Team Japan started the tournament by coming back from a 10-run deficit to beat the Indiana Prospects (Blue) 11-10 in the first game of pool play. Japan then proceeded to finish pool play with an undefeated 5 – 0 record beating the Tennessee Raptors (TN), Top Tier (IL), Crystal Lake Cardinals (IL), and Ontario, Canada Prospects.
In the double-elimination Gold Bracket Team Japan topped the Montreal Royals (Canada) 12 – 2; Crystal Lake Bombers (IL) 9 – 0; Laredo Flames (TX) 7 – 6 and the Tennessee Raptors (TN) 7 – 4. The win over Tennessee allowed Team Japan to rest up as they waited to play Puerto Rico or Tennessee, who would need to beat Japan twice in order to be named the Champions. Puerto Rico handled Tennessee 15- 0 to set up the International Final.
One game was all it took. Puerto Rico took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first in the championship game with a two-run homerun by Wilfredo Rodriquez, the tournament’s Silver Slugger Award recipient. Team Japan answered back in the bottom of the first with a three-run shot by clean-up man Yoshihiro Kobayashi to lead 3 – 2. Japan stretched the lead to 8 – 2 as the game headed into the top of the sixth.
The Puerto Rico bats came alive as the Apaches plated three runs to make it 8 – 5. Puerto Rico had two men on base with two outs when CF Kentaro Yagi pulled pinch-hitter Jose Lopez’s shoot to left center back over the fence. Yagi then came on in the 7th inning to retire the last three Puerto Rico batters on seven pitches for the save.
The Kansas Blues won the Silver Bracket Championship with an 11 – 2 win over the Prison City Prowlers. The Blues finished pool play at 3 wins and 2 losses and proceeded to beat the Cardinals of Moscow, Russia 3 – 1; Lake Shore Sting (MI) 8 – 0; ECM Rebels (MI) 5 – 4 and the Prison City Prowlers (IL) 10 – 2. Prison City knocked off the Ann Arbor Travelers (MI) 7 – 4 to earn the rematch with the Kansas Blues, but the Blues prevailed.
Nine International teams from Japan, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Canada, New Zealand and Russia competed against thirty-seven United States teams representing fourteen states. The New Zealand appearance marked the first time ever that a youth baseball team from New Zealand has come to the United States.
Every International organization that competed in 2009 will be returning in 2010. In addition, MCYSA is already finalizing plans with Vietnam, the Dutch Antilles and Italy for 2010 and is in discussions with additional Latin American countries regarding attending the 2010 event.
The 2010 15U Summer International Championships will be held in Crystal Lake, Illinois ning on Friday July 23, 2010 and concluding on Sunday August 1, 2010.