Padres, Carolina Kids hold 2nd Annual Sports Equipment Drive

 

The Pee Dee Padres and Carolina Kids are partnering to make a difference in our community through their 2nd Annual Sports Equipment Drive. Collection bins are located at Burry Bookstore (130 W. Carolina Avenue in downtown Hartsville) and Carolina Printing & Trophy (618 S. Fifth Street, also in Hartsville).  The bins will be out through December 22nd.

 

Once collected, the equipment will be distributed by Carolina Kids, a non-profit organization with the mission of enhancing the lives of children in Darlington County by investing in social change and breaking down economic barriers.

 

"Obviously, we want to teach our players about the game of baseball. It's also important for our coaches to demonstrate to the players how they can make a difference in the community. Thanks to Carolina Kids, we are able to do that in a very impactful way," said Padre coach Bruce Douglas.

 

Any and all sports equipment is needed.  From footballs and basketballs to baseball bats and tennis racquets, new and gently-used; all will be appreciated.

 

The Pee Dee Padres are a travel baseball club made up two teams with players from Hartsville, Darlington, Lamar and McBee. The Padres' roster includes Andrew Askins, McKendrie Douglas, Ace Gibson, Quez Hadley, Riley Hendrix, Treion McFarland, Nolan McInnis, Kam Rheuark, Asher Wallace, Hunter Watford, Grayson Weekley, Cole Winburn and Evan Young on the 9 year old team and Dustin Gaymon, Law Hope, TJ Johnson, Trace June, Bennett Laney, Shane Oliver, Zachary Pulling, Andrew Shaver, Chanler Smith, and Caleb Walters on the 8 year old team. 

 

Burry Bookstore's hours of operation are Monday through Friday 10am to 6pm and Saturdays 10am to 4pm. Carolina Printing & Trophy is open Monday through Friday 9am to 6pm.

 

For more information about the sports equipment drive or the Pee Dee Padres, contact Bruce Douglas at peedeepadres@gmail.com. For more information about Carolina Kids, contact Andrea Pulling at carolinakids@roadrunner.com.

Courage, Sportsmanship on Display at Florence Travel Ball Tournament

 

After a recent USSSA youth baseball tournament at Freedom Florence, a very unique act of sportsmanship took place.  After his team, the Carolina Bruins, clinched the tournament championship and celebrated with a ring ceremony, Bryce Patterson ran over to one of his opponents.  Were they friends?  Relatives?  Former teammates?  Actually, they were none of the above.  The two had never even spoken before. 
 
Patterson removed his championship ring and handed it to his opponent.  In any circumstance, this would be an unexpected act.  In any circumstance, this would be seen as a great display of sportsmanship.  In this case, there was more at play than baseball.
 
Asher Wallace, who Patterson gave his ring, is an outfielder for the Pee Dee Padres.  Wallace’s play did not go unnoticed by Patterson.   Not because he hit towering home runs or made diving catches in the outfield.  Patterson thought Wallace’s play was spectacular because he was giving it his all on every single pitch. 
 
But, what made Patterson take notice of Wallace?  Don’t lots of kids play hard?
 
Wallace has NF1 Neurofibromatosis. This is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow in the nervous system.   Of course, Patterson didn’t know the details of Wallace’s disorder.  He just knew the kid with the distinct running style didn’t let that stop him from pursuing his dream of playing baseball.
 
Wallace’s hard work was first noticed by his coaches Joseph Winburn, Terry Weekley and Bruce Douglas.  “Asher’s work ethic and passion are unparalleled,” said Douglas.  “He’s been an inspiration for his teammates and coaches since the day he joined the team.  It’s great to see his enthusiasm and hard work inspire players on other teams also.  Bryce and Asher are both very special kids.”   
 
Both players had their share of successes at the tournament.  After winning the tournament, Bryce and the Bruins moved into the #1 spot in USSSA’s 9U national rankings.  For Wallace, he stole his first base in another heartwarming moment against the Carolina Outlaws.     
 
As both teams move on with their seasons, there’s no guarantee that Wallace and Patterson will square off on the field again.  But, there is one thing we all know for sure:  Wallace has the heart of a champion.  And, now, thanks to Patterson, a ring to match.   
 
