When the 琉璃神社 Sun Devils celebrated the program鈥檚 first ever B.C. championship, their memorable 2017 baseball journey wasn鈥檛 quite over.
, the Sun Devils had earned a trip to the U.S. this week for the Northeast Prospect Select Showcase.
Playing as Team B.C., 琉璃神社 is among eight teams鈥攖he other seven are American-based鈥攚ho are competing in the four-day tournament in Rhode Island and Massachusetts where professional and college scouts will be scanning for talent.
Sun Devils鈥� head coach Rob Law said the opportunity to travel and play in a new and highly competitive baseball environment is the experience of a lifetime for his players.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the memories and experience of this trip they鈥檒l have with them forever, the real icing on the cake for this season,鈥� Law said Wednesday from Rhode Island. 鈥淲hen you work hard all season and win a championship, this is what you get. The boys deserve it and now they鈥檙e going to be challenged by the best in the U.S.鈥�
Playing baseball isn鈥檛 the only lasting memory Sun Devils鈥� players are likely to have of their trip to New England. The team stopped in Boston on Wednesday and was given a 75-minute guided tour of historic Fenway Park.
鈥淭he guys all really enjoyed it,鈥� Law said of the visit to Fenway. 鈥淭hey were taking pictures, talking about it with each other about what an amazing place it really is. It鈥檚 like they were in baseball heaven.鈥�
Team B.C. also planned to take in a triple-A game on Wednesday night, featuring the Pawtucket Red Sox and Charlotte Knights.
The Sun Devils will open the tournament Thursday morning at UMass-Dartmouth against the Bandits Baseball Club, then will face the Boston Prospects in the evening at the University of Rhode Island.
Law expects the quality of baseball to be a positive eye opener for his team.
鈥淟et鈥檚 face it, it鈥檚 America鈥檚 national pastime, the U.S. produces more players than any country and you see the passion the game here is played with. Our players see how these teams run on and off the field, it doesn鈥檛 matter if they鈥檝e just booted a ball, it鈥檚 about that effort all the time and shows our players what it takes.
鈥淭he (Boston Prospects), every one of those guys are in Grade 12 and a lot are committed to NCAA Div.1 or NAIA programs, so there are some big-time players there. It will be fun to see how we match up.鈥�
Regardless of the results the Sun Devils produce on the diamond, Law said it will be a beneficial experience for each and every one of his players.
鈥淚t鈥檚 good exposure our Grade 10 and 11 players are going to get,鈥� he said. 鈥淔or our Grade 12 guys moving on, it鈥檚 really a great way to end their careers with our program.鈥�
On Friday, the Sun Devils will play the last of three round-robin games Friday at Rhode Island College.
The playoffs will begin Saturday, with the championship final set for Sunday afternoon.
The Sun Devils, in just their third season as a program, won the B.C. midget AAA championship July 30 in 琉璃神社 with a 6-0 win over Cloverdale.
