When the weather is nice out, what more could you ask for than baseball? This past weekend the Richmond Flying Squirrels held their annual Flying Squirrels Regional Youth Baseball Tournament at Harry G. Daniel Park, and to no surprise, it was a great turn out.
Many teams from around the area entered this tournament with the mindset of not only winning, but more importantly, having fun. A couple of special guests decided on joining the action, too. Pitcher Jose Casilla, catcher Eliezer Zambrano, and mascot Nutzy came out to enjoy the day, to socialize with the youngsters, and to cheer them on in their games.
The reaction of the youth players, when getting to talk with pro baseball players was priceless. Getting their bats, balls, and gloves signed by the players brought an unforgettable look to their faces.
The Chesterfield Baseball Club (CBC) was represented well in the tournament with four of the teams which included the Bronco All-Stars, Nationals, Reds, and Royals. Although the teams were from the same area, they all came to compete.
While all teams played hard and gave it their all, the Bronco All-Stars came out on top. Led by coach Andy Lingle and assistant coach Brock Butler, the Broncos beat the Richmond Hornets 10-9 in an extraordinary game. Caden King and Andrew Jones came to play as King recorded a two-run home run and Jones added a grand-slam homer.
This team is making an appearance in the PONY World Series in late July, so expect to hear their names once more once the tournament begins.
Although not everyone can win, having fun is essential to playing the sport of baseball. Also, getting to meet a couple of professional baseball players, doesn’ a make for a bad day either.
