One of the standout features of Baseball United is its unconventional rule regarding home runs. If a player hits a home run with a "money ball," the runs scored are doubled, adding an extra layer of excitement for both players and fans alike. This innovation might make traditional baseball purists raise an eyebrow, but it's a testament to the league's commitment to infusing fresh energy into the sport.
However, amidst the novel rules and enthusiastic atmosphere, there are some familiar faces gracing the field. The spotlight shines brightly on the legendary Bartolo Colon, who, at the age of 50, continues to defy the odds and showcase his enduring passion for the game. In the league's inaugural game at Dubai International Stadium, Colon pitched with the skill and finesse that earned him the 2005 AL Cy Young Award. Even at 50, he managed to touch low 80s with his fastball, leaving fans in awe as he retired three consecutive batters, including the formidable Robinson Cano.
Accompanying Colon are other former big leaguers such as Pablo Sandoval, Andrelton Simmons, and Alejandro de Aza. The managerial helm is entrusted to none other than Miguel Tejada, adding another layer of experience and expertise to the league.
Baseball United is not just about the spectacle of seasoned professionals displaying their skills; it's also a platform for mentorship and development. As Mariano Rivera, a Yankees legend and the greatest closer in the history of the sport, pointed out, the league aims to change the lives of young players in the region. The goal is to instill the love for baseball and provide high-level coaching that can be tailored to the unique needs of each player.
Barry Larkin, a Cincinnati Reds great, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of the curriculum that legends like Rivera and himself bring to the table. Their high-level expertise is designed to be accessible and adaptable, ensuring that aspiring players in the region receive top-notch guidance.
As the Baseball United All-Star showcase continues to unfold, it's clear that this league is more than just a sporting event; it's a cultural exchange, a celebration of the global reach of baseball, and an opportunity to inspire the next generation of players in West Asia. The fusion of international talent, innovative rules, and a passion for the game makes Baseball United a must-watch event that transcends borders and unites fans from all walks of life. The future of baseball in West Asia looks brighter than ever, thanks to the pioneering spirit of Baseball United.
]]>LSU's Path to the Finals: LSU's journey to the College World Series title was marked by outstanding performances and unwavering resilience. From the beginning of the tournament, the team demonstrated their mettle, overcoming formidable opponents and securing impressive victories. Led by their dedicated coaching staff and talented roster, LSU showcased their strong pitching, solid defense, and explosive offense throughout the tournament, establishing themselves as serious contenders for the championship.
A High-Stakes Championship Game: Facing off against the Florida Gators in the championship game, LSU found themselves engaged in a fierce battle for baseball supremacy. The tension in the stadium was palpable as both teams exchanged blows, vying for the coveted title. The game unfolded as a showcase of exceptional athleticism, strategic brilliance, and unwavering determination from each side.
Key Highlights and Standout Performances: The championship game was packed with breathtaking moments that will be etched in the minds of fans for years to come. LSU's pitcher, Jake Thompson, delivered a stellar performance on the mound, frustrating Florida's batters with his impeccable control and devastating pitches. Thompson's impressive display of skill and composure set the tone for the game and played a crucial role in LSU's victory.
Offensively, LSU's lineup proved to be formidable. Outfielder Alex Milazzo, known for his explosive power at the plate, showcased his talents, delivering several crucial hits and driving in vital runs. Milazzo's offensive prowess combined with his exceptional fielding abilities earned him the title of Most Outstanding Player of the College World Series, cementing his legacy in LSU baseball history.
Florida's performance was equally commendable, with their players demonstrating great tenacity and skill. Despite falling short in the championship game, they showcased the competitive spirit that defined their journey to the finals. Pitcher Ethan Harding's impressive outing and the Gators' relentless offensive push contributed to a thrilling contest that had fans at the edge of their seats until the final out.
The Sweet Taste of Victory: As the game reached its climax, LSU emerged victorious, securing the College World Series championship. The jubilation that erupted in the LSU dugout and amongst their passionate fans showcased the culmination of months of hard work and dedication. The championship win added another glorious chapter to LSU's storied baseball history and affirmed their status as a dominant force in college baseball.
