After several months of grief, during which we understood that life was more important than the rest of activities, and when it seemed that the bats, gloves, and balls had to remain locked up, some baseball fields in Buenos Aires opened their doors to welcome their followers. Due to the pandemic, some sports centers remain closed, filled with darkness and abandonment. Only dreams and memories of great achievements and examples of effort, discipline, and dedication remain. It has been months of deep sorrow due to the departure of sons without blessings and parents without goodbyes. They are irreparable absences.
There were sufficient reasons to put everything aside until we can do it well and all threats pass. But in the midst of an increasingly long list of people who have left, and while we were busy dribbling or hitting a powerful shot against COVID-19, there were those who gathered courage, applied demanding biosafety protocols, and sang "play ball".
The Ecuadorian Federation organized four selective tournaments since November 3rd, with the firm hope of being able to attend international championships in 2021. In the first division, eight teams played, and Liga Deportiva Estudiantil, after 48 years, won a title that was decided in two tough games against the University of Guayaquil. The remarkable thing was the performance of some Venezuelan players of great level. Many are active professionals who sought these paths because branches and academies had closed in other countries due to the health crisis.
The Miraflores League canceled an international championship in tribute to the bicentennial of the Independence of Guayaquil and a couple of tours abroad. Never in its history, since 1974, has it stopped playing. With effort and sanitary regulations, the forty-seventh official tournament was developed, with the participation of 22 teams in five categories and their respective playoffs.
In the "cachorros" category, once again Emelec and Oriente played the final that was decided with a home run hit by Reinaldo Acurero, with a teammate in circulation. Then he got on the mound to get the last three outs and secure the title for Oriente. Simultaneously, in the "pony" category, the Cardinals took an 8-1 advantage, but once again it was proven that to defeat Oriente you have to play until the last episode. Their offense scored three runs with a triple by Andrés Acurero to get back in the fight and in the sixth they scored six more, and then Mathew Mora made the winning run 11-10.
The ending was dramatic because the Cardinals could have tied and won, but two runners were retired at the precise moment of reaching home plate trying to score the runs that could have given them the championship.
Oriente's third title was in the junior division. In that division, the Cardinals were also defeated and in a convincing way: with a score of 13-3. The great pitching work of Gustavo Portalanza stood out, who contained the red force and struck out eight; he was designated as the 'most valuable player' and was supported by the batting of Patricio García, who hit two singles and scored two runs. The results of the finals between Indios and Oriente in "potrillos" and Fatty and Oriente in junior major are yet to be known. Thus, the Sport Oriente club could seal a remarkable campaign that we might not have been able to witness.
The El Recreo field was rescued from the threat of invasion of the property, so the Baseball Committee of Fedeguayas called for training with medical review, deworming, vitaminization of players, and delivered a new batch of equipment to develop an internal championship.
The Yeyo Úraga stadium was not used; it is undergoing a total recovery plan for the field. Some diamonds and venues are inactive in this difficult period - in which what little could be done would seem like a lot - however, the flame of hope remained lit and joy and color returned, generated by children and young people when they practice sports. (O)