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18U Amerika Samoa Baseball Team set for Guam tournament

American Samoa Baseball Association president, Marcus Langkilde presented Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga with team jersey.Members of the American Samoa 18U national baseball team
reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga presented a $15,000 check to assist American Samoa’s team, under the leadership of the American Samoa Baseball Association during yesterday’s meet & greet. The team is set to compete in the 18U Oceania Baseball Championship scheduled for Jan. 23- 27, 2019 in Guam.

The team members, along with their coaching staff, are very thankful and appreciative for the support from the governor, the many businesses, and families and friends who have pitched in to make the competition a reality for the boys.

“The 18U Amerika Samoa Baseball Team will represent with its best during the competition and off the field as ambassadors of Amerika Samoa,” says a statement from the local delegation.

Besides American Samoa, other countries/territories who will be competing in the Oceania tournament are Australia, Guam, New Zealand, Palau, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Although the competition will be tough, “we believe that we will field a strong team made up of our very own local boys as well as boys from across the United States,” the statement says.

Team Amerika Samoa is comprised of 10 local players who have been training with coach Victor Langkilde over the past year, along with 10 off-island players. The coaching staff will be led by Brigham Young University's assistant baseball coach Brent Haring, assisted by long time American Samoa Baseball coach J. Victor Langkilde and his eldest son, Joseph Langkilde, who is a team assistant with BYU baseball, and Dave Eldredge from Hawaii.

The winner of the Guam competition will be representing Oceania at the World Baseball Championship next year, in Korea, with all expenses paid.