Justin Shifflett thought his all star team's season was over after a third-place finish in the state tournament. Then, the following Monday, June 29, the coach got a phone call telling him that the second-place team couldn't attend the regional tournament in Florida due to lack of participants. Officials asked Shifflett if his team would like to be the second representative from Virginia.
Shifflett had to make some quick phone calls to all of the families to see if they could go. All 12 said they could.
"It was a whirlwind," Shifflett said. "I'm still trying to figure it out. It was wild, but it's been an incredible experience."
The Northeast Augusta Rookie League Machine Pitch team will begin play in the Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken Southeast Region in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, Wednesday, July 8. The NEA teams will play Okeeheelee, Florida, at 2 p.m. to open pool play in the eight-team tournament. Pool play runs through Friday, July 10. The top four teams advance to a single-elimination tournament beginning Saturday, July 11.
"They've battled through adversity and anything you can imagine," Shifflett said. "Being the underdogs, playing on fields they've never played on, rain delays, sitting in hot sun. They never gave up. They battled through every single game. It's a phenomenal group of kids."