Mexico’s time in Missouri short-lived but enjoyable

Mexico pitcher Ruben Gamez throws a pitch during their Aug. 13 Babe Ruth League World Series game against Kentucky.

Photo Courtesy of Carrie Trovillion - Freelance Photographer

Sonora, Mexico, a state known for agriculture, livestock and cowboys is also home to the best Babe Ruth League team in the country.

The team from Hermosillo, the state's capital and largest city, won three different tournaments on their way to the World Series in Cape Girardeau.

Mexico coach Claudio Alvarez said while the journey was an arduous one, he and the team had a blast while they were in town.

“We won the state tournament of Sonora and then won a regional tournament before finally winning the Mexican National Title,” Alvarez said. “We came here on a bus for 18 hours.”

Mexico has a pre-game meeting in the dugout before their Aug. 13 Babe Ruth League World Series game against Kentucky.

Mexico lost their first game of the tournament to 2023 runner-ups Alabama tired after their 18-hour bus ride before bouncing back to win two in a row and setting up a win-or-go-home game with Kentucky.

Mexico ended up losing 5-2 to the Ohio Valley Region champs and were eliminated but Alvarez said the experience was well worth the trip.

“It’s nice here in Cape, the baseball fields are nice and the people have been so kind,” Alvarez said. “We are very thankful for the people in the tournament that they welcomed us very well. It was a great pleasure and we had fun.”

Similar to some of the other foreign teams who showed up for the tournament, Mexico had sponsors who helped them make the trip.

Mexico's infield talks with their pitcher during their Aug. 13 Babe Ruth League World Series game against Kentucky.

A great show of sportsmanship was shown by the Mexican squad when upset after being eliminated, they traded jerseys with the Canadian team who had just shown up for their game.

The field was flooded with Mexican and Canadian moms alike wanting to take a photo of the boys who traded with each other and despite the language barrier, baseball is what brought all of them together.