The Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth league in Vero Beach completed its second season in 2015. League President Scott Sanders said that registration increased by 10 percent and that several changes were made this season with great success.
The league switched from pitchers being allowed a certain number of innings before pitching again to a pitch count. Pitchers who were ages 8 and 9 were limited to up to 50 pitches. Age 10 pitchers got up to 65 pitches and 11- and 12-year-old players could throw up to 75 pitches. This allowed for a more accurate measure of work for the pitchers with a sharper eye toward player health and safety.
The league also included all teams and coaches in selecting All Star teams at the three levels. The teams will soon start All Star play in Palm Beach Gardens and Okeeheelee. Any teams reaching Regionals and States will play in the Orlando and Ocala areas.
Scott said a special thanks also goes out to the The Fellsmere YMCA for helping field and transport a team. Lastly Scott said very much appreciated the dedication and efforts of fellow board members Vincent Celano, Nancy Nichols, Joe Fontana and Lisa Segroves.
To end the regular season the Angels Minor team (9 and 10-year-olds) from the Indian River County Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth Baseball league defeated the Rays Minor team to win the Minors Championship.
The Angles won the first game in the playoff finals 9 to 2 and the second game 6 to 5 to become the Minor League Champions in 2015.
In game one the Angles got the early lead, and the game stayed close, with the Angels pulling away only in the late innings. James Hassell was the winning pitcher while also adding five RBIs. Hayden Gibbons had two RBIs and Taggert Cameron and Paul Paris added one each. For the Rays, Violet Mendez was the starting pitcher and drove in one run while JB Brister also had an RBI.
In game two the Angels got solid pitching from Dylan Redmon with a save from Ty Romans. Dylan and Trace Cameron each drove in two runs with Jesse Lewis and James Hassell each adding and RBI. The Rays got two RBIs from Braden Rapp and one each from Dylan Snowhill, Violet Mendez, and Logan Roth.
Other players making important contributions were Jacob Jenkins, Andrew Prouty, Landon Rapp, Christian Marques, James Diskin and Matthew Clifford for the Rays and Jace Romans, Jackson Rahal, Austin Samberg and Max Pease for the Angels.
Scott wanted to congratulate coaches Sean Cameron, Billy Romans and Jason Redmon of the Angels for their success as well as Mike Snowhill, Roger Jenkins and Todd Rapp of the Rays. Scott said that all Vero Ripken/Babe Ruth players, coaches, parents, friends and our sponsors made 2015 a great year.
The league wishes the coaches and players great success at All Stars.
