpo and sporting "Valpo Green" jerseys. The Valpo Americans team is privately owned, with manager Rob Behrend and coaches Rob Zborowski and Eric Delaney.
On the team: #14 Connor Brinson, #33 Sam Behrend, #4 Adrian Guzman, #12 Ronny Morey, #6 Matt Lahey, #34 Will Behrend, #7 Brady Delaney, #8 Jared Armstrong, and #24 Zach Zborowski
Behrend commented that he would love to see the merger of the two teams into one league, he stated "it would be nice to have the city fund both leagues and house a facility that would allow for one league, then we will have an elite baseball league and compete with any city, a facility similar to that of Munster, IN."
He continued, "I was raised here in Valpo and I would like a facility here in Valpo so the kids coming up through the program would want to raise their kids here and not move away, say to Munster, and other communities."
Playing for the Parks Department and managing The Cal Ripken Little League Team was, Carl Cochran, along with coaches, Dom Catarello, Dan Frye, and Ed Casko.
On the team: #13 Carter Casko, #3 Sam Catarello, #2 Liam Cochran, #4 Max Conley, #10 Stephan Crowell, #14 Sarah Douglas, #15 Levi Kraker, #11 Ben Leyde, #16 Garrett Mroz, #11 Devin Mullins, #7 Ryan Troxel, #6 Danny Vamegas, and #9 Bryce Weiler
There was one girl playing the "Classic" and that was Sarah Douglas. Sarah could hold her own out there playing on the Cal Ripken Little League Team. She is no stranger to playing sports, she is also a player for the Pop Warner "Jr. Mighty Mights" and also loves to play basketball at the YMCA and Boys & Girls Club. She might be small but she can play hard.
Leading the teams, parents, families and spectators in "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" was manager of the Cal Ripken Little League Team, Carl Cochran. During the fifth inning stretch, all joined in for the classic song. Cochran was also the announcer for the evening of the batting order, adding a little personal praise to each player that came up to bat.
The final score of the night was 21-7, with the Valpo Americans taking home the trophy, but all were winners. Cochran stated that "the game was played all in the love of baseball."
Coach Dan Frye added that they changed the rules a little just for fun. They played only 6 innings, put a different pitcher in every time and used a "no slaughter rule", in which, the game was not called if there was a team ahead by ten runs. "It was for today only, just to have a fun game" Frye stated.
Triple Crown Baseball and Softball Training Center was the official sponsor of the Triple Crown Crosstown Classic Little League Game. They are a baseball and softball training facility which prides itself on "being the ideal facility for baseball team practice and softball team practice". They are located at 2902 Cascade Drive right here in Valpo.