Little league world series texas vs oklahoma

There wasn’t a dry eye at the Tulsa National Little League baseball practice in Waco, Texas, on Friday morning.

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A phone call delivered news that the Oklahoma state champion team of 12- and 13-year-olds would be disqualified from the Waco Regional after one member of their party tested positive for COVID-19.

“I brought our coaches in and told them, and, as grown men, we were devastated,” manager Sam Treat said. “We were just emotionally upset about it, just because we know how much these kids have wanted to be a part of it.

“We brought the kids together and told them, and there wasn’t a dry eye of the 13 (players) that we have. They were all bawling and upset.”

The penalty ends the team’s dream of advancing to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It abruptly ends a season that, just 24 hours earlier, saw a thrilling win over New Mexico.

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Two other teams in the Waco Regional — Mississippi and Texas East — also were disqualified for the same reason on Friday, according to an official release from Little League.

A protest was immediately submitted by the Tulsa team, but the team was notified in an email Friday evening that the Tournament Committee had denied the protest.

Steve Skocik, president of Tulsa National Little League, said: “The COVID-19 test result that they had was false. It was a false positive. They only had one positive test on the manager of the team. We immediately had him retested with a more accurate test at a clinic.”

Treat was crushed that his result of his saliva test administered by Little League ended things.

He stressed that he understands the forfeit rule, which was first disclosed during a Tuesday manager’s meeting. It was the process that irks him.

“They changed the policy and said if one player or coach tested positive for COVID, then the whole team is disqualified,” Treat said. “Then, obviously at that point, we understood that it was extremely serious not to test positive for COVID, not just from a health standpoint but a financial and time standpoint for our families.”

All players and coaches took a preliminary COVID test on their own before the Little League conducted its testing Wednesday. All initial tests were negative, Treat said, and he added that the players and coaches always have been aware of wearing masks and social distancing.

A saliva test was given by Little League in a hotel conference room, Treat said. The manager said he didn’t think it was a controlled environment with medical personnel performing the duties.

“I didn’t believe my (result) was accurate,” he said. “When they told me that on the phone, I disagreed. I have had about seven or eight tests in the last 15 weeks. I work in a medical community where testing positive for COVID can eliminate me from going into hospitals. It’s something that’s always been really serious to my family, so I disagreed with it.

“Obviously, it didn’t matter. They kind of just closed the book and said thanks for coming.”

Treat immediately went to an urgent care clinic and took a COVID test. The negative result he had there was provided to the Tournament Committee when the protest of the ruling was made.

The Tulsa World reached out to Little League about the protest procedure. A spokesman emailed, writing, “As determined by our protocol, we will not be re-testing.”

Treat understands the rule, which embraces safe measures.

“I didn’t like the new rule if one guy had COVID that all 13 guys were eliminated, but I agree with it,” Treat said. “We agree with the mindset that if someone has COVID, they shouldn’t be a vessel to the other families and players and parents that are doing an extracurricular activity to be exposed to it.

“I agree with that. I just disagree that the testing procedures don’t carry the weight of their repercussions. There wasn’t a protocol of control and the ability to say a saliva test can be more valuable than a nasal swab.”

Treat doesn’t know what the message is for his team right now.

“We just want to mentor our kids and help build them to become men,” Treat said. “What would you tell them?

“I don’t know.”

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