South Richmond’s second consecutive run to the American Legion Mid-Atlantic baseball tournament was driven by a number of star players, who will go on to play at major colleges and perhaps professionally. It was also made possible by players like Greg Moon, who clung to the dream of playing college ball, even as the odds of that happening began to shrink.

Traditionally, the host team in a baseball tournament is the easiest to defeat—it doesn’t have to qualify, instead getting an automatic berth. But if South Richmond’s players start to feel that way about their game tonight in Morgantown, W.Va., coach Byron Ballard will be happy to set them straight. “Sometimes folks think the host team, that oh, you don’t have to worry too much about those guys,“ he said. “But they played us tough last year in Colonial Heights.“

The American Legion baseball season in metro Richmond came to a close this week with the completion of the state tournament at Henrico’s RF&P Park in Glen Allen. The posts in District 11 sponsor the program and, in doing so, offer an outstanding environment for some of our youthful athletes to perform and refine their talents. The league was composed of 12 teams this summer, drawing from the more accomplished high school players in the area who range in age from 16-18.

TUESDAY’S GAMES
  Norfolk 2, Front Royal 0
  South Richmond 11,
  Gloucester 0
  Albemarle 15, New River 6
  Arlington vs. Glen Allen, ppd.
  YESTERDAY’S GAMES
  Arlington 6, Glen Allen 0
  Front Royal 13, Gloucester 6
  New River 15, Glen Allen 0
  South Richmond 12, Norfolk 2
  Albemarle vs. Arlington

Baseball lovers can get their fill this week at RF&P Park in Glen Allen as it hosts the American Legion state championship, featuring 13 hours of baseball for the next three days before Friday’s championship. The state’s best teams will try to take down the defending champion, Post 137 South Richmond, which will open its defense today at 1 p.m. against Post 75 Gloucester.

Last night’s American Legion all-star game began with North coach John Boyer urging his team to run out every ball, swing with enthusiasm and play the game with passion. “Body language speaks,“ he said, and there was a cluster of college scouts watching every move. That advice was ultimately unnecessary, as the players did sprint off the field every chance they had—doing so to avoid a rain that grew steadily harder.