What a great conversation with this impressive young man 👨 and I will need to circle 🔵 back to write the story as we are just moments away from first pitch.
Rakes and his Bluefield Rams 🐏 are our opponents today, and it led to a brief interaction with the former Cavalier..
Baseball ⚾️ is a family thing, and it turns out that Tyler is related to a number of folks back home and we will start the list with his little brother, Chanson, who is the Varsity catcher for Head Coach Casey Burcham.
We are both HUGE fans of Coach Burcham and the things that the Burcham Bunch is getting done on The Hill !
Both equally proud of The Castle 🏰 and Tyler uses it to throw during the summer.
There is plenty more to come here, but it is time for me to start announcing the game.
When he played at Bill Worrell Field he did so under the guidance of current Athletic Director and former head coach, Kevin DeHaven.
” Tyler was a great young man and still is, said Mr DeHaven. “He was a competitor who gave you everything each time he stepped up to the plate or on the mound. I’m very proud of his continued work ethic, which has led him to be the young man he is today.”
Back on March 3rd, Rakes pitched against our Golden Bears 🐻 at the Rams 🐏 home park, an incredibly beautiful and historic place down on the State Line. The Golden Bears prevailed in a shootout that day, 10 – 8.
Looking back at his time on The Hill, Tyler was quick to point 👉 out his favorite memories are the teammates and the camaraderie, especially on the road trips.
Bluefield picked up three runs in the top of the second and now lead, 4-1. I’m really hoping 🙏 that Tyler might make a relief appearance later in the game.
Tyler’s Rams 🐏 lead our Golden Bears 🐻 6-1 in the top of the 5th inning.
Tyler spoke highly of his younger brother, Chanson. The younger Rakes was called up to Varsity during his freshman season and figures to hold down the starting catcher spot for quite the spell.
Two other family members who Tyler was quick to talk about are cousins of his. Turns out that Christy’s Girl 👧 and Tyler are close, so those two minutes of the conversation were a bonus. The opening game of the SoCon tournament came up quickly.
It turns out that the young man who sits in the press box 📦 at Bill Worrell Field is kin as well ! Deana’s Boy 👦 is an impressive young man and does a terrific job with his announcing of the Cavalier home baseball games !
Kudos to the Rakes for raising such an impressive young man ! Tyler is well-spoken, considerate, and proud of his family, which makes him yet another great ambassador for The Hill !
We have rallied here in the bottom of the sixth inning with three runs to pull within 6-4. This is only relevant to this story because I would love ❤️ to say that now pitching for the Bluefield University Rams is #25 , Tyler Rakes from Carroll County, Virginia.
The Rams just put in their fourth pitcher of the game, so there’s a chance.
We plated seven runs 🏃♂️ in the bottom of the sixth and now lead 8-6. I’m still hoping to see our boy 👦 pitch.
The fifth pitcher for the Rams 🐏 is in, but sadly not Mr Rakes.
A.S.P.N on The Hill 