The Legacy Continues: LSU's triumph in the College World Series will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on the team, their fans, and the broader baseball community. It serves as a testament to the power of perseverance, teamwork, and unwavering belief in one's abilities. As LSU celebrates their well-deserved victory, they also acknowledge the efforts and contributions of their opponents, Florida, who provided an intense and unforgettable championship matchup.
]]>United States
International
After falling to Hills Little League (Sydney, Australia), 4-0, earlier in tournament pool play, Brisbane North Region LL won the rematch thanks to a strong start and stellar pitching. Hills opened up the scoring in the first inning after notching one run, but it would be their only lead of the game as Brisbane North Region answered swiftly, scoring four runs of their own in the bottom of the first. Hills fought back in the top of the fifth scoring two runs, but Brisbane North Region put the game out of reach after knocking in three runs thanks to two consecutive RBI singles.
This will be the first time Brisbane North Region LL makes the trek to Williamsport, second time a team from Queensland earns the honor, and the eighth time a team from Australia will compete in the LLBWS after the country gained direct entry in 2013.
Australia’s most successful trip at the LLBWS took place in 2016, where Hills LL notched two wins by taking down squads from the Europe and Africa Region and Caribbean Region before being knocked out of the elimination bracket by the Mexico Region team.
A rapidly growing Little League country, Australia is one of the few nations with an automatic bid into all four Little League Baseball tournaments, with their most recent direct entry into the Little League Intermediate (50/70) Baseball Division World Series starting in 2018.
With the first-round matchups of the 2022 LLBWS announced at the Chairman’s Celebration of the 28th Little League International Congress, Brisbane North Region LL is set to square off against the winner of the Canada Region in Game 3 on Wednesday, August 17, at 5 p.m. on Volunteer Stadium.
Little League International will be celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the LLBWS this year and will celebrate the history of the iconic event throughout the summer leading up to this year’s World Series in August. More information about the 2022 Little League World Series tournaments, including full schedules and downloadable brackets, can be found at LittleLeague.org/WorldSeries.
]]>While the postseason picture is coming into sharper focus, this exercise is still meant to be a projection and not what the field would look like if the season ended today. But with every passing day, there is less projection needed, as teams have little time to change their resumes in a dramatic way.
The hosting race continues to be in flux, particularly after last weekend’s Big 12 chaos. Texas Tech’s stunning sweep at Oklahoma State thrust the Red Raiders back into the hosting picture, despite an RPI (33) that remains higher than the typical range for regional hosts. A series win this weekend against Oklahoma would help Texas Tech boost its RPI and at least share the conference title with TCU. That might be enough for the Red Raiders to reach the host line. TCU, which swept Texas Tech, and is the leader in the clubhouse in the Big 12 standings, has a worse RPI (35) and won’t have an opportunity to boost it until the Big 12 Tournament, as its non-conference series against Santa Clara will do little to help the Horned Frogs. It would be strange for the Big 12 regular-season champion not to host, but TCU’s 8-13 mark against top-50 teams will be its undoing, unless it is able to make a push next week in Arlington.
The selection committee also looks like it will have a difficult time sorting out how to order the SEC West hosts. Arkansas, Auburn and Texas A&M are all tracking toward hosting, but determining the order is as hard as unraveling Christmas tree lights. Texas A&M is in first place in the division today thanks to its series win against Arkansas, but it lost a series to Auburn. The Tigers have the best RPI (4), but they're 1.5 games behind the Aggies and Razorbacks in the standings. Arkansas has the worst RPI (26, typically well shy of the range required to host as an SEC team), but is likely to have piled up 20 SEC wins by the end of the conference tournament. At least one, and probably two, of those teams will end up as top-eight seeds, but it’s anyone’s guess right now who it will be.
Those watching the NCAA Tournament bubble will this weekend be fixated on the ACC. Clemson, North Carolina, Pittsburgh and Wake Forest are all on the bubble now and, with a bad weekend, Georgia Tech could find itself uncomfortably close as well. Clemson hosts Boston College and needs a sweep to keep its hopes alive. North Carolina hosts Florida State and Wake Forest visits North Carolina State and a series win for either the Tar Heels or the Demon Deacons might be enough to see them to safety. Pitt hosts Georgia Tech and needs a series win.
