The 2016 City of Troy Summer Recreation Program was well represented with 12 softball/baseball teams qualifying for post-season play.

Never before had that many Troy teams qualified to continue playing.

And, now there is one.

“None of the teams won state tournaments except the Troy Machine Pitch Team,” said Dan Smith, Troy Parks and Recreation director. “A number of teams came in second, third and fourth in the state tournaments. We are proud of all their performances and how well they represented Troy. Their performances are great examples of the hard work of the players and the commitment and dedication of their parents and their coaches.”

Now, Smith said, the focus will be on the Troy Machine Pitch Team as they go to Laurel, Mississippi to represent all Alabama in the 2016 Dixie Youth AA Machine Pitch World Series Championship July 31-August 2.

The twelve members of the Alabama Machine Pitch Team, their coaches and contingent will leave at 8 a.m. Friday for Laurel where they will participate in the opening ceremony of the 2016 Dixie Youth AA World Series that night.

On Saturday, the Boys of Troy will play South Carolina at 2:30 p.m. and Laurel, the host team, at 5:30 p.m. in pool play.

“The top two teams in each of the four polls will go on to bracket play,” said Bobby Hussey, team head coach. “On Sunday, teams will begin to be eliminated. The championship bracket play will be on Monday and Tuesday. We are very optimistic

because we had a tremendous state tournament, going 6-1. The boys played great baseball.”

Hussey said the Troy Machine Pitch Team is excited to be representing Alabama in the World Series and the boys, ages 7 and 8, are looking forward to facing the best Machine Pitch Teams in the Southeast.

“There will be 12 teams in the World Series including two from Laurel, Mississippi, which is the host team,” Hussey said.

The other teams will represent Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas and North Carolina.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to get to play the best teams from these other states,” Hussey said. “It’s going to fun and exciting.”

Hussey said, when the team started practicing for tournament play, its goal was to make it to the World Series.

“We’ve been practicing hard five days a week,” he said. “After they won state, we gave the boys Friday, Saturday and Sunday off to enjoy the summer and be boys, but they don’t mind the practice. That’s how we continue to get better and gain confidence.”

Hussey said the Troy Alabama team will go into the 2016 Dixie Youth AA Machine Pitch World Series Championship with the confidence that they can play head-to-head with all those other teams.

“Every player on this team has given 110 percent all the time,” he said. “We have a good, solid team. We are solid in the infield and we are solid in the outfield. And they are all good hitters. In Machine Pitch ball, everybody bats in order and we’re strong one through 12.”

Even though Hussey said the Troy boys are strong in the field and at-bat, the real strength of the team is that they never give up.

“We’ve been behind in games but they have always found a way to come back,” he said. “These players build off each other and, when those bats start to come alive, we can score runs. This team won’t get down. They won’t give up because they believe they can always come back as a team. They believe they can win.”

The members of the Troy team to represent Alabama are: Luke Barron, Chase Vaznaian, Jack Baggett, Kellen Stewart, Wes Bundy, Owen Pugh, Dawson Bradford, Slade Russell, Ford Hussy, Carter Nelson, Luke Sikes and Peyton Elliot. Troy is lead by head coach Bobby Hussey and he is assited by Lee Baggett, David Bradford, Brett Sikes and Steve Barron.