The 13u Babe Ruth Baseball teams success this summer is a continuing success that the so called feeder programs feeding to our high schools. Since about 1990 the Rocky Mount Recreation teams have won many Tar Heel little league state titles in the age groups from 9-12 years old.
During the late 90's Babe Ruth baseball took hold in Nash County and more and more success took place and now13u, 14u and 15u teams were winning state titles and that led to finally winning Southeast regional titles. Three straight years Regionals were won leading to sending teams to the Babe Ruth World Series.
Two of those years didn't have to travel far as Fleming Stadium in Wilson hosted the World Series. One year it hosted 14u and the next the 13u. The next year of 2005 13 year old of 2004 returned as state champions of 14u won the Southeast Regional in Greenville Tennessee and headed to Quincy Ma near Boston where they would finish second for the second year in a row.
Those three years of World Series benefitted both Rocky Mount and Northern Nash highs more than any others schools. 2007 Northern Nash played in the eastern Regional and in 2008 Rocky Mount won the state baseball title.
During the summer Post 58 American Legion team used the combined players mostly Northern and Rocky Mount sprinkled in a few other schools bests players and Post 58 makes it to the state tournament in both 2009 and 2010. Post 58 won the state title in 1973. Those days the tournament was where each step of the state tournament was won by winning series like a three out of five series
Until there are only two teams left and Post 58 was the last team standing.
Recent years the Legion went to an eight team format double elimination tournament and 2009 was the first time Rocky Mount had made the eight team tournament in Greenville. The next year in Asheboro the team the last of a Babe Ruth World Series players sent Post 58 back for a second straight year.
The last five years both little league and Babe Ruth have has success on the state level. The biggest difference more schools have divided up the players. This year's Babe Ruth team has seven different schools represented. That averages to about two players per high school which is not enough really good players to make any of our high schools any preseason favorite to go far in state high school playoffs.
Great teams have solid pitching four and five deep. The batting lineup has at least five solid hitters and the bottom of the order gets on base. We are in a period right now that our local high schools don't have enough of the ingredients to win state championships. As long as the feeders keep winning there is hope for the future.
Sunday, August 9, 2015
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