Play Ball! NABF World Series begins today

Chris Humphreys
Published: July 23, 2008

Seven local squads are taking part in the National Amateur Baseball Federation 17-under World Series, which gets under way today with games being played at nine sites in and around Lynchburg.
The 33-team field is divided into eight four-team pools and each team will play three games on Thursday and Friday morning as part of a round-robin that will have the top two teams from each pool advancing to Friday night’s second round.
The second and subsequent rounds will be single elimination until two teams reach Sunday’s championship game (2 p.m. at City Stadium).
Second-round losers will be placed in a consolation bracket that will end with two teams playing essentially for third and fourth place on Sunday at 11 a.m. at City Stadium.
The early favorite appears to be the East Cobb (Ga.) Dynasty. The Dynasty reached the consolation game of the World Wood Bat Association & Baseball Championship Series earlier this month.
Other teams to keep an eye on is the Long Island (N.Y.) Titans Blue team that participated in a large showcase tournament earlier this year, Long Island Junior Ducks, who placed fourth in last year’s NABF World Series in Greensboro, N.C., the Crystal Lake (Ill.) Cardinals, the Stembridge (Md.) River Bats, the Satchell Paige (Ill.) All-Stars and the Ontario (Canada) Blue Jays.
The FC Panthers (from Franklin County) won the Southside District with a 12-0 record and North Roanoke won the New River District with a 10-0 record. Rustburg won the Commonwealth District with a 10-0 record.
The local teams will have their work cut out for them. The seven local teams are primarily drawing players from one high school, while the teams traveling to the area may be drawing from several high schools.
“It’s a once in a lifetime experience,” Rustburg coach Bill Booker said.
“We don’t really know what to expect from the other teams so it’s important we stay focused because we are going to try to win it.”
The biggest challenge for the local teams will be coming up with enough pitching depth.
“Just trying to get through the first three games of the round will most likely take all the local team’s pitching,” Bedford coach Stewart Grant said.
“Some of the elite teams know they will make it through the first round and will hold their (best) pitchers for the second round.”
Said Heritage coach Jeff Pultz: “It’s great experience for the kids. They get to play kids from different states and see how they stack up.”
Another thing the local teams will have deal with is playing on a larger stage.
“The atmosphere at the games is going to be different,” Brookville coach Chris Glaize said. “There will be a lot of stuff going on.
“As a team, we don’t have the big expectations, but we want to be competitive.”
Added Booker: “I really hope the City of Lynchburg will come out and show its support. This is a chance for us to show baseball is important in this area.”
Admission is $4 for all games played at each of the nine venues each day — spectators must pay at each new field they enter.
There is no admission for fans ages 15 and under.