The Bahamas Baseball Federation (BBF) congratulates the Freedom Farm Baseball League (FFBL), its executive team, coaching staff, and most importantly, the players for their outstanding performance during the Grand Bahama Port Authority's (GBPA) 10th BBF Andre Rodgers Baseball Championships.
The Farmers captured four of the six age divisions up for grabs at the recent championships. The BBF hosted over 700 boys and girls from June 20-24 in Freeport, Grand Bahama. The tournament paid dividends for Grand Bahama. A total of five hotels on the island were impacted, and most if not all of the rental cars were booked out.
There were some dominating pitching performances in the 13-15 and 16-18 divisions. In the 13-15 division, Anthony Russell from the Junior Baseball League of Nassau (JBLN) threw a perfect game, and Justin Sweeting and most valuable player (MVP) Michael Sands tossed no-hitters.
In the 16-18 division, a no-hitter was thrown by MVP Dwight Rahming from Freedom Farm. Rahming barely missed a perfect game, as he gave up a walk to the ninth batter in the fifth inning. The federation is excited to see the level of pitchers being developed in the country as it prepares teams to represent The Bahamas in the international arena.
Freedom Farm won gold medals in the Insurance Management Coach Pitch Division, the BTC 9-10 Division, the GBPA and Bommer George Trucking 11-12 Division, and the Summit Insurance High School 16-18 Division. In the Coach Pitch Division, a very powerful team of seven and eight-year-olds from Freedom Farm, who know and understand the game of baseball, dominated the division. In the 9-10 Division, one of the best games of the tournament was the gold medal game between JBLN and the Farmers. Freedom Farm won a close game, 7-6.
In the 11-12 Division, Freedom Farm went undefeated, advancing to the gold medal game with a 4-2 win over Grand Bahama Little League.
They won the gold with a 10-4 victory over the JBLN. In the 16-18 Division, Freedom Farm advanced to the gold medal game after being down in a rain-shortened game on Saturday night against the Grand Bahama Amateur Baseball Association (GBABA) team.
Both teams went into that game undefeated. Freedom Farm Manager Jeff Francis went with southpaw Dwight Rahming, who turned in an outstanding pitching performance. He led the Farmers to an 8-1 victory over the GBABA team.
In The Shoe Village Junior Division (13-15), the JBLN benefitted from outstanding pitching performances and steady play to win the gold medal. They defeated the Grand Bahama team in the gold medal game, 4-2.
Finally, in the FOCOL College Division (25-and-under), the gold medal game proved to be one of the most exciting games of the tournament a previously unbeaten JBLN team lost a nail-biter to the defending champions Legacy, 3-2. Southpaw MVP Leon Cooper turned in a strong pitching. He held the JBLN bats at bay.
The BBF thanks its corporate sponsors for their contribution, and congratulates its lifetime achievement recipients, and high school and college award winners.
The BBF lifetime honorees are: Adrian Rodgers, the late Arthur Thompson, the late George Mackey, and the late Vince Ferguson. The most outstanding high school player was Theodore "Trae" Sweeting, from JBLN, while Byron Ferguson, also from JBLN, won the most outstanding high school pitcher award. Sweeting attends Christ School in Arden, North Carolina, and Ferguson attends Trinity Christian Academy in Florida.
The most outstanding college player award was shared between Jervis "Champ" Stuart, out of Bimini, and Brandon Murray, from the JBLN. Stuart plays his collegiate baseball for the Brevard College Tornados, and Murray who was a DI player of the year this year, plays for the College of Charleston Cougars.
Desmond Russell, from Legacy, who was also a DI player of the year this year and who plays for the Jackson State University Tigers, won the most outstanding college pitcher award.
In other baseball news, the New Providence Amateur Baseball League (NPABL) is all set to host the NPABL Senior Summer Baseball Jamboree.
Draft Day is scheduled for Saturday, June 30, at the JBLN Senior Field at noon. Games are scheduled to be played on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
All senior players in New Providence are invited to take part. The contact persons for the jamboree are Jeff Francis and Bertram Murray.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian