The West Raleigh Baseball's Cal Ripken 10U and 12U teams got a big send-off on Wednesday evening as they prepared for the Cal Ripken World Series.

Alumni from the youth baseball organization turned out to help the Southeast Regional championship teams practice at the West Raleigh Exchange Club Park in advance of the 12U Cal Ripken World Series scheduled for Aug. 13-21 in Aberdeen, Md., and the 10U Cal Ripken World Series being played Aug. 13-20 in Winchester, Va.

West Raleigh is one victory from a second consecutive Cal Ripken World Series 10-and-under championship.

The West Raleigh Baseball Association 10U All-Star Team rolled to a 10-0 victory over Pacific Northwest champion West Linn (Ore.) in the Cal Ripken 10U World Series at Lamar, Colo., on Thursday night.

The winners' bracket semifinals victory sends West Raleigh, the
Southeast Regional champion, to Saturday's national championship game,
which will start at approximately 1 p.m. Eastern time.

The West Raleigh Baseball Association's 10-and-under all-star team is off to a winning start at the Cal Ripken World Series in Lamar, Colo., posting three consecutive victories.

Late Monday, West Raleigh, sparked by a three-run first inning, defeated Danbury (Conn.) 4-2.

West Raleigh defeated Benton (Ark.) 15-2 on Saturday, then won 3-0 over Minnesota on Sunday.

West Raleigh is at it again.

The West Raleigh 10U Cal Ripken All-Star team is heading to the Cal Ripken World Series this month, hoping to match last year's 10U team, which won the World Series played in Abbeyville, La.

This year's West Raleigh Baseball Association 10U team is headed for Lamar, Colo., near Denver, where the 10-team, double-elimination championship event will be played Aug. 13-23.