There’s a team in your backyard that you’ll want to cheer for.
The Acadiana Cajuns reached one of the biggest amateur baseball tournaments in the world – The Connie Mack World Series.
“It’s an earned deal where you have to play your way to get there,” Cajuns operations manager Craig Schambough said. “It just means a little more, and it speaks for the talent in this area.”
“It feels super special,” Cajuns catcher Brandt Badeaux said. “I’m excited to see what it’s like to be on that kind of stage.”
The 18 and under baseball squad is based out of Carencro and is loaded with talent ranging from Acadiana to Opelousas Catholic.
To qualify for this tournament, the Cajuns had to showcase clutch hitting including winning six games in Joplin, Mo.
“We didn’t lose motivation,” Cajuns infielder Jordan Luna said. “We just knew we were better than them, but you have to play baseball on that day.”
“It feels great,” Cajuns utility player Jacob Froehlich said. “It was a lot of hard work from me and the rest of the guys. It feels good to see that your hard work is paying off.”
This is an experience of a lifetime for this group of young men, but it’s also a chance for them to represent the 337 on a national stage.
And of course, they have a shot at winning a title.
“It’s a big time tournament,” Forehlich said. “We’re representing everyone back home. We have to take pride in that and play the fullest for the guys around us.”
“All of these guys are winners,” Badeaux said. “We all know what it feels like to win. We just want to carry that mentality over to Farmington.”
“If we’re somehow able to bring that championship here, I think it would mean a lot,” Schambough said. “Maybe we would have more people to try to help us do it in the future.”
The Connie Mack World Series begins on July 28 in Farmington, N.M. and runs all the way to Aug. 3.
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers