WASHINGTON, PA (August 6, 2024) - The Bronx, NY, has won PONY Baseball’s East Zone to qualify for the 2024 Printscape PONY League World Series. 

The East Zone tournament, hosted in High Point, NC, consisted of six teams from New York, Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland. The Bronx went 3-1 in the tournament, defeating High Point, NC, and Rolando Paulino Baseball of New York City before losing to Hagerstown in the semifinals. The Bronx then beat Hagerstown in the finals. The Bronx outscored its opponents 35-12 over its four games. 

Bronx coach Wilson Gutierrez is grateful for the opportunity to play in the World Series and is looking forward to the experience.

“We are really blessed with this opportunity and we can’t wait to share our talents with the world,” Gutierrez said. “Our team is hoping to win it all. We want to win and that’s why we’re here.”

The Bronx has made one previous appearance in the World Series in 2018, during which they went 1-2. 

The Bronx will play its first game against Gijon, Spain, on Saturday, Aug. 10, at 2:30 PM/ET at Lew Hays PONY Field in Washington, PA.

WASHINGTON, PA (August 6, 2024) - Long Beach’s Heartwell PONY program has won PONY Baseball’s West Zone to qualify for the 2024 Printscape PONY League World Series. 

The West Zone tournament, hosted in West Covina, CA, consisted of eight teams from California, Washington, and Hawaii.The Heartwell program went 4-1 in the Zone tournament, with its only loss coming to Kauai, HI. In its five games, Long Beach (Heartwell) outscored its opponents 44-22. 

Heartwell’s coach, Matt Paige, believes his team is poised to compete despite being a small local program.

“We have a small league of only six teams that has produced teams that have been to the World Series now six times, winning in 2003,” Paige said. “Our program has produced 24 MLB players, including the current players of Travis d'Arnaud, Justin Turner, Jonathan Singleton, Matt Duffy, and JP Crawford.”

The Heartwell Long Beach program previously qualified for the World Series as Lakewood, CA, making appearances in 1966, 1972, 1987, 1990, and 2003. The 2003 Lakewood (now Heartwell) squad won the World Series title. 

Long Beach (Heartwell) will play its first game against Guaynabo, PR, on Friday, Aug. 9, at 7:30 PM/ET at Lew Hays PONY Field in Washington, PA.

WASHINGTON, PA (July 29, 2024) - Palmview, TX, has won PONY Baseball’s South Zone to qualify for the 2024 Printscape PONY League World Series. 

The 2024 South Zone tournament consisted of 14 teams from Texas and Louisiana. In pool play, Palmview captured a 2-0 record, outscoring its opponents 41-1 and earning the top seed in bracket play. In bracket play, Palmview went 3-0 and scored 38 runs while only allowing two. 

2024 will be Palmview’s third consecutive and third overall trip to Lew Hays PONY Field. In 2023, Palmview went 1-2, losing to Covina, CA, and eventual champion Edogawa, Japan. 

Palmview’s manager, Lucas Zambrano, is excited for Palmview to again make the trip to Washington, PA.

“Palmview qualifying three years in a row proves that south Texas can compete at any level,” Zambrano said. “This year, we have emphasized a stronger and more experienced pitching staff with more offensive production than in past years.”

The 2024 Palmview squad has a high level of team chemistry, which Zambrano believes will be a big strength compared to some of the other World Series teams who have not had a chance to play together long.

“I believe our team's strength is unity,” he said. “This amazing and talented group of young men have been playing together for many years. They have a brotherhood bond like no other.”

Palmview is looking forward to making the trip back to Washington. 

“The team is excited to compete with baseball players from across the globe and at the highest level,” Zambrano said. “They're ready to play the sport they love and have fun.”

Palmview, TX, will play its first game against Mon Valley, PA, on Friday, Aug. 9, at 4:30 PM/ET at Lew Hays PONY Field in Washington, PA.

WASHINGTON, PA (July 29, 2024) - Bay County, MI, has won PONY Baseball’s North Zone to qualify for the 2024 Printscape PONY League World Series. 

Bay County went a perfect 4-0 in the North Zone tournament, defeating other teams from Michigan and from Illinois to clinch the zone champion. 

Bay County’s manager, Jim Butts, believes his team has great depth.

“We are a well rounded team,” Butts said. “We play really good defense, and we are fairly deep in pitching and mentally tough.”

After giving up 11 runs in the first game of the North Zone tournament, Bay County only gave up four runs over its next three games. In its four games, Bay County also plated 62 runs.

Bay County is certainly no stranger to the World Series, now winning the North Zone for a 12th consecutive year. 