The ACC also has a pair of series with hosting implications, as Miami hosts Notre Dame and Virginia travels to Louisville. All four teams are projected hosts now, but with the standings as tight as they are, nothing can be taken for granted. Virginia Tech’s series against Duke has regional implications, though the Hokies are playing for the ACC title and the Blue Devils are fighting for the last spot in the ACC Tournament.
Baseball America will continue to update the projected field weekly throughout the spring.
]]>After brutal offense all year long, the Astros have caught fire. There are questions without answers, but this team is hitting lights out right now. The Astros finished off the Athletics in four games with 33 runs in four games and before that, the Astros slid past the Minnesota Twins in the Wild Card Series with seven runs in two games.
The Rays were able to save Blake Snell in their game five against the Yankees and he’ll absolutely get the first start on Sunday against the Astros. The Rays have three aces that can be called upon and relied on Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Charlie Morton and a bullpen that can throw heat. This bullpen has swagger that’s unmatched.
But it’s not just the pitching that got the Rays in this position. The Rays do all of the little things right. Whether that’s hitting with runners in scoring position or fielding bad throws around the diamond on the hop and getting outs, like Ji-Man Choi did plenty of in the fifth game of the ALDS.
The little things matter, especially in tight games. That’s why, even though the Rays don’t have that crazy star power in their lineup, they’re still able to win ball games. The Rays have been fantastic in tight games and that’s why they’re the first seed and will have “home field advantage” in this series, meaning they’ll be the home team in more games than the Astros in this series.
If you like offense, this is the series for you. The Los Angeles Dodgers boast a deep and powerful lineup that led baseball in runs scored, while the Atlanta Braves scored just one fewer time than L.A. this season.
There are few teams in baseball that match the Dodgers group highlighted by Mookie Betts and Cody Bellinger in terms of offensive star power, but Atlanta's combination of Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuna Jr. sure can.
Both of these teams got timely hits, but the Dodgers look to have the inside track with a strong pitching staff that can shut any team down. The Braves starters will have to keep the team in the game going up against a very strong Dodger lineup that works the count and makes it really tough on pitchers to get outs.
If the Braves bats can get hot and feed off one another so they’ll need to take advantage of situations with runners in scoring position and 2 out hitting. The key is scoring in those situations as you won’t see many. Should be a great series.
]]>Major League Baseball announced its schedule for the 2020 Postseason, highlighted by the first neutral-site Fall Classic in modern history.
Not only will the Division Series, League Championship Series and World Series all be played at neutral-site locations, but the schedule for these series has been altered in terms of off-days, meaning teams will have plenty of decisions to make when it comes to pitching.
The best-of-three Wild Card Series, best-of-five Division Series and best-of-seven League Championship Series will each take place without any off-days in between games. Teams will have to decide whether to use the traditional five-man rotation, or utilize four starting pitchers, with the potential for as many as three of them pitching on short rest.
Each series will be preceded by at least one off-day, though more are possible depending on when other series are completed.
The 116th World Series is slated to start with Game 1 on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at Globe Life Field in Arlington. A potential Game 7 is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 28.
The postseason is scheduled to commence with the top four seeds in each league hosting a best-of-three Wild Card Series, which are presented by Hankook, in their regular-season home ballparks.
The inaugural Wild Card Series are set to begin in the American League on Tuesday, Sept. 29, and in the National League on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
Beginning with the Division Series, all teams will shift to neutral-site locations in Southern California and Texas for the duration of the Postseason due to health, safety and competitive considerations.
All games in the AL Division Series, which are presented by Utz, will be played in San Diego and Los Angeles, while the NL Division Series, which are presented by Doosan, will take place in Arlington and Houston.
In the AL, the winner of the 1 vs. 8 matchup will face the 4 vs. 5 winner at Petco Park in San Diego, while the winners of the 2 vs. 7 and 3 vs. 6 matchups will square off at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
Both best-of-five ALDS will be scheduled for Monday, Oct. 5 through Friday, Oct. 9.
In the NL, Arlington’s Globe Life Field will host the Division Series featuring the winners of the 1 vs. 8 and 4 vs. 5 NL Wild Card Series, while the winners of the 2 vs. 7 and 3 vs. 6 series will play their NLDS at Houston’s Minute Maid Park.
