Host Squirrels reflect on an unforgetable Babe Ruth World Series experience

Charleston Fighting Squirrels pitcher Lawson Graff waited all week for his turn to take the mound in the Babe Ruth World Series.

By then, the Squirrels were the last team to be eliminated from bracket contention, and the outcome of Thursday’s game against Asia Pacific was inconsequential. Coach Michael Minner’s one directive to the Scott City senior was to light up the radar gun.

He gave up six runs, four earned, in three innings in an 8-1 loss on Thursday, but the result didn’t really matter. As he walked off the field in the fourth inning, he raised his cap to the crowd at Capaha Field and embraced bat boy Izaac Pursley, who threw out the first pitch and was honored as player of the game.

It’s a crowd that he was well familiar with, just not at that size.

“I watched three of my teammates go out there and start in that atmosphere. So just getting to be a part of that atmosphere is just amazing to hear those fans cheer as I walked off the field. I thought I could have done better, but they didn’t care how I did. They just cared that they love me. It’s really more of a family here.”

It was family in the stands and the dugout for the Squirrels.

“It felt like your coaches were your dads, and the players were your brothers,” Squirrels shortstop Will Green said. “Now that it’s over it kind of stings a little bit because you didn’t want it to end like this, but all things come to an end.”

As a team assembled by high school players from all over the Southeast Missouri area are used to playing at Capaha Field. They played in multiple tournaments at the turf field throughout the spring and during their high school careers.

They expected a full atmosphere going into the Babe Ruth World Series, and it was everything they imagined.

“We played at Capaha quite a few times in high school ball and travel ball,” Squirrels outfielder Kaeden Kennedy said, “but just the crowds and everything, you can just tell that it’s a different atmosphere.”

The first and last game of their World Series run was a rewarding experience for the Squirrels, who got to play and interact with players from other countries like Canada and Taiwan.

“It was really cool playing against different countries, different people from different states,” Squirrels outfielder Rafe Bayassee said. “That was pretty cool playing Taiwan and seeing how they play baseball over there. [Asia Pacific pitcher Shih-Chan Chen] throwing submarine and them bowing to the umpire and everything, it was just really cool to see how they and how different people play baseball.”

For some players, the cultural exchange experience was better off the field than on.

“We talked to those Taiwan guys for like probably 30 minutes before the game started,” Squirrels infielder Owen Osborne said. “It was so fun. That was probably the highlight of my week, just talking to them.”

Green finished his high school career at Meadow Heights and is set to join the Perryville High School coaching staff next spring. He also started a fishing bait business and will be studying at Mineral Area College.

“It was one of the coolest experiences in my life, meeting other teams from around the world and talking to them,” Green said. “Playing Taiwan [Thursday] was one of the coolest things because it’s just a different culture, and just knowing that you’re coming here to play one of your last games ever is just awesome because it’s the best way to go out.”

For those on the Squirrels who are moving on to the collegiate ranks, the Babe Ruth World Series was a preview of the talent and competition they can expect at the next level.

“It’s kind of like an awakening because we got here and we saw a lot of upper arms,” Squirrels pitcher Thomas Frakes said. “You saw guys in the mid-80s, in the high 80s. We saw a lot of really good pitching, and we kind of got a taste of what it’s like to play at a high level, Babe Ruth baseball. It was a lot of fun but you kind of come to a realization with yourself that you need to improve your game.”