Paul Overstreet has been a busy man on the baseball diamond. Fresh off of the Cooperstown Dreams Park Tournament with the 12U Plant City Raiders travel team, Overstreet earned a spot on the Plant City Little League Juniors Baseball All-Stars and has gone with the team from districts to sectionals in Plant City over the past few weeks.
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How’s this postseason been for you?
It’s been good.
What’s been your favorite thing about these last few weeks of All-Stars play?
Hitting. I’ve been doing really well.
What’s the best game you’ve played in these last few weeks?
The last game of districts. I hit 2-for-2 with a walk, a single and a double.
What have you learned this year that’s helped you get better at hitting?
Changing my grip on the bat, pretty much. I’m holding it differently.
How long have you been with PCLL?
For all my life. I’m 12 now.
What got you into it?
My mom put me in it and I went on from there.
What is it about the game that you love?
Hitting, fielding and the competition.
What’s the biggest play you’ve made in a game?
I think I was catching, and it was in Disney with my travel ball team. The ball was against the fence and I jumped up and caught it. That was about two years ago.
Which positions do you play?
I play right field, third base, and sometimes I catch.
Which is your favorite?
Third base, because you can test your range.
Do you look up to any MLB players?
Javier Baez.
What’s the coolest thing you’ve done on a baseball field?
Probably when I went to a Perfect Game tournament in Atlanta with older kids, and I got to play. It was about a year ago.
What school do you go to?
Tomlin.
What’s your favorite subject?
Probably math.
When you’re getting ready for a game, do you have any pre-game rituals?
With my All-Stars team, we have a chant. It’s just like, we wave and get pumped up about it. And before games, we play a game of Pepper on the field.
What’s the most fun you’ve had with your teammates?
The season when we won the championship, there was kids that were new or in their second year of playing and they really wanted to win it.
What’s some advice you’d give to someone younger than you who’s moving up from machine pitch and tee-ball?
Just try. Some of them don’t and they go out, strike out, then come back mad.
What are you best at in baseball and what’s something you want to get better at?
I’m probably best at fielding and I want to work on my hitting.
What’s the best road trip you’ve taken with a team?
We just got back from Cooperstown just a few weeks ago. That was really fun. It was my first time, too. Parents get to go away and you’re just there with the team. It’s super fun.