Bryce Patterson is the son of Brantley and Angie Patterson of Florence.  Asher Wallace is the son of Larry and Pam Wallace of Hartsville.

Padres go 2-2 in Lexington

The Padres traveled to Lexington for the first time since their first tournament in November of last year.  After losing their focus in the first game, the Padres battled back to finish the weekend 2-2.  A huge win over the Predators was followed by a narrow 4-2 defeat at the hands of the Canes on Sunday.  Treion McFarland and Clay King made their pitching debuts in the tournament.  The Padres also saw some acrobatic diving catches in the outfield by Ace Gibson and Grayson "Hollywood" Weekley. 

The Padres are currently 7-5 since moving up to 9u. 

Padres go 3-1 in Myrtle Beach

 

On August 16-17, 2014, the Pee Dee Padres went 3-1 in USSSA's Back to School Madness Tournament at the Market Commons in Myrtle Beach.  Led by some tremendous pitching from Andrew Askins, McKendrie Douglas, Quez Hadley and Cole Winburn, the Padres brought home gold rings after defeating the Rawlings Stars and Diamond Stars in convincing fashion on Sunday.

Clay King made his Padres debut in the tournament.  The addition of King has proven to be huge for the team.  King played third base, shortstop and leftfield.  He look to make his pitching debut when the team hits the field again in September. 

Congratulations, Padres!

Myrtle Beach Tournament Info (August 16-17, 2014)

We'll be one of seven teams fighting for the Back to School Madness Championship in Myrtle Beach this weekend.  The games will be played at Grand Park at the Market Commons.  Below are our game times:

On Saturday, we play at:

9am vs. Diamond Stars on Field 9

11am vs. Bruins on Field 9

 

For Sunday, we will be playing in a bracket, so Saturday's games determine who and when we play on Sunday.

 

Please be at the field by 8am on Saturday. 

We'll wear our blue jerseys and gray pants on Saturday.  We'll go with the camo jerseys and gray pants on Sunday.

August 23: Pee Dee Padres to hold 8U Tryout in Hartsville

The Pee Dee Padres will be holding a tryout for 8U on Saturday, August 23rd from 10am to noon at Byerly Park in Hartsville.  To be eligible for 8U, players must not turn nine before May 1, 2015 (a birthdate of 05/01/06 is the oldest a player can be in 8U this season). 

All eligible players are welcome.  The Padres 8U team from last year has moved up to 9U and we're hoping to fill their spot with a group of hardworking players.  The Padres will play in USSSA and Top Gun sanctioned tournaments.  Last year, we played in tournaments in Lexington, Florence, Myrtle Beach and Charlotte. 
 
Byerly Park is located at 700 Russell Road in Hartsville.  Tryouts will take place on Field 7.  Players will need to bring their own equipment. 
 
For more information, contact Bruce Douglas (843.861.8316, peedeepadres@gmail.com) or Bryan Laney (704.649.8511).  To learn more about the Pee Dee Padres, click here.

Three New Padres lead team to 3rd Place Finish in USSSA's Florence Frenzy Tournament

The Pee Dee Padres welcomed a few new faces to their lineup for the first tournament of the 2014-15 season.  Treion McFarland, Hunter Watford and Asher Wallace (pictured above) made their debuts for the Padres.  All three newcomers played pivotal roles in the Padres 2-2 record on the weekend and overall 3rd place finish.  In the end the Stingers and Pelicans took home the hardware. 

Florence Frenzy Results:

Game One:  Stingers 14 Padres 3
Game Two:  Padres 19 Wrecking Crew 7
Game Three: Pelicans 8 Padres 7
Game Four: Padres 15 Wrecking Crew 0

The Padres played great in all four games.  Several players made their pitching debuts during the weekend.  Riley Hendrix stepped up big for the Padres, throwing a no-hitter in Game Four.  Hendrix was not the only hero in Game Four; Asher Wallace ended the game with an RBI walk-off (enacting the 3-inning - 15 run rule).

Also playing in the tournament were:

Ace Gibson
Cole Winburn
Quez Hadley
Nolan McInnis
McKendrie Douglas
Grayson Weekley
Evan Young

The Padres will take the field again on the weekend of August 16-17.