Bronze Age: D-BAT Mustangs-Dow finish third at Connie Mack World Series

After months of traveling and playing, D-BAT Mustangs-Dow arrived at the Connie Mack World Series intent on leaving Farmington, N.M., as the nation's best 18U team.

"It's a great accomplishment just to make it that far," said Kermit Dow, Mustangs-Dow head coach. "And we knew there were a bunch of great teams, but we felt like it was our time and we could win the championship."

And why not?

After all, the team's roster reads like a Metroplex all-star team with Plano West's Billy McKinney, Allen's Cory Scheibner, Lovejoy's Zack Boylson, Flower Mound's Andrew Vinson and Cody Gunter, Frisco Wakeland's Sean McCracken and Willie Schwanke, Coppell's Craig Akin, Little Elm's Austin Krajnak and Carrollton Creekview's Hayden Howard in the fold.

That wasn't enough to take the title though as Mustangs-Dow settled for third place following a semifinal loss to the eventual champion So-Cal Renegades.

"We thought we had the best talent coming in," said McKinney, who skipped the MLB Area Code Games to play in the Connie Mack World Series, "but sometimes things don't go your way."

Things went the way of Mustangs-Dow early as they opened the double-elimination tournament by dispatching of the Florida Legends (1-0) and Bayside Yankees (6-5 in 8 innings). The former featured a one-hitter from Mustangs-Dow pitcher Teddy Stankiewicz.

"Those first two games were tight," McKinney said, "but obviously that's better than going into the loser's bracket."

Mustangs-Dow had no scouting report going into the Bayside game, but that wouldn't be a problem in the next contest as they faced D-BAT Mustangs-Carpenter.

"We know them and they know us," Dow said. "It was an exciting matchup for us and I think it was an exciting matchup for all of Farmington because this is the first time two teams from the same system have made it to the Connie Mack World Series, let alone played each other."

"We all know each other really well on and off the field," McKinney added. "It was funny because before the game we were all just talking like you would with your friends."

What happened next was anything but normal.

On the strength of persistent hitting, Mustangs-Dow established a 7-2 lead heading into the seventh inning.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the semis as Mustangs-Dow couldn't close.

Mustangs-Carpenter continued to trail, 7-2, with two outs in the seventh and was even down to its last strike at that margin before exploding for 10 runs and a 12-7 victory. Mustangs-Dow aided the cause with a plethora of walks.

"We had trouble finding the strike zone," McKinney said.

"You and I could watch baseball for a long time and never see anything quite like that again," Dow added. "But give [Mustangs-Carpenter] credit; they fought and fought and fought."

That pushed Mustangs-Dow into the loser's bracket, but the local squad moved back into the main draw by defeating the Long Island Titans (8-1). That meant a semifinal matchup against then-undefeated So-Cal with the three-time defending champion Midland Redskins awaiting the winner.

"I know Midland is a good team," Dow said, "but we felt like our team and So-Cal were the two most talented teams in the tournament, so we were excited to face them."

Stankiewicz was back on the bump and showing why he was dubbed the team's ace. With solid pitching and consistent hitting, Mustangs-Dow dealt the Renegades their first loss (5-1) and set up a rematch for a spot in the championship game.

"Our confidence level was really high at that point," Dow said.

Taking the hill for Mustangs-Dow in the rematch was Brandon Koch, who had closed the win over Bayside by striking out seven of the 11 batters he faced. Koch was less spectacular against So-Cal, but that wasn't necessarily the reason for the 4-3 loss.

"Brandon didn't have his best stuff, but he was grinding out there and pitched well enough for us to win," Dow said. "We just didn't get the timely hits we needed and fell a little short."

The loss ended Mustangs-Dow's season and many of their player's summer careers.

"We were pretty aggravated after that loss because we felt like we were the better team," McKinney said. "And most of the team is off to college, so it was tough to say goodbye. Some of these guys I have known for two or three years, but then some of them I have known or been playing with since I was 9."

"Obviously we were sad we didn't make it all the way," Dow added. "But I prefer to look at the positives. We had a lot of fun times, our coaches (Brett McCabe, Frisco Wakeland's Barry Rose and Carrollton Newman Smith's JT Blair) all did an outstanding job, every one of our kids that graduated high school is playing Division I or junior college baseball next season and honestly, this is one of the best teams I've ever had."

As one of the team's youngest players, McKinney may be back next season in an attempt to better the 2012 squad's accomplishments.

"This was a really good team," he said, "and we had a lot of fun this summer."

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