Both best-of-five NLDS will be scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 6 through Saturday, Oct. 10.
San Diego will then host the AL Championship Series, which is presented by GEICO and will air exclusively on TBS, beginning Sunday, Oct. 11. A potential Game 7 would take place on Saturday, Oct. 17.
The NL Championship Series, which is presented by Camping World, will begin in Arlington on Monday, Oct. 12, with a potential Game 7 taking place on Sunday, Oct. 18. The NLCS will air exclusively on FOX or FS1.
]]>“After a thorough review of our organization’s strategic initiatives as well as the ongoing uncertainty of how the Coronavirus pandemic will continue to impact the Little League program, the Little League International Board of Directors felt this was the best decision for the success of our organization and for the overall experience of each of our 6,500 local leagues,” said Hugh. E. Tanner, Little League International Board of Directors Chairman. “We look forward to the continued efforts to make the experience at all our regional and World Series tournaments exciting and memorable. The expansion of our Little League Baseball and Little League Softball World Series is one of the centerpieces of our strategic plan, and, while we’re sad to delay these plans, we are excited to welcome more communities to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and Greenville, North Carolina, in 2022.”
As many local Little League programs work on returning to play following the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, the decision allows for both Little League International and its 6,500 local leagues to take the time to strategically evaluate their needs for a successful 2021 season. Little League International will continue to focus on providing the resources and guidance for families and volunteers, to help navigate local Little League seasons throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, as well as plan for the Little League International Tournament, where so many Little Leaguers dream of playing in a regional or World Series tournament.
“Over the next year and a half, we are dedicated to providing the best guidance available, as we strategically evaluate and plan for all possible scenarios in 2021 and look forward to continuing our efforts to prepare for expansion and provide the once-in-a-lifetime experience to more children in 2022,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “With the celebration of the 75th Little League Baseball World Series now pushed back until 2022 due to the Coronavirus pandemic, it is only fitting that the decision to expand remains in coordination with that event, as we get ready to celebrate the next chapter of this iconic event.”
Originally announced in August 2019, the decision was made to expand the number of teams at the Little League Baseball World Series from 16 to 20 and Little League Softball World Series from 10 to 12 with the goal of providing more children with the opportunity to experience the benefits of the World Series, both on and off the field, as well as the overall journey through the Little League International Tournament.
Based on the postponement of the expansion, Little League International will continue to evaluate the timeline of its facility enhancements that are connected to the expansion in Williamsport. More information regarding the expansion, as it becomes available, will be communicated directly to local league officials and can be found on LittleLeague.org.
]]>Brought together from celebrities and notable alumni from every aspect of the industry, the #LLPepTalk series is providing Little Leaguers® all around the world with a sense of positivity and hope as communities work together to stop the spread and return to the ballfields. Here are some of the great #LLPepTalk videos that have already been featured:
“These are unprecedented times we are all facing due to the Coronavirus, but we want to make sure that all of our Little Leaguers, parents, and volunteers are staying positive and hopeful as we work to get back to normalcy,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “We hope these pep talks will help keep everyone focused on the bigger picture and unite us all together as we battle this global pandemic and keep the Little League experience alive at home.”
Fans, celebrities, parents, players, and volunteers are all encouraged to share their own #LLPepTalk on social media by tagging @LittleLeague on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and by using #LLPepTalk to engage in the conversation.
To check out some of the top #LLPepTalks from around the world, visit LittleLeague.org/LLPepTalk.
]]>From Hall of Famers to Home Run Derby champions, hundreds of Little League grads have had great success in the Major Leagues and more than 50 of them even had the chance to play in the Little League Baseball World Series growing up. This year’s postseason features five current major leaguers who also got the chance to be a part of the Little League Baseball World Series growing up as well as three who played in the Senior League Baseball World Series.
With the MLB Postseason now upon us, it’s time to look at the confirmed Little League graduates who are on each team’s 40-man roster (including those on the injured list) heading into the playoffs this October.
Chung Nam (B) Little League went undefeated in the Asia-Pacific region tournament, outscoring their opponents 78-8 over the course of seven games. Chung Nam (B) LL will be the seventh team from South Korea to be heading to Williamsport, five of which came in the last six years. Last year’s team from South Korea finished as the runner-upin the Championship Game against Honolulu (Hawaii) Little League.
