'That's something that we all wanted to do!': Prague little league wins championship game
PRAGUE, Okla. (KFOR) - A Prague baseball team is still feeling the rush from their OK Kids State Tournament. Parents tell News 4 it's the first time a baseball team from that town has won a championship in any age group.
It's a moment the 8u Prague Red Devils will always remember, after working all season towards their goals.
"It was phenomenal baseball they played on Friday," said Tyler Stefanson, the head coach.
"After the first practice we asked them to go home and write down their goals and come back, bring us their papers and tell us what they wanted to achieve for the year," said Darin Martin, assistant coach. "Every one of them said 'win state championship.'"
"That's something that we all wanted to do!" one of the players told News 4.
After several practices, the team headed to the OK Kid's State Tournament in Clinton on Wednesday to play multiple games in the summer heat.
"It was like 107," another player told News 4.
Wednesday, the Red Devils lost to the Washington Warriors.
"That sent us to the loser's bracket, to where we had to play three games on Thursday," said Stefanson.
Thursday, they won all three games that pushed them into Friday. That day, they faced off against the same team that sent them to the loser's bracket.
The Red Devils were down by one going into the last inning, but after a few good hits, and two runners on base, batter Denton Finch stepped up to the plate. They just needed one more hit.
The coaches said Finch hit the "bomb" they needed.
"I felt happy and proud of us," said one of the little Red Devils.
"We just had to have a ball to the outfield, we had the runner on third ready to go," said Martin.
Parents told News 4, it was the first time a Prague little league team won the championship in any age group.
"Our biggest thing is always we believe. The kids believed it from the first practice 'til the end," said Martin.
"What do we always ask you? Who wants it?" asked coach Stefanson. "We do!" yelled the kids.
Now the team gets to show off their huge new rings while they get ready for next year.
The boys said they are already to start practicing for next season, when they start their kid pitch games.