Butts also managed Bay County’s 2019 and 2021 World Series. The 2019 squad made it to the final before losing to Chinese Taipei.

“In 2019, we won three games by one run and had to come back in the sixth inning of each game,” he said. “I try to get my players to understand that one or two small plays, some extra effort, and just not ever giving up can be the difference between winning or losing.”

To prepare for the World Series, Bay County is playing in tournaments with older age brackets to challenge themselves.

Bay County will play its first game against Tijuana, Mexico, on Saturday, Aug. 10, at 12 PM/ET at Lew Hays PONY Field in Washington, PA.

WASHINGTON, PA (July 28, 2024) - Mon Valley, PA, has won PONY Baseball’s Host-Area Zone to qualify for the 2024 Printscape PONY League World Series. 

The 2024 Host-Area tournament consisted of nine teams and was open to any PONY-registered leagues within a 75 mile radius of Washington, PA. The winner of the Host-Area tournament gains an automatic berth in the PONY World Series.

Mon Valley finished the tournament with a perfect 4-0 record. On its way to the championship, Mon Valley beat teams from Peters Township, Beaver County, Youngstown, and then Youngstown again in the championship game with a 4-3 victory.

Mon Valley’s manager, Jason Plymire, believes the team’s depth is its biggest strength.

“Just about everyone can pitch, and we’ve got lots of guys who can play multiple positions,” Plymire said. “We hit a lot.”

The team’s hitting was evident in the Host-Area tournament, as Mon Valley tallied 38 runs in four games while only giving up 10. 

To prepare for the World Series, Plymire plans to keep his team busy.

“We’re just going to keep playing ball,” he said. “We want our kids to get as many live at bats and game situations as possible.”

Although the Mon Valley is only about 20 miles east of Washington, Plymire still sees this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for his players.

“This will be a special experience for the boys,” he said. “This group is a team. We’ve got kids from multiple different communities, and it’s really exciting to see how they have all come together.”

The last time a team from the Mon Valley region qualified for the World Series was in 2013 when Mon-Yough won the Host-Area and compiled a 1-2 record in the tournament. The only time a team from the Mon Valley region has won the World Series was in 1954 with Monongahela’s title. 

Mon Valley will play its first game against Palmview, TX, on Friday, Aug. 9, at 4:30 PM/ET at Lew Hays PONY Field in Washington, Pa.

WASHINGTON, PA (July 14, 2024) - Tijuana, Mexico, has won PONY Baseball’s Mexico Zone to qualify for the 2024 Printscape PONY League World Series. 

Mexico’s manager, Enrique Hinojosa, believes the team has a deep pitching staff and is poised to make a run in the 2024 tournament. 

“Many of our players pitch,” Hinojosa said. “Our starters and relievers are very solid.”

To prepare for the World Series, the team practices daily.

“We are focusing on strength and conditioning, and the fundamentals, especially fielding, to try to ensure a coordinated defense,” he said. 

The team as a whole is looking forward to coming to America and playing in the World Series.

“We are excited to represent our country with the possibility of being world champions and playing in one of the best tournaments that any kid can dream of,” Hinojosa said. 

Tijuana’s only previous appearance in the Printscape PONY League World Series came in 2018 when the team went 1-2. Teams from Mexico have only won one World Series championship, which came from Monterrey in 1972.

Mexico will play its first game against the North Zone champion on Saturday, Aug. 10, at 12 PM/ET at Lew Hays PONY Field in Washington, Pa.

WASHINGTON, PA (July 13, 2024) - After a one-year hiatus, Chinese Taipei has once again won PONY Baseball’s Asia-Pacific Zone to qualify for the 2024 Printscape PONY League World Series. 

After dropping the first game of the Asia-Pacific Zone tournament to Japan, Chinese Taipei went on to beat teams from Indonesia and the Philippines before edging Japan in the championship game. Chinese Taipei outscored its opponents 52-7 and finished the zone tournament with a 4-1 record. 

Chinese Taipei’s head coach, Tsai Ching-Chun, believes his team is well prepared for the World Series.

“The team is currently in training camp, focusing mainly on team workout volume,” said Ching-Chun. “From July 20 onward, players will enter game-specific training mode.”

Despite scoring 52 runs in five games in the zone tournament, Ching-Chun believes his team’s greatest strength is its defense.

“I believe our pitchers’ dominance along with our team’s defensive skills are our greatest strengths,” he said. 
Ching-Chun and the team are looking forward to their trip to America and competing in the World Series.

“We are looking forward to competing with international teams, as it will help us understand different styles of play and meet more baseball friends,” Ching-Chun said. “Of course, our most important goal is to bring the PONY World Series championship trophy back home.”

