League hits a home run in community
It was the fourth game for the select team of 9- and 10-year-olds in the new Clarksburg league, which debuted last month. Players screamed chants on the sidelines as their parents huddled together against the cold near the bleachers at Damascus Recreational Park. Coaches took the Clarksburg batters aside after some of the at-bats and the umpire even walked over to teach the players baseball strategy between innings. Perroots said that his teammates are very supportive. ‘‘They always cheer each other on for the hitting and pitching and everything,” he said, adding he has made new friends since he joined the Clarksburg team. David’s parents, Diana and Steve Perroots of Germantown, watched their son perform as the starting pitcher on the chilly, overcast evening. Diana Perroots said her son loves to play baseball and the Clarksburg league has been a great addition to the community. ‘‘It is a good family time because we can get with our neighbors and meet other families that have players on the team,” she said. ‘‘It is a fun time to be able to come out here and watch them play baseball.” The Clarksburg Sports Association’s has five select baseball teams with players ranging in age from 8 to 14 years old. It also has 12 recreational teams for 3- to 10-year-olds. Each select team has 11-15 players, said baseball commissioner Neil Pfeiffer. The select teams play against teams in other leagues in the area, including teams from Germantown, Gaithersburg and Bethesda, he said. Clarksburg baseball players on the 9- and 10-year-old team donned white plants, navy blue shirts with their numbers written in light blue, and navy caps with a big ‘‘C” on the front for Thursday’s game. Batters eagerly ran from the on-deck circle when it was their turn to bat and held their bats high as they awaited the pitches. Germantown resident Donna Sacco watched her son, Logan Ring, 10, play first base. She said Pfeiffer has been an excellent commissioner and the players are getting good baseball training. ‘‘They are bringing the whole community together,” Sacco said. ‘‘I think that is really impressive. I like our coaches. They are working very hard.” However, the enthusiasm for the rookie team was not enough for the more experienced Damascus team, which pulled away from Clarksburg and won, 4-1. The Clarksburg team is still looking for its first win. After the game, a Damascus player congratulated David Natali, 10, of Clarksburg for a great catch he made in the game. He replied that it felt good to make the catch. ‘‘I didn’t drop it,” he said. ‘‘I caught it with two hands.” Pfeiffer has been overwhelmed by the support the Clarksburg league has received from the Germantown and Damascus communities. It took a lot of time to put the league together and parents have supported the new league and volunteer as coaches, he said. ‘‘It is very positive,” Pfeiffer said. The sportsmanship among the players has been outstanding, he added.
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