Reloaded Bahamas teams get ready for Florida tournament

Young Baseball Players Participate In Practice Sessions Ahead Of Tourney

By TENAJH SWEETING Tribune Sports Reporter tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE Reloaded Bahamas 9-and under (9U) and 10-and under (10U) teams will get ready to compete in the 10U PG Florida Summer Select Championship (Open).

The 30-member team commuted to Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday as part of their collaboration with I-Elite Sports Academy to compete in their first international tournament.

The Reloaded club got practice sessions underway yesterday at the Northeast Regional Park, Polk County, for the competition. The practice was led by some of the juniors from the I-Elite team who taught the younger players various skills ahead of the July 28-31 tourney.

Stephen “Bishop”

Beneby, head coach of the 10U team, said ahead of the tournament, his focus along with the Reloaded programme is on the development of the younger players.

“My only expectation is to see growth in the players. The Reloaded programme is not about the wins and losses, it is about the development because the kids at this stage may not be able to make a national team, but give us a year or two, they have the potential to be there,’’ Beneby said.

He emphasized that the collaboration with I-Elite Sports Academy has been one of the best things to happen for the Reloaded programme.

“They are gonna help us do what we want to do which is taking these kids to the next level,” Beneby added.

While at yesterday’s practice, the I-Elite team members practiced some agility drills, stretches, sprinting, batting and catching with the younger teams before their games on Saturday and Sunday.

The 10U and 9U players will continue practicing at the park today in efforts to be ready to play.

Mandell Curry, head coach of the 9U Reloaded team, was confident in the abilities of his team.

“This will be our first international tournament representing Reloaded. The expectations are really high, especially for the 9U group, they have been playing together for a while and always try to motivate and encourage each other,” Curry said. With this being the first time both teams compete away from home, the 9U coach also talked about how important it was for the teams to compete internationally. “Some of them are playing here for the first

PREPARING FOR ACTION: Reloaded Baseball’s 9-and under (9U) and 10-and under (10U) teams practice in Orlando, Florida, for the 10U PG Florida Summer Select Championship (Open) July 28-31.

Photos: Tenajh Sweeting/Tribune Staff time but it’s easier for them because they have known each other for a very long time. “This helps in terms of stability because you are already comfortable at home so it’s preparing you for high school, college, and major leagues which start here,” Curry said.

The Reloaded team’s title sponsor is Cargo

Shippers. Additionally, the team was sponsored by Rush Imports and URCA Bahamas.

Blue Plate Catering has also provided meals to the team three times a day which is a part of their preparation for the tourney. The games will commence at 10am on Saturday.

Alcántara (4-9), the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, struck out seven and walked one in his second complete game this season and 11th overall. He had been 0-3 in four July starts with one no decision.

“(Felt) great,” Alcantara said after a 97-pitch outing. “I need it. I threw my first complete game this year I think my second game in the season. So, I feel happy about it.”

Alcantara also went the distance April 4 against Minnesota. His 11 complete games since 2019 are the most in the majors. St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright is second with six.

“Really, really good stuff,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “Very challenging for us today at the plate. He did mix well. Kept us off balance. We just didn’t hit that many balls hard.”

Tampa Bay starter Zach

Eflin (11-6), who was bidding to become the AL’s first 12-game winner, left after four innings with left knee discomfort. The righthander dropped to 10-2 in 12 home starts this season after allowing five runs and seven hits.

Eflin was hurt while attempting to field Garrett Hampson’s bunt single leading off the fourth and will undergo tests.

“It just kind of grabbed him,” Cash said. “I think his cleat got caught a little bit. Don’t know much more.”

Miami’s Luis Arráez went 2 for 4 and had his major league batting average go from .375 to .376. He drove in a run with a double in the fourth and hit a run-scoring, sixth-inning single.

The Marlins are 2-9 since the All-Star break, while Tampa Bay is an AL-worse 5-15 in July. Miami is just 3-19 against the Rays since May 14, 2019.

“I felt like we played baseball today,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said.

Jacob Stallings had an RBI double during a tworun second and added a run-scoring single in a three-run fourth as the Marlins took a 5-1 lead.

Bryan De La Cruz made it 6-1 when he homered on Calvin Faucher’s first pitch in the fifth.