West Linn Select 12U team preps for World Series opener

Published 3:09 pm Friday, August 1, 2025

It is almost time for the first pitch.

The West Linn Select 12U team is preparing to play in the 2025 Cal Ripken Major 70 World Series, set for Thursday, Aug. 7, through Saturday, Aug. 16, at the Ballparks of America in Branson, Missouri.

West Linn – which was awarded an automatic berth into the Series – opens the tournament with a game against Frontenac, Kansas, the Midwest Plains Region Champ, at 9 a.m. Friday, Aug. 8, on the Chicago field.

Ready to go

To say the least, West Linn’s players are beyond excited about what lies ahead. West Linn received its automatic berth to the Series after winning its way into the Cal Ripken 10U Series two years ago.

“(I’m excited for) the games, because we’re playing on fields that are represented by (Major League Baseball) fields,” said West Linn third baseman/pitcher/catcher Harry Reed, 12. “I like the (Los Angeles) Angels, but my brother and my whole family likes the Chicago Cubs, so I’m excited to play on (the Chicago field).”

“I’m looking forward to the Series, just playing baseball, just having fun with my family and team,” said West Linn third baseman/center fielder/pitcher/catcher Blake Holmes, 12.

“I just want to see us, hopefully, get to the championship bracket for the first time in West Linn history,” said shortstop/center fielder Logan Glaze, 13.

“I’m most excited to see how we show up and make it happen,” added second baseman Liam Hand, 12.

The rest of the team includes: head coach Ryan Holmes; assistant coach J.J. Portlock; assistant coach Bryan Reed; assistant coach Matt Radochonski; assistant coach Dennis Weehunt; shortstop/center fielder Will Roland; designated hitter Owen Gulick; first baseman/pitcher Theo Eagle; first baseman/pitcher Hudson Portlock; outfielder/pitcher Gaege Peng; catcher/outfielder Jackson Radochonski; and outfielder/second baseman Nixon Perry.

Pool play begins

The rest of the team’s pool play games include: West Linn vs. Altamonte Springs, Florida, at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, on the Kansas City field; and West Linn vs. Easton, Massachusetts, at 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11, on the Chicago field.

After pool play, the top 12 teams from the 25-team American field will advance to the American half of the championship bracket from Tuesday, Aug. 12, through Saturday, Aug. 16. The American winner will eventually face the winner of the international half of the championship bracket for the 2025 World Series title.

There are 17 international teams in the field, with the top 10 advancing to the international half of the championship bracket.

Teams that don’t qualify for the championship bracket will continue play in the Iron Man bracket.

Aiming high

No matter what, West Linn’s players say they’ll be ready to go.

“We’re really looking to make it to the championship bracket and then take it all,” Hand said. “I just think we need to have confidence. Whenever we have confidence, we play really well.”

“Our goal is to make it to the winners bracket and see how far we can go from there,” Blake Holmes said. “(The key is) just confidence. We’re a great team. We can do it if we all just believe in ourselves and have confidence.”

“I think we could go really far in the World Series if we play our best,” Reed said. “We could definitely go into the championship bracket. (The key is) our energy, because if we don’t have a lot of energy, our hitters don’t hit as well … because they don’t have as much confidence.”

“Our coaches’ goals for us is to make it to the championship bracket, but I feel like if we play really well, we can get really high into the championship bracket,” Glaze added.

Lessons learned

West Linn enters the Series carrying a 38-19-1 overall record, as well as a powerful desire to prove itself in its second Series appearance.

“We went into (the 10U Series) after winning state and regionals and we really didn’t take it as serious as we could,” Glaze said. “This time, we’re going to be locked in because we know the caliber of the teams that we’re going to be playing.”

“We just learned to soak up the pressure,” Holmes said. “Just don’t let the pressure get to you. Just have fun and don’t think about it.”

To offset the cost of the team’s plane rides, hotels, meals and more, West Linn has started a GoFundMe account to offset expenses for team parents. See the team’s GoFundMe page here – tinyurl.com/5543za46.