Despite having their summer come to a close earlier than they had hoped, the Troy 8U tournament team enjoyed a fun trip to Ruston, Louisiana for the World Series.

After Troy fell 11-7 in their tournament opener on Saturday, Troy fell to South Carolina 8-4 and beat Florida 11-1.  In their final game of the tournament, Troy fell to Ruston 8-7, who scored four runs in the seventh and final inning of the game.

“Even though we lost three out of the four games we played in, they were all tight ball games,” said head coach Will Sanders. “A few errors were the difference in the games. They kept their spirits high in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Before the games began on Saturday, Troy along with the other teams were treated to the tournament’s opening ceremonies that featured a skills competition, a pin swap and a ball drop.

Troy finished the around the horn competition in second place, coming up short for the top spot just four-hundredths of a second behind.

“They had a really good time,” Sanders said. “The opening ceremonies were amazing. They had a big screen set up and a big stage. They had a big ball drop and the pen exchange when we got to meet all the players was a lot of fun.”

For most of the Troy team, this weekend’s trip marked the first time they competed in a World Series. Sanders believes it will help each player moving forward. But in the meantime, each player is proud of their accomplishment.

“They are all really proud,” Sanders said. “Even though we didn’t win a World Series they are happy. They are excited that they won state and did as well as they did. When you’re playing competition that strong, everything matters.”

Despite all the success this summer, Sanders and the Troy coaches remember most about all the fun the players had and the help from so many people.

“The smiles on the kids’ faces,” Sanders said. “It’s not the wins or the losses you remember. It’s the fun you had with the kids, the connections you build with the families. Those smiling faces, that’s what it’s all about.

“The city, Dan Smith and David Dickey did a phenomenal job every step of the way. If we had any questions or if we needed anything they were right there. They made it easy for us coaches.”