The Cookeville-based 8U Tennessee Sluggers traveling baseball team traveled to Murfreesboro to play in the 2013 BPA Southern Zone World Series held July 23-28. The team, made up of 11 players from four counties, placed first in the Gold Minor Division, bringing home the cherished BPA Gold Glove Trophy. The Sluggers played teams from as far away as Indiana as well as Alabama, Georgia, and teams from various regions of Tennessee.
The Sluggers battled hard each game, especially in the semi-finals when they came back from a 9-3 run deficit in the fourth inning to win in extra innings 11-10. This win propelled them to the championship round on Sunday when they faced the Spring Hill Rattlers. There, they were victorious by a final score of 14-6 due to solid defense and hard hitting.
The 8U Sluggers finished the 2013 travel season with an overall record of 42 wins to only 15 losses. They played in 11 tournaments with seven first-place finishes and two second-place finishes. The Tennessee Sluggers organization has a long history of producing quality travel baseball teams under the direction of former MLB player Coach Greg Tubbs.