By T. Scott Boatright
Let’s Play Ball, Ruston!
Dixie Youth Baseball World Series action returns to the Ruston Sports Complex this weekend with three local teams joining the field of eight in each category as host teams.
The Dixie Division I “O”Zone 12u World Series, the Division 12u Majors World Series and the Division I AAA (10u) World Series will all begin play today followed by opening ceremonies at J.C. Love Field at 7:30 tonight.
Ruston’s 10u All-Stars open play at 2 p.m. Friday on Field 3 against Pike, Mississippi.
“We played in a couple of tournaments, some scrimmage games and a lot of practice, ” said Ruston AAA head coach Cody Channell. “We played in a couple of tournaments just trying to get some games in. We finished second in one and I guess tied for first in the other, because the championship game wasn’t played because of rain.”
Much of the team played last year in the Dixie World Series in Monroe.
“We’ve got 10 out of 12 kids back from last year,” Channell said.
“They’re going to in their own beds at night, they’re comfortable with the field because it’s the one they play on — we’re hoping that will be an advantage,” Channell said. “They have World Series experience.
“We should have a lot of support, so playing here in Ruston, I think is going to be a great thing for them and at least someone of an advantage. At least I hope so.”
Team members of Ruston’s AAA All-Stars are Truman “Levi” McCulloch, Henry Pullin, Charlie Williams, Barry “Bear” Brasher, Lane Channell, Lucas Shaw. Cooper Stoehr, Abram Riser, Tucker Underwood. Jameson Sutton and Brantlee Doolittle. Joining Cody Channell as coaches are Chris Doolittle and Seth Riser.
Ruston’s 12u Majors All-Stars will begin play at 12 p.m. Friday on Field 5 against Moncks, South Carolina.
Coached by Patrick Ramsey, Ryan Kilpatrick and Jordan Taylor, The Ruston 12U Majors All-Stars include Jacoby Smith, Barnes Causey, Brycen Bennett, Ryder Walpole, Grey Ramsey, Henry Walpole, Grant Alexander, Joseph Davison, Rhodes Kilpatrick, John Cole Parker, Kingston Culpepper and Eli Wilson.
“This age group has won the state tournament every year since they were playing when they were 6 years old other than the COVID year,” Kilpatrick said of this season’s Ruston 12u Majors All-Stars. “So they’ve had a lot of success in baseball and they’ve worked hard throughout that time.
“We’ve watched them grow together. We’ve watched them become better players, but also better kids as they continue growing up. It’s just a really good group of kids that have fun but also work hard and want to get better every day.”
Kilpatrick said that past successes have not dampened the team’s excitement heading into this year’s World Series.
“They’re very excited,” Kilpatrick said. “Being the host (team) is different. Whereas normally you play district and you win district – last year they won the northern district then won the state championship.
“It’s been different this year being the host team and getting the automatic bid, but being able to represent their community — they’re very excited and looking forward to that.”
Kilpatrick said being a host city is how Ruston got two 12u teams into the different divisions of that age bracket for this World Series. Regular season Dixie League play at the Ruston Sports Complex uses ‘O’ Zone rules, but because it is the host season, Ruston is able to field both ‘O’ Zone and Majors 12u teams this season.
“Dixie 12u baseball has two divisions — ‘O’ Zone and Majors,” Kilpatrick said. “‘’O’ Zone is open bases, therefore there are leads taken off base. The pitching mound is 50 feet from the plate, the basepaths are 70 feet and the fence is 250 feet back..
“In the majors, there are closed bases, meaning no taking leads. The rubber is 46 feet from the plate, the basepaths are 60 feet and the fence is 200 feet back, so they have smaller fields. The Majors is the same that everybody sees when they watch the Little League World Series on ESPN.”
Ruston’s 12u All-Stars, coached by Brad Martin along with assistant coaches Cecil Barham and Andy Stinson, will begin play at 10 a.m. Friday on Field 1 against Whiteville, North Carolina.
Martin said after a slow start his team has looked better over the past couple of weeks.
“We kind of built it up a little bit,” Martin said. “The kids have been playing for a long time this summer and I think they were kind of burnt out a little bit the first couple weeks of practice. It took a minute to get them together as a team, because of course they hadn’t all played together as a team. So we struggled at first with that and just trying to figure out who was going to play where and that kind of thing. We played a few tournaments here and there.
“To be honest, we didn’t play all that well, but that helped us know what we needed to practice on heading into the World Series. And it helped. We’ve looked pretty good in practice the past couple of weeks, and I think we’re in a position where we’re going to at least compete. I don’t think we’re going to get blown out of this thing. I think we’re going to go in and compete.”
Martin said four or five of his players competed in the 8u World Series Ruston hosted in 2019.
“I don’t say this in a bad way, but that means none of the players on this team have really had to go compete in District and State to get there,” Martin said. “Once again, they’re a shoo-in because we’re the host team.
“But this is their second chance to compete in the World Series, which is really unique for these kids. And the kinds have come together as a team and I think we’re going to have fun. That’s all we’re really thinking about.”
When Martin’s All-Star team was put together earlier this summer, it consisted of 12 infielders.
“So that took a lot of figuring out — who was going to play where,” Martin said. “But I think they’ve figured out how to play outfield, and in this league outfield is one of the most important positions because the kids in this age group can hit.”
Martin said he has four main pitchers with another three in the bullpen.
“Those three haven’t pitched a lot, but if we should happen to be blowing a team out or getting stomped, and I don’t want to burn another pitcher because of pitch count, any of those three guys can come in and can be effective out there on the mound.
“So we’ll see what happens. Who knows? That’s what makes all of this so much fun.”
The Dixie World Series tournaments will last at least through Tuesday with the possibility of “if necessary” games being played on Wednesday.
