Knights of summer
Featuring four Knights, RBI Austin’s 18U team captures regional title, heads to Minnesota for RBI World Series
2018 grad Eric Worden pitched a shutout to lead RBI Austin to its first ever regional title and RBI World Series appearance. Photo courtesy of Worden.
August 5, 2018
Three Knight alums (2018 grads Koehler Vandament and Eric Worden and 2017 grad Ben Wangrin) and one current Knight (junior Jacob Castillo) are among the players on the RBI Austin 18U regional team that will be competing at the 2018 RBI World Series in Minneapolis starting tomorrow.
Worden pitched a shutout on July 29 as RBI Austin defeated Houston Astros RBI 4-0 to capture the Southwest regional championship and a berth in the World Series. It was the first regional title ever for RBI Austin; the Houston squad that Austin defeated had won 10 of the previous 11 Southwest regional tournaments.
RBI Austin started the regional tournament with an extra-inning walkoff win over Houston, thanks to a game-ending single by first baseman and Hays HS senior Aidan Martinez. Outfielder Harrison Lee (a 2018 LBJ/LASA grad) had three triples for RBI Austin in the regional. As the Southwest champion, RBI Austin opens the world series at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow with a game at Target Field (the home of the Minnesota Twins) against the West champion Arizona RBI.
It was the first regional title ever for RBI Austin; the Houston squad that Austin defeated had won 10 of the previous 11 Southwest regional tournaments.
The starting lineup will probably include Worden at third base, Vandament in the outfield and Wangrin as the designated hitter. Later tomorrow afternoon, RBI Austin will face the Central champion White Sox RBI in a 6 p.m. game at CHS Field in Saint Paul. RBI Austin concludes division play with an 8:30 a.m. game on Tuesday at Toni Stone Field in Saint Paul against the Mid-Atlantic champ Phillies RBI.
After a workout day on Wednesday, the playoff round (with a possible international matchup against Curacao RBI) starts 8 a.m. on Thursday. The championship game is Friday.
The RBI World Series also includes a banquet and community-service events. Major League Baseball created the RBI program in order to promote baseball and softball to underserved and diverse communities.
![Knight ace Natalie Myrick pitched a great game in defeat, striking out 11, walking none and allowing zero earned runs and only four hits. Her teammate Lila Brotherton said she had command of all her pitches including an intimidating fastball. Natalie is an amazing pitcher and did a really good job at that game, Brotherton said. I’m not sure who is the faster pitcher [her or LASA starter Rose Harrelson], but it is definitely a close match.](https://macshieldonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Possible-Immersive-Softball-Photo-2-600x384.jpg)
