Dhahran Little League Wins First Two Games
- Lifestyles
- Travel & Leisure
- Sports
Author: Aramco ExPats
Released 21 August 2006
Front left to right Adam Mascarenhas, Ryan Somogye, Robert Eyvazzadeh, Matt Timoney, Nate Barnett and Daniel Clark.
Back left to right: Manager James Durley, George Luo, Michael Knight, Aaron Durley, Andrew Holden, Ted Fitzmaurice and Coach Tom Timoney
The 60th Little League World Series has commenced, with the Arabian American team off to a great start. With a two game victory, the Transatlantic champion, Saudi Arabia stands a good chance of advancing out of pool play after failing to win a game last year.
Dhahran is making its seventh consecutive appearance in the Little League World Series and its 18th since 1983. The team of 11 boys represents the Transatlantic region, made up of teams from Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia.
In the first game of the series, Saudi Arabia triumphed over Surrey, B.C. in a 5-0 win. Matt Timoney and Andrew Holden hit back-to-back solo shots to break up a scoreless game to lead Saudi Arabia (1-0), the Transatlantic region champ.
Holden, a pitcher, was locked in pitcher's duel until Timoney broke up Canadian hurler Justin Atkinson's no-hit bid in the fourth by lining a 3-2 pitch over the left-centre field wall. Holden struck out 13, while Atkinson had 15 strikeouts for B.C. (0-1), which won the Canada bracket.
Aaron Durley, one of the team members, towers over the competition at the Little League World Series at South Williamsport, Pa. The 13-year-old first baseman for Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, stands an imposing 6-foot-8 and weighs 256 pounds.
"I was standing next to him and I was up to his elbows," Scott Kingery, a 12-year-old, 4-foot-9 shortstop from Phoenix, said after meeting Durley.
He's still growing, too. Durley only shared the tallest-player designation last year, when he was a mere 6-4. “I’m more confident this year, ready to do what I need to do,” Durley said after a practice. “Hit the ball out.”
Durley, batting fifth, didn’t hit a homer, but he walked twice, singled and scored a run Sunday when his Arabian American squad from Dhahran defeated Saipan, 9-1 in their second game of the series. Andrew Holden hit a three-run homer while two pitchers combined on a three-hitter to lead Dhahran, Saudi Arabia (2-0). Starter Matthew Timoney struck out seven and allowed just one hit before giving way to reliever Michael Knight in the fifth, who struck out three batters.
Donning blonde hair for the series (a peculiar baseball superstition), the team is off and running with what promises to be an exciting Little League World Series.