Since first appearing in the Printscape PONY League World Series in 1994, Chinese Taipei has won 11 championships, including five since 2015.

Due to a first-round bye for this year’s World Series, Chinese Taipei will play its first game at 5 PM/ET on Saturday, Aug. 10, at Lew Hays PONY Field against the winner of the Host-Area vs. South Zone matchup. 

WASHINGTON, PA (July 11, 2024) - Washington County, Pa., will be the host team in the 2024 Printscape PONY League World Series.

After last year’s electric runner-up finish, expectations certainly are high for the home squad. 

The team’s manager, Andrew Wuenstel, who was an assistant coach on last year’s team under his brother, Anthony Wuenstel, believes this year’s Washington County team is poised for a similar, if not better, run.

“We plan to build off last year’s success by continuing to instill a culture and work ethic that has brought the Washington County team the most success it has seen in the World Series over the past 25 years,” Wuenstel said.

This year’s team is certainly putting in the work needed for a championship run.

“We are practicing almost every day and playing in some very competitive tournaments leading up to the World Series,” Wuenstel stated. “Included in one of these is a wood bat tournament with some of the best travel teams from the Pittsburgh area.”

Almost 40 players from the Founder’s League’s 21 teams tried out this year, allowing the coaches to put together a team of the league’s best players, as well as those with specialized skill sets, helping to contribute to the team’s depth, which Wuenstel believes is the team’s greatest strength. 

“The depth of our roster and our team culture are our greatest strengths,” Wuenstel said. 

With the Mon Valley leagues of Charleroi, California, and Donora joining the Founder’s League in 2024, the Founder’s League now includes every PONY-registered league in the County, with the exception of Peters Township. After the one-year probationary period required for all new leagues, the Mon Valley leagues will be eligible for next-year’s team.

The 2024 team includes seven players from Trinity, five players from Canon McMillan, and one player from Washington, Fort Cherry and Avella school districts. 

Due to a first-round bye for this year’s World Series, Washington County will play its first game at 12 PM/ET on Sunday, Aug. 11, at Lew Hays PONY Field against the winner of the East Zone vs. Spain.

WASHINGTON, PA (July 7, 2024) - Gijon, Spain, will represent PONY Baseball’s European Zone in the 2024 Printscape PONY League World Series. 

This will be Spain’s first-ever trip to Lew Hays PONY Field for the Printscape PONY League World Series. Since European teams first began competing in PONY’s 14U World Series in 2012, teams from Germany, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Austria, the United Kingdom, and now Spain have qualified. 

The team’s manager, Roberto Diaz, is looking forward to this year’s tournament and hopes to bring home Spain’s first-ever win. 

“This is a very important occasion for our academy and an opportunity that may be the only one in our lives,” said Diaz.

Diaz also believes that his team is strong defensively and truly loves the game of baseball. 

“The team’s greatest strength is our defense and positive attitude,” said Diaz. “The team is very passionate.”

To prepare for the World Series, the team is participating in a baseball camp in the Asturias region of Spain. 

The 2024 European Zone tournament, which was played in Prague, Czech Republic, consisted of 16 total teams and included the countries of Spain, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, and the United Kingdom. 

In the European Zone tournament, Spain had a 5-1 record, outscoring its opponents 59-21, with the team’s only loss coming to the German Baseball Academy.

Spain will play its first game in the 2024 Printscape PONY League World Series against the East Zone at 2:30 PM/ET on Saturday, August 10, at Lew Hays PONY Field in Washington, PA. 

WASHINGTON, PA (July 5, 2024) - Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, has won PONY Baseball’s Caribbean Zone to qualify for the 2024 Printscape PONY League World Series. 

This will be Guaynabo’s second-ever appearance in the World Series, with the city’s only other appearance coming in 2022. Guaynabo has a historical 0-2 record in the tournament. 

The team’s manager, Rafael Cruz, is looking forward to this year’s tournament and hopes to bring home Guaynabo’s first-ever win. 

“The team’s greatest strength is our defense and pitching,” said Cruz. “We have two great pitchers in our bullpen who can hit the mid to upper 80s.”

Guaynabo went undefeated in the Caribbean Zone tournament, outscoring its opponents 43-9. Guaynabo defeated Costa Rica, Venezuela, and Colombia in the opening rounds of the Zone tournament before defeating Chile in the semifinals and Venezuela in the championship. 

Guaynabo will play its first game in the 2024 Printscape PONY League World Series against the West Zone at 7:30 PM/ET on Friday, August 9, at Lew Hays PONY Field in Washington, PA.