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LEWISTOWN -- Two Mifflin County players were named to the all-tournament teams at the recent Babe Ruth 15-16-year-old World Series in Branson, Missouri.
Liam Shaffer was named as an outfielder on the All-Defensive team and Luke Shawver was named as a catcher to the All-Tournament team.
The two players were the 24th and 25th players from Mifflin County to win awards at a World Series.
Shaffer played third base, right field and pitched in the tournament. But, the 16-year-old left his mark with his arm in right field. He threw two runners out at third base. He turned in a double play against Great Britain as he threw a runner out at third base to end the fourth inning.
Against Arizona (Native Americans), he picked up a base hit in right field and when a runner on second tried to go to third, Shaffer threw him out, too.
Shaffer hit .480 in the World Series with 12 hits, including a double and a triple. He drove in four runs.
Shawver, also a 16-year-old, caught six of the seven games. He only allowed seven stolen bases.
With the bat, Shawver hit .526. He had 10 hits in 19 at-bats. At the end of the tournament, the Mifflin County catcher really got hot as he was seven for nine in the last three games. Two of his 10 hits were doubles and he drove in 12 runs. In Mifflin County’s 12-inning win (9-8) over Southern Florida in the opening game of the World Series, Shawver drove in four runs, two with a clutch double in the sixth and the winning run with a bases-loaded walk in the 12th.
Shaffer and Shawver join 17 other Mifflin County players that have gained all-tournament status, Nate Burkey, 15-year-olds, 2002; Chris Tressler, 15-year-olds, 2004; Colby Bodtorf, Casey Conner, Brian Yetter, 13-year-olds, 2016; Colby Bodtorf, Connor Cherry, Casey Conner, Bryce Dobson, Ethan Eichhorn, Brycen Hassinger, Brian Yetter. 15-year-olds, 2018; Tucker Gill, Trevor Sheaffer, Xavier Smith, 15-year-olds, 2021; Reese Christine, Logan Ruth, 14-year-olds, 2022.
Other awards have gone to Matt Wright, Sportsmanship, 15-year-olds, 2002; Casey Conner, Most Valuable Player, 13-year-olds, 2016; Batting title winners, Casey Conner, 13-year-olds, 2016; Bryce Dobson, 15-year-olds, 2018 and Reese Christine, 14-year-olds, 2022.
There are just a few Babe Ruth Leagues in the United States that have won batting titles (13, 14 and 15-year olds) as Mifflin County has done.