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By RAY WILDE
Sports correspondent
LEWISTOWN--When I joined the Belleville Babe Ruth team as a scorekeeper in 1970 (it was my first year) there was a 13-year-old rookie third baseman named Alan Shaffer.
Shaffer was a three-time All-Star for the Mifflin County Babe Ruth League and was later a star player for Kishacoquillas High School.
Alan (Butch) would have said to me that very first year, "Hey, Ray my grandson someday will help Mifflin County win a regional title and go to a World Series."
I was only 19 at the time and I didn't know much about the postseason. I didn't know anything about the Babe Ruth World Series.
But, on Monday night all that came true. Alan's grandson, Liam Shaffer, had the big hit, a bases-clearing triple that helped Mifflin County beat the host team, West End of Williamsport, 8-5 and stake claim to the Mid-Atlantic 15-16-year-old championship.
Last season, West End won the regional title and finished second in the nation at the 2025 World Series.
This marks the seventh time that a team from the Mifflin County 13-16-year-old league has made it to a World Series.
I'm sure the team will be honored in many ways in the next few months. One way eventually will be at the Armagh Memorial Field.
If you look along the first base side of the field, down the right field side, there are signs honoring each of the six teams (actually there are seven, a 16-year-old senior Babe Ruth team)
is also honored.
The signs list all the players and their manager and coaches.
Here is the newest list of players and the coaching staff that will be honored:
Colton Aumiller, Haven Bridge, Noah Bunch, Cam Kauffman, Caden McClure, Landon Pecht, Jett Powell, Liam Shaffer, Luke Shawver, Maverick Smith, Max Trawitz, Kooper Walters and Jude Zook. Coaches, Bo Trawitz, Travis Zook; Manager, Denny Yetter.