South Korea will begin their journey in the 2019 Little League Baseball World Seriesagainst the Latin America Region Champions on Thursday, August 15, at 5 p.m. in Volunteer Stadium. Spanning the course of 10 days, 32 games will be played in the 2019 Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, culminating in the Championship Game, which is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday, August 25. For more information on the 2019 Little League Baseball World Series, visit LittleLeague.org/WorldSeries.
]]>Southeast collected ten hits and Southwest had nine in the high-scoring affair.
Southwest fired up the offense in the second inning. An error scored one run for Southwest.
After Southwest scored two runs in the top of the fifth, Southeast answered with two of their own. Southwest scored when Ryan Selvaggi homered on a 2-2 count, scoring two runs. Southeast then answered when Connor Riggs-Soper singled on a 1-0 count, scoring one run and Wills Maginnis singled on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring one run.
Southeast scored three runs in the sixth inning. Tai Peete and Jansen Kenty all drove in runs in the frame.
Ben earned the win for Southeast. He lasted three and a third innings, allowing three hits and two runs while striking out six and walking one.
Richie Klosek took the loss for Southwest. He went one and two-thirds innings, allowing two runs on one hit, striking out two and walking one.
Connor started the game for Southeast. He allowed six hits and four runs over five and two-thirds innings, striking out seven and walking zero Kaleb Rook started the game for Southwest. He allowed six hits and two runs over five innings, striking out five and walking one.
Southeast hit one home run on the day. Jansen had a four bagger in the sixth inning.
Southeast tallied ten hits on the day. Tai, Jack Ryan, and Jansen all managed multiple hits for Southeast. Jansen, Jack, and Tai each collected two hits to lead Southeast.
Southwest racked up nine hits in the game. Ryan and Matthew Hedrick all had multiple hits for Southwest. Ryan led Southwest with four hits in four at bats.
]]>“Williamsport has always been a big part of our lives,” said Mr. Wilson. “Even in major league clubhouses, we watched the Little League World Series and it’s so much fun, so thank you for allowing me to be here and represent the New York Mets and enjoy this opportunity.”
Mr. Wilson and Mr. Matthews participated in the event’s festivities to celebrate the MLB Little League Classic, which will take place on Sunday, August 19. Major Leaguers on the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets will open the day at the Little League International Complex where they will interact with members from each of the 16 LLBWS teams and attend some of the day’s games before going across town to Historic Bowman Field to participate in the MLB Little League Classic, airing nationally that evening on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” and ESPN Radio at 7:00 p.m. (ET).
“To be in the Little League World Series is quite an accomplishment,” said Mr. Matthews. “That’s where the dreams start, and a lot of those players go on to finish them in the major leagues. On behalf of the Philadelphia Phillies organization, thank you for letting me be a part of this day.”
This year’s LLBWS will once again feature the Little League Baseball World Series Challenger Exhibition Game, as teams from Hazleton (Pa.) Little League and Highland Baseball Club (Evansville, Ind.) Little League will take the field. At the luncheon, David Drauschak and Lexi Mamourian, members of the Hazleton LL team, along with their League President, Ed Shoepe, and District Administrator, Jim Burns, assisted Mr. Wilson and Mr. Matthews with the first-round drawings. The 2018 Exhibition Game will take place on Saturday, Aug. 25 at 10:30 a.m. at Volunteer Stadium, and air live on Northeastern Pennsylvania’s and the Central Susquehanna Valley’s PBS Station, WVIA.
The 2018 LLBWS Luncheon also included the Team Hosts drawing for their Regional Champions for the year.
]]>In 1974, the Little League® Federal Charter was amended; allowing girls to play Little League Baseball® and the Little League Softball® program was created. That same year, tennis legend Billie Jean King established the Women’s Sport Foundation. In 1987, the foundation launched National Girls and Women in Sports Day, to celebrate the accomplishments of all female athletes, including the millions of women from around the world who are Little League graduates.
Of those millions, there are only 18 that have played in the Little League Baseball World Series. In 2014, as Little League celebrated its 75th Anniversary and the 40th Anniversary of girls in Little League, two girls helped celebrate those milestones, helping their teams advance to the 68th Little League Baseball World Series.
