Former SL Star named to All-ACC Second Team
South Lexington’s own Sam Tackett was recently named to the 2025 All Atlantic Coast Conference Second Team. The Virginia Tech Hokie’s outfielder completed his standout Redshirt Senior season ranked among the leading ACC hitters in home runs with 14, batting .311 with 60 hits, 10 doubles, 43 runs, 44 RBI and 12 stolen bases.
During his time at South Lexington, Sammy—as he was known then—played under Manager Carl Peel for the Major League White Sox team from 2012 through 2015. Tackett played key roles on two standout SL All-Star teams: the 2013 10-year-old squad that finished second in the Cal Ripken World Series in Ocala, Florida, and the 2015 12-year-old team that made a Final Four run at the World Series in Monticello, Arkansas.
A few highlights from Sam’s final season at Virginia Tech include a 499-foot home run, a home run against Louisville, and a SportsCenter Top 10 defensive play. Each can be viewed at:
https://www.tiktok.com/@accnetwork/video/7472124158965468462
https://www.espn.com.au/video/clip/_/id/44346885
and top play #7 at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0e4nGkuwN8
2024 12U Cal Ripken World Series US Runner Up.
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SOUTH LEXINGTON CAPTURES 11U CAL RIPKEN WORLD SERIES South Lexington’s 11u all-star team defeated last year’s 10u champions from Marlton, New Jersey in an exciting 3 to 2 victory in extra innings on Saturday in Ocala, Florida. Brady Tomazic got the scoring started for SL in the first inning. After singling to lead-off the game and advancing to third on a single by Jace Simmons, Tomazic scored from third on a pick-off attempt at first. SL added a run in the third inning. Houston Handshoe singled and stole second. Cooper Kearns drove him home with a two-out single. Grady Williams started on the mound for SL. He kept the New Jersey team scoreless until they scratched for a run in the 4th when they scored on a sacrifice fly. Earlier in the inning, right fielder Brady Kallop forced-out a runner at second on what appeared to be sure single that would have loaded the bases with no outs. SL went to the bottom of the 6th with a 2-1 lead. Williams was able to work out of a bases-loaded 1 out jam by coaxing a sacrifice fly to right that tied the game at 2, followed by pop-up to the mound to send the game to extra innings. In the top of the 8th, Handshoe and Simmons singled to put the pressure on Marlton. With no outs, the Marlton shortstop made a fantastic stop on a hard-hit ball by Kearns and turned a double play. However, the speedy Handshoe never slowed down after rounding third and scored the winning run just ahead of the throw to the plate from the first baseman. In the bottom of the 8th, with a 3-2 lead, Tomazic replaced Williams on the mound and needed just two pitches to induce a double play to record the save. Williams was awarded the star of the game in the championship game. He earned the win working 7 1/3 innings and allowed just 3 hits. The Cal Ripken World Series title is the fourth such title in South Lexington’s history which dates back to 1956.
We are a Cal Ripken Baseball affiliate located in Southern Fayette County and offer a highly competitive youth baseball league for kids starting at 4 years old and up to 12 years old. We strive to give the children of our community a safe and fun place to learn the game of baseball the right way and compete at the highest level.
SLYB prides itself in a great baseball tradition that dates back to the 1950's, winning 3 12U World Series titles and routinely sending qualifying teams to the 10 and 12 year old Cal Ripken World Series.