Chatsworth Comes Up Empty in Opener

Once again on the verge of elimination, Valley Chatsworth players couldn’t feel more comfortable.

“I have to tell reporters every time we get in this situation, ‘This is our loss for the tournament,’ ” center fielder Chad Redfern said. “It’s nothing new for us. Hopefully, we can come back.”

Valley Chatsworth’s 6-4 defeat to Brooklawn, N.J., Friday night in an opening game of the American Legion World Series puts the team in familiar territory.

Last week, Valley Chatsworth lost its Region 8 opener, then won four consecutive games to advance. In the Area 6 playoffs, Valley Chatsworth had to beat Camarillo twice to survive.

“It’s more nerve-racking because we’re at the World Series,” shortstop Matt Fisher said. “We’re not the biggest team, we don’t have the most pitching, but we’ve been playing great under pressure.”

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Fisher, who’s only 5 feet 9 and weighs 160 pounds, tied a Legion World Series record with two home runs in a game. He’s the 19th player to accomplish the feat since the World Series began in 1926.

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After spending two weeks living out of hotel rooms, Valley Chatsworth players are learning intimate details about each other.

For one, many don’t know how to wash laundry, Coach Tom Meusborn has concluded.

Pitcher Joe Guntz lost three pairs of pants when he left them in a dryer in Las Vegas.

“I don’t think we’ll wash again because we can’t afford to lose any more uniforms,” Meusborn said.

There are early risers, like pitcher Ryan Robbins, who has received his share of wake-up calls from his girlfriend.

“I had to ask Robbins, ‘Did you sleep last night?’ because he was up so early,” Meusborn said.

Then there are the deep sleepers, including Redfern and first baseman Charles Kenny, who would sleep until 3 p.m. if they could.

“Chad does everything slow,” pitcher Scott Sellz said. “He eats slow, he sleeps forever.”

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Guntz has been carrying around what he calls his “lucky lizard.” The green plastic lizard was there when Valley Chatsworth won the regional title in Las Vegas. But the lizard faces extinction.

“If we lose, I’ll cut off his head and bury him,” Guntz said before the game Friday.

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Who says Minnesota is only a hockey state? Two of the eight World Series teams are from Minnesota, and each won its opener.

Ben Hendrickson, a 10th-round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers, pitched Bloomington past Gallatin, Tenn., 13-3. New Brighton defeated Edmond, Okla., 8-2.