Have you ever had that feeling like you are on top of the world? Well, the Tallahassee Babe Ruth team has. Winning the Babe Ruth World Series, located in Hot Springs, Ark., represents a significant achievement in youth baseball. Held at Majestic Park, this baseball tournament gathers the top teams from across the country and around the world. Winning this tournament not only shows excellence on the field but also puts a spotlight on the team’s city. 

     For the team to qualify for the World Series, they had to win their region. When they were there, the team’s hard work and confidence played a big role in their victories through regionals, which “got us a ticket to state” and eventually to the World Series, freshman Fisher Stewart said.

      During this week-long tournament, the Tallahassee team played a total of seven teams. Some came from the United States, while other teams came from Nigeria and Mexico in the championship game. In their games leading up to the championship, Tallahassee was allowed a total of seven runs, and six of them were earned runs. 

     “[That showed how] dominant our pitching was, because we held a lot of teams when it came to scoring, which made it easy for our offense to go out there and put up runs and win games,” sophomore Bryce Ravenel said. 

     That statement was backed up by their performance in the tournament. The team outscored their opponents 57-7 during the whole week.

     There was plenty of downtime during the trip, whether on the 12-hour drive to Arkansas or in the hotel before games.

     “The first day, we just got to be boys and hang out around the hotel, but once we got on the field, it was go time,” Ravenel said.

     The balance of knowing when to relax and when to lock in was critical on such a big scale. The players understood they were there to accomplish something significant, and that required focus.

     Ravenel noted the difference from playing on their Babe Ruth teams, saying the biggest change was that “there is a higher standard and way more discipline,” something they recognized as essential to winning a world championship.

     Team chemistry and a positive attitude were also key factors. Players relied on each other not only during games but also throughout the long trip, finding ways to keep spirits high and stay connected. That sense of unity carried onto the field, where trust and encouragement helped them perform under pressure. The bond among teammates became just as important as skill and strategy in their run to the championship.

     “We were just out there having fun,” freshman Riley Watson said.