Yuma Diablos cherish summer ball

The Yuma Diablos travel summer baseball team performed on the field during the United States Amateur Baseball Federation World Series in San Diego while making life long memories.

SAN DIEGO (KYMA, KECY) - The Diablo 16U and 18U teams showed out at the United States Amateur Baseball Federation world series in San Diego. The 18U team were runner-ups, while the 16U team placed third in the tournament.

Despite the fantastic coaching from the Diablos staff, Head Coach Faran Owl says the root of success is because of the athletes.

"The success of them is nice to see because it's not about me, it's about them and what they can do," Coach Owl said. "We got some really good kids in Yuma that do well and to see them play together and to perform together, especially when we travel somewhere, so the word gets out on who we are."

Shortstop Pedro Cruz Junior shared the same sentiment about putting Yuma on the map.

"It's pretty good to represent Yuma, you know, show what Yuma is about, how much skill we have in the community," Cruz Junior said.

Third basemen Ivan Bonillas further added how cool it was to represent Yuma.

"We're like one of the only teams representing Arizona, and from a small town we come from, it means a lot to play in some big tournament like that with the results we came out with," Bonillas said.

The squad did more than show out on the field though, they also had a blast connecting with one another.

Diablos outfielder Jordan Schofield expressed how some of his favorite memories were at the beach playing Spikeball and Wiffle ball. Meanwhile, Cruz Junior enjoyed his time jumping in the ocean waves.

Bonillas said some of his favorite moments came after big wins, when the entire team would celebrate in their shared Airbnb.

Although summer ball has come to an end, the memories will last a lifetime for these Yuma Diablos.