Homewood 12U All-Stars Advance to Cal Ripken World Series

The Homewood 12U All-Stars are on to the next big challenge, after a big win last weekend.

Ripken Baseball, the host organization of the 15th annual Cal Ripken World Series (CRWS), announced the team will represent the Ohio Valley Region in the 2014 Cal Ripken World Series. For the 12th year, Ripken Baseball will host the Babe Ruth League’s premier event, featuring elite 11 and 12 year-old youth baseball players from around the world at the Ripken Experience powered by Under Armour complex in Aberdeen, Maryland.

“Congratulations to the Homewood Baseball 12u from Illinois for qualifying for the 15th annual tournament,” said Baseball Hall of Famer and Ripken Baseball founder, Cal Ripken, Jr. “Each year, this event showcases the next generation of baseball with the best 12u baseball players on the planet. We look forward to hosting Homewood in Aberdeen and creating an experience that they will remember for a lifetime.”

The Cal Ripken World Series is where the world comes to play, the Ripken Way, and is the culminating tournament of the Babe Ruth League’s 12u Cal Ripken Division. The World Series unites the 10 best teams from across the United States and 8 international teams, including newly added competition from New Zealand and Puerto Rico. Team Japan will return as the three-time defending CRWS Champions.

Opening ceremonies will begin on Friday, August 8, followed by the first game of the tournament as host team Harford County takes on Middle Atlantic at 8 p.m. EST. Games will be played on the innovative fields at the Ripken Experience Aberdeen powered by Under Armour complex, including the one-of-a-kind Cal Sr.’s Yard, a two-thirds replica of Camden Yards. Pool play competition will take place from August 9–13 with up to eight games played each day, beginning at 10 a.m. EST. On Thursday, August 14, the tournament will see four games of single elimination competition beginning at 12:30 p.m. ESTdetermining the participants of the International Championship and U.S. Championship games.

On August 15 and 16, the International Championship, U.S. Championship and World Championship games for the 2014 tournament will be broadcast Live on CBS Sports Network and CBSSports.com. Additionally, all tournament games will air on Internet radio station SFMsports.net and simulcast through live web cameras via WatchMeSports.com for the fourth year in a row.

For complete information on the tournament, visit www.ripkenbaseball.com/world_series. For game updates and behind the scenes with Team Ohio Valley, follow @CRWS_OhValley on Twitter.