From The Yard Dogs:
The Yard Dogs, a SOMa U12 club baseball team, is heading to the Cooperstown All Star Village Tournament on July 19. The team will compete against 71 other teams from across the country in a tournament that will span the course of six days. In addition to regular game play, the team also will compete in a home run derby, team relay and fastest double play competitions. Families will participate in an opening ceremony spirit competition, which the Yard Dogs families fully intend to win. Community members interested in following the Yard Dogs’ journey in Cooperstown can follow the team on Instagram at @somayarddogsbaseball for regular updates throughout the tournament week.
The Yard Dogs head to Cooperstown after winning its division this spring, capturing the championship by defeating Wood-Ridge Blue Devils 14-1. The team proved successful in tournament play as well, coming in first in its two premier tournaments, scoring 115 runs across ten tournament games. The Yard Dogs ended its spring season with a 19-4-2 record.
From left to right (top): Coach Chris, Jack Schwegel, Wynchell Liu, Thunder Chambers, Grant Sheldon, Sam Jeselsohn, Joshua Kameros, Coach Raf, Sean Hermes, Coach Aiden; Matthias Lesser, Andrew Kraemer, Jesse Grossman, Dylan Byrne, Ben Blair and Shane Bitterman.
The Yard Dogs will wrap up its Cooperstown fundraising efforts next week. Community members interested in supporting the team can head to https://givebutter.com/YardDogs to learn more about fundraising efforts. The team has received generous donations from many across the community, including the South Orange Maplewood Baseball Boosters, and is extremely grateful for the outpouring of support.
After Cooperstown, the Yard Dogs will gear up for its fall season as a U13 team. Folks interested in trying out for the fall squad or just learning more about the team should contact head coach Rafael Cruz at info@yarddogsbaseball.com
Photograph of the SOMa Yard Dogs after capturing the division title.
