Team captures state's imagination
<p>The Billings Big Sky All-Stars play today in the Little League World Series U.S. Championship game against Huntington Beach, Calif. In this photo, Ben Askelson of Billings is mobbed by teammates after he hit a game-winning home run in extra innings Wednesday to give Montana a 1-0 semifinal victory over the California team. Huntington Beach won a consolation-bracket game on Thursday to earn a rematch against Billings. The winner of today’s game (to be broadcast on ABC) advances to Sunday’s game against the international champion for the Little League World Series title…
A young Montana team chasing its baseball dream has captured the hearts and imaginations of residents across the state.
As the Big Sky All-Stars Little League team prepare for today’s rematch with California in Saturday’s U.S. Championship game at the Little League World Series in Pennsylvania, the folks back home are cheering them on and holding fundraisers to help their families with travel expenses.
Universal Athletics in Billings is selling team T-shirts for $10, with the proceeds going to the travel fund.
“We just wanted to do our part to help with traveling expenses because, as you know, these parents are probably in pretty deep with being in Pennsylvania (after traveling to San Bernardino, Calif., for the regional tournament), so we wanted to do our part, support them,” said Adam Brant of Universal Athletics.
Hooligan’s Sports Bar and the Vig Alehouse are collecting donations for the team from customers and will match every dollar collected. Sean Graves owns both businesses and his cousin, Dawson Smith, plays for the All-Stars.
During Wednesday night’s 1-0 win over California, the businesses raised more than $1,300, and he will continue raising money through the weekend.
“I’m pretty happy with what we’ve got already, and I expect a huge day on Saturday,” Graves said.
Buffalo Wild Wings is donating a percentage of its game-day sales to the Little League travel fund set up at First Interstate Bank. Marketing director Mike Bilanski said the restaurant raised more than $1,200 on Wednesday.
In Glasgow, Farm Equipment Sales and the city’s Babe Ruth baseball program also are raising money for the Big Sky All-Stars. The business kicked off the effort with a $500 donation and challenged other businesses and residents to contribute. League treasurer Stacie Rhoads said they had raised just over $1,000 by Thursday.
Folks in Billings can gather to watch Saturday’s game at Petro Hall at Montana State University Billings.
First pitch is at 1 p.m. The game will be televised by ABC.
Across the state in Kalispell, folks again will gather at sports bars, hoping for more heroics from the Montana boys.
“The excitement is great. People are still talking about it,” said Chris Gillette, owner of Fatt Boys Bar & Grill. “We had a full bar, about 150 people” watching Wednesday’s game. “We had kids here. It was a real family atmosphere.”
Ronald Wingerter of Billings said the Big Sky All-Stars are “showing that the American dream does come true. They’ve played great baseball, they’ve brought a spark to town.”
Even a California resident was impressed with the Montana team.
“There’s not a lot of times a bunch of grown people gather around to watch 12-year-olds play baseball,” said Dan Killoren of San Diego. “So that’s pretty cool.”
Schoolmates of the players were thrilled when Ben Askelson hit a home run in the bottom of the seventh Wednesday to propel the Montana team to the title game.
Lewis and Clark Middle School student Maclean Turner said he was watching the game at Montana State University Billings and “we all went crazy when Ben hit that homer.”
Student David Holmes said he was excited for Ben.
“I just felt great for him, I thought it was great for him to do that because you don’t get to see miracles that often,” Holmes said.
Another student, Jean Ann Lemelin, praised the team’s sportsmanship.
“I am so proud; it’s beyond belief what they were able to accomplish out there,” Lemelin said. “And their attitudes are just great. They’re not cocky, they’re very humble out there, representing Montana out there very well.”
Principal Steve Pomroy said school staffers already are planning the boys’ homecoming, featuring an all-school ice cream social.
“We’ve been celebrating every day,” he said Thursday. “America loves the underdog, and we’ve been the underdog.”
Game time
Today’s U.S. championship game featuring the Big Sky Little League team against Huntington Beach, Calif., will begin at 1 p.m. It will be televised on ABC.
If the Montana team, representing the Northwest Region, wins on Saturday it would play the international champion on Sunday at 1 p.m. for the Little League World Series title.