​Justin Shifflett thought his all-star team’s season had ended after finishing third in the state tournament. Then, on Monday, June 29, he received a call informing him that the second-place team could not participate in the regional tournament in Florida due to a lack of participants. Officials asked Shifflett if his squad would be willing to serve as Virginia’s second representative. He quickly contacted every family to check their availability, and all 12 players said they could go.
“It was a whirlwind,” Shifflett said. “I’m still trying to figure it out. It was wild, but it’s been an incredible experience.”
The Northeast Augusta Rookie League Machine Pitch team is set to begin play in the Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken Southeast Region in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, on Wednesday, July 8. The NEA team will face Okeeheelee, Florida, at 2 p.m. to open pool play in the eight-team tournament. Pool play runs through Friday, July 10. The top four teams will advance to a single-elimination bracket beginning Saturday, July 11.
The team’s practice in Fishersville on Thursday, July 2, was a final tune-up before heading to Florida. Shifflett praised his players for their perseverance: “They’ve battled through adversity and anything you can imagine. Being the underdogs, playing on fields they’ve never played on, rain delays, sitting in the hot sun. They never gave up. They battled through every single game. It’s a phenomenal group of kids.”
The players are 7 and 8 years old, drawing from Cassell and Wilson elementary schools. This season marks the final year for machine-pitch play within NEA; next season, the age group will transition to coach pitch. The machine operates 46 feet from home plate and pitches at 43 miles per hour.
Fans can follow the team’s progress through the GameChanger app by searching for NEA 8U Allstars- Shifflett.
“It’s unbelievable,” Shifflett added. “Sometimes I sit back and think, is this really happening? It’s hard to believe, but it’s awesome.”
Patrick Hite is a reporter for The News Leader. He can be reached at phite@newsleader.com or on Instagram @hitepatrick. This story originally ran in the Staunton News Leader and has been updated for broader reach. Subscribe at newsleader.com.