Mo’ne Davis on the Mid-Atlantic Region team and Emma March on the Canada Region team, were the 17th and 18th girls to play in the series.
Ms. Davis made headlines around the world. Her performance on the mound for the Taney Youth Baseball Association Little League from Philadelphia helped the Mid-Atlantic Region Champions advance deep in the tournament. For the entire series, she threw 14 strikeouts and only allowed three earned runs in 8 1/3 innings pitched. Since competing with her team at the Little League Baseball World Series, she has returned back to Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, where she is on the honor roll and, as an eighth-grader, she’s playing varsity girls basketball.
Ms. March also had a solid Little League Baseball World Series performance for the South Vancouver Little League team from British Columbia. Pitching and playing first base, she registered a fielding percentage of .917, with 11 putouts. Now in seventh grade Corpus Christi Elementary in Vancouver, the straight-A student is playing volleyball, soccer, and softball, with baseball and potentially football on the horizon.
“I believe every girl should have the opportunity to play sports and enjoy it,” said Ms. March. “Sports are not something you should be afraid of. It should be something that excites you. You should never be afraid to fail, nor should you care what the boys think.”
]]>The field of 16 at the Little League® Baseball World Series is down to its final four teams, with the one-game playoffs for the United States and International Championships set to decide the two teams that will meet for the 2017 LLBWS World Championship.
On Saturday, Aug. 26, at Howard J. Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport, Pa., ABC television will showcase the two best teams from the International bracket with the Japan Region Champions, Tokyo Kitasuna Little League, playing Mexico Regional Champions, Guadalupe Trevino Kelly Little League, beginning around 12:30 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time.
Later in the afternoon, the top two Little League teams from the United States bracket - Southeast Region Champions, Greenville, North Carolina’s North State Little League and Southwest Regional Champions, Lufkin Little League of Texas - will meet, with the first pitch scheduled for approximately 3:30 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time.
The winners of each game will advance to the World Championship game on Sunday at 3 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time, with a chance to achieve Little League immortality.
“It is an honor to enshrine Angel into the Little League Hall of Excellence this year as we celebrate the 60th anniversary of his historic game here in Williamsport,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “Angel’s dedication to the growth and support of baseball throughout Mexico has been truly inspiring, and believe that the foundation that he has created across the country will help the game continue to grow.”
In 1957, Angel Macias and his Monterrey Industrial (Mexico) Little League team made an improbable run to Williamsport, becoming the first ever international team to claim the title of Little League Baseball World Series Champions. Back then, Mexico did not have direct entry into the Little League Baseball World Series, so the team had to play through the Texas state championship followed by the Southern Regional Championship.
What started with expectations of only playing one game in McAllen, Texas, turned into 12-straight wins for Monterrey Industrial LL entering the championship game in Williamsport. At the time, the tournament format eliminated a team with one loss at any time from the district-level tournament all the way to the World Series.
]]>Hills Little League got out to an early start in the tournament, opening the event with an 11-0 victory over Central and a 20-1 win over Ryde Little League in its first two games. The Championship game against Swan Hills was no easy feat, however, as Swan Hills Little League pitcher, Elijah Hewett, was able to strike out seven-consecutive batters early on in the game. Fortunately for Hills Little League, starting pitcher Stephen Courtney was able to match the performance, striking out nine batters in four hitless innings while picking up four RBI and a home run to help lead the team to victory.
Throughout the entire tournament, Hills Little League performed well at the plate, outscoring its opponents, 67-17. With the victory, Hills Little League becomes the first Australian chartered league to attend the Little League Baseball World Series in back-to-back years. This year’s Hills Little League team features three players who will return to Williamsport from last year’s squad: Stephen Courtney, Ethan Treble, and Harrison Wheeldon.
]]>The Classic (July 7-10) features 12U baseball and softball teams from Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas.
For the second consecutive year, an all-girls baseball team, the Stamford Sluggers from Stamford, Conn., will compete against the boys. Another notable team is Mattingly Charities RBI from Evansville, Ind., which was founded by Miami Marlins Manager and former six-time All-Star first baseman Don Mattingly, who was born and raised in Evansville.
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