Rockledge Confident About Junior Baseball Regional
By Ed Pierce // August 2, 2012
First Games Friday Morning
BREVARD COUNTY • ROCKLEDGE, FLORIDA – The road ahead is steep, but with a supportive community behind them, the Rockledge All-Stars are ready to rock the Southeastern Junior Baseball Regional Tournament starting Friday in Greeneville, S.C.
Rockledge knocked off East Bay 6-4 Tuesday to claim the Florida championship and a berth inn the regional tournament in South Carolina.
This is a deep and veteran team, with many of the players have previous state tournament experience in the 9/10 baseball, 10/11 baseball and Majors baseball levels.
Rockledge’s Majors baseball division All-Stars won the state championship in 2009 and came with two games of advancing to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. That same year, Rockledge 9/10 baseball and Juniors baseball All-Stars finished as state runners-up.
Rockledge’s roster includes 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.
Vestavia Hills Little League, the state champion of Alabama, will be Rockledge’s first opponent at 9 a.m. Friday in an opening round pool play game.
Also competing in Rockledge’s pool in the regional tourney are Southwest Forsyth of North Carolina and East Marietta of Georgia.
The top two teams in the pool qualify for the regional semifinals Monday.
The Southeastern Regional Championship Game will be played at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Greeneville.
If Rockledge win the Southestern Regional title, they will clinch a berth in the Little League Juniors Baseball World Series in Taylor, Mich. opening Aug. 12.
Rockledge knocked off Viera/Suntree 8-7 in 10 innings Sunday to reach the Florida title game against East Bay.
The South Beaches All-Stars will compete at the host team this weekend in the Southeastern Regional Senior Baseball Tournament at Viera Regional Park.
South Beaches will meet Myrtle Grove, N.C. at 1:30 p.m. Friday in an opening round pool play game.
If South Beaches finishes first or second in its pool, it advances to Monday’s semifinals. The regional championship game will be played Tuesday morning with the winner advancing to the Senior Baseball World Series in Bangor, Maine.