FARMINGTON – While it has been apparent to many during the current city league season that the 505 Panthers and the Frackers are headed for a clash to determine which team will play in the Connie Mack World Series, both teams are still keeping busy on the field.
Coached by John Kuhn, the Panthers wrapped up a productive week with a 2-3 record in a Connie Mack World Series qualifying tournament in Denver. The Panthers lost a pair of games by one run before ending its run with a 5-1 victory in consolation round action over the Batters Box Navy squad from Littleton, Colorado.
Elijah Long and Kendrick Aragon combined for seven strikeouts while allowing only three hits in the win. Ryan Ray hit a home run while Jacob Kuhn drove in a pair of runs with a triple.
The Panthers will head back to Farmington with a record of 9-4 during the summer campaign. They’ll finish off the CMWS city league season with a pair of games on Wednesday at Ricketts Park against the Kirtland Broncos and NWNM Elite.
Following the conclusion of the city league schedule, a regional qualifying tournament will take place at Ricketts Park. The winner of that tournament will earn a berth in the Connie Mack World Series, set to begin on July 21.
“We pitched well, and I like the way our kids competed,” said Kuhn. “A couple of games we lost could have gone either way. I think we’re ready.”
Meantime, the Frackers, who wrapped up its participation in a tournament earlier this month in Albuquerque, have come back firing on all cylinders in four city league games.
With a record of 9-2-1 this summer, the Frackers, coached by Eli Wyatt, have given up only four runs while scoring a combined 41 times in wins over the Shiprock Dodgers, as well as Kirtland and NWNM.
“Regardless of who we’re playing, it’s important we keep our focus on quality at-bats and continue to develop our pitching rotation,” Wyatt said. “We’re looking forward to finishing up the city league and preparing for the local qualifier.”
The Frackers’ only losses this season have come against the 505 Panthers and in the championship game of the Albuquerque tournament against the Albuquerque Baseball Academy. They’ll finish the regular season schedule this week, with a game on Monday against Kirtland followed by the city league season finale against NWNM.
Following the conclusion of the regular season and ahead of the local qualifier, the Frackers will be headed back to Albuquerque to compete in the New Mexico Duke City Championships, where they may again face the ABA. That tournament will take place at the Spark Kindness Sports Complex.
“Most importantly, our team chemistry is building,” Wyatt said. “It’s exciting to watch and a real difference maker.”
The local tournament, which will now be hosted by the CMWS committee, will determine the host team for the upcoming World Series. Earlier this month, a dispute between the Farmington Amateur Baseball Congress and the American Amateur Baseball Congress over registration fees and associated costs put the immediate future of a host team in some doubt.
The CMWS committee agreed to host the tournament, which will be played at Ricketts Park starting Wednesday, July 5. According to a statement from the CMWS committee, the tournament will be confined to teams and players from within the local and regional area.
“The CMWS local qualifying tournament will consist of a maximum of 8 teams with preference given to FABC Connie Mack registered teams that have complied with the FABC team roster rules. Any remaining slots will be filled via an in-person lottery. Teams filling open lottery slots must be AABC registered and in compliance with FABC team roster rules prior to selection. Teams must have a minimum of 10 local players (within 70 miles of Farmington) and no more than 3 pick-ups from outside the 70 mile limit,” according to the statement which was released last week.
Three CMWS berths are available in regional qualifying events around the country. Later this week, regional events will open in New Orleans and in Irvine, California. The following week, teams will gather for a qualifier event in Enid, Oklahoma.
