After years of coming oh-so-close to winning a state championship, the Sanford Cal Ripken 12-and-Under All Stars finally pulled off the feat, going undefeated to give the City its first-ever state title in Babe Ruth Baseball at the 2025 Major 70 Northern State Tournament in Jacksonville.
Playing at Ed Austin Regional Park, the Sanford stars sent a message that they meant business, romping past the Lighting from Fort Caroline, 17-3, in the opening game of the tournament.
Because of the draw, and with only seven teams entered in the Double Elimination Tournament, Sanford was forced to play a second game on opening day.
But that didn’t bother the locals as they continued to pound the baseball and romped to an 18-3 triumph over Keystone.
By winning the first two games, Sanford got to take Friday off and watch the other six teams square off.
Playing in the Winner’s Bracket Final early on Saturday morning, Sanford kept the momentum going, and while it was the closest game they would play the entire weekend, they still rolled to an 8-3 victory over the Storm from Fleming Island.
That win advanced Sanford to the Championship Game on Sunday morning where they faced the Diamond Kings from Julington Creek, a squad that had got blanked, 13-0, by the Storm in their opening game, but had bounced back to win four consecutive games in the Loser’s Bracket to earn their spot in the Championship Game.
But Sanford put a stop to the Diamond Kings run, easing to a 6-0 shutout victory.
Sanford is under the direction of John K. Polk, Sanford Babe Ruth Cal Ripken League Director, and Manager Jeremy Price, who is assisted by Christopher Tiffany, Greg Whitney and Tyler Prom.
Making up the roster is Dakota Bridgers, Ashton Palmer, Landon Price, Jaycob Soