ROCKLEDGE PUNCHES WORLD SERIES TICKET
By Ed Pierce // August 8, 2012
Headed To Michigan
BREVARD COUNTY • PALM BAY, FLORIDA – When the chips were down, Rockledge’s bats came alive and powered the unbeaten All-Star squad to the Junior League Baseball World Series in Michigan.
Facing the Tennessee state champion Greeneville in the Southeastern Regional championship game in South Carolina Tuesday night, the matchup was tough right from the start for Rockledge.
Greeneville scored three first-inning runs off Rockledge’s Mason Studsill, but reliever Drew Parrish took the mound with one out in the second inning and held the opposition bats silent for the next seven innings, striking out 10 batters in the process.
“He shut the door,” Rockledge assistant coach Mike Spinneweber said.
Trailing 3-1, Rockledge tied the game in the seventh inning on Kevin Clanton’s two-run single and then went on to push across three runs in the eighth inning to win the regional title 6-3. Clanton ended up with three RBIs in the championship game.
“We did it,” Spinneweber said.
With the win, Rockledge qualified for a berth in the Junior League Baseball World Series in Taylor, Mich.
Playing for Rockledge are Drew Parrish; Kevin Clanton; Mason Studstill; Mike Hall; Gavin Spinneweber; Trevor Payne; Kasim Nabhan; Blake Beyel; Justin Robedeau; Brady Martello; and Jackson Parker.
The team’s manager is David Clanton. Team coaches are Robbie Robedeau, Tom Hall, Shane Parker and Dino Martello
After returning home today, the Rockledge All-Stars will depart for Michigan on Friday.
Rockledge will meet the Southwestern Regional champion Oil Belt Little League of Corpus Christi, Texas at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday in its first World Series pool game.
That will be followed by pool games on Monday, Tuesday and Aug. 16 against the regional champions of the Central U.S., Western U.S. and Eastern U.S.
The top two American teams emerging from pool play will meet for the United States championship at 8 p.m. Aug. 17.
The Junior League Baseball World Series championship game between the United States champion and the international champion will be played at 11 a.m. Aug. 18. That game will be televised live on ESPN2.
This marks the first time Brevard County will have two teams competing for Little League World Series titles at the same time.
The South Beaches Little League All-Stars captured the Southeastern Senior Baseball Regional title Tuesday and will compete in the Senior League Baseball World Series starting Sunday in Bangor, Maine.
