JENSEN BEACH, Fla. (BVM) —  For the fifth consecutive year, the Babe Ruth Softball League will host the World Series for the 8u, 10u and 12u divisions. The Treasure Coast’s Pineapple Park and Halpatiokee Park will be the venues for this year’s event. 

The tournaments will feature 42 teams from 20 different states, and they’ll be in for some entertainment as well. In conjunction with the World Series, the National Pro Fastpitch League will play its Beach Series Blast to kick off the little league event. The two-game series will be played between two professional teams, the Chicago Bandits and the Beijing Shougang Eagles. 

The matchup will show the youthful crowd what could be in store for their future if they continue to work hard and chase their dreams. The Bandits, a mainstay in the NPF since its inception in 2004, are one of the league’s best teams with some headline-making names. The Eagles, based in Daytona Beach, have a roster comprised of players of strictly Chinese descent. 

When the traveling teams take to the field, though, the real fun will begin. Since 1984, Babe Ruth Softball has become a premier league in terms of talent and development. While the teams won’t travel all that way to lose, the primary emphasis will be on education and skill development. The various events will take place over a two-week period, from July 18 to August 5.