MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette correspondent Mason Hess hits a pitch from manager Marc Hess during the West End Babe Ruth workout for 14- to 16-year-olds on Monday at Logue Field. The team is preparing for the Babe Ruth World Series in Branson, Mo., the first week of August.
Two years ago, West End 13-16 All-Star manager Marc Hess led a group of 13-year-olds to the World Series in Virginia in their age group. The team ultimately failed to win the World Series, but finished as the third-best player in the world.
Many members of the team are back this year playing for West End, and once again they are on their way to the World Series.
West End’s 13-16 year old all-stars won the Mid-Atlantic Regional championship in late July, qualifying for the Babe Ruth World Series in Branson, Missouri. The tournament begins with group play on Saturday. West End opens the tournament with a first-round game against Alabama at 6 p.m. West End then plays Australia on Sunday at 3:30 p.m., Korea on Monday at 1 p.m. and finishes the group play competition with a game on Tuesday morning at 10:30 a.m. against Branson, Missouri.
And for five West End All-Stars, reaching the Babe Ruth World Series is a familiar feeling. Mason Hess, Jaxson March, Briar Persing, LJ Hill and Trey Damschroder were all part of that 13-year-old All-Star team in 2022 that finished third.
“It’s been a while since we did this and I’m glad we can do it again,” Mason Hess said about reaching the World Series again.
Third place left a bitter taste in the players’ mouths and they want to do better this time and bring home a title.
“Just another chance to do better. I think it’s going to be pretty good.” Said Mason Hess. “Just one chance to do better.”
There are no guarantees in baseball. One tough inning or a poor performance at the plate can change the course of the game. That’s why Mason Hess and his teammates, who have played in the Series before, know they have to do their best against tough opponents.
“I think one of the most important tasks is that we are ready,” Said Mason Hess. “We will face much better teams than before, so we definitely have to be ready.”
That team lost to Hawaii two years ago, who went on to win the tournament. Although only five of West End’s 14 players had ever played in the World Series, manager Marc Hess told them it was just a baseball game and they should keep playing as they always had.
“We explained to the other nine on the team that it was just a game,” Marc Hess said, “It’s not like the Little League World Series. There aren’t thousands and thousands of fans there, but it’s cool to look over when you’re playing against Hawaii, Mississippi and those big states. It’s cool to see that.”
“But at the end of the day, it’s just another ball game,” added Marc Hess. “All 14 kids have played so much travel ball, they’re so used to it. They don’t even know who’s playing, they just know there’s a game.”
And that chemistry is one of the reasons the team has come this far.
Of the team’s 14 players, nine played together in Little League at Hepburn Lycoming as part of the 2021 team that reached the state tournament. Two played together for Williamsport Area Little League, two played at Montgomery and one at Loyalsock. But now they’ve bonded well with West End at Babe Ruth in the regular season and continue to play one great game after another.
“It’s not like the state or regional elections, we really have to get out there,” Said Lucas Naughton from the West End. “If we can win every inning like we have done here the last few games, there’s no reason why we can’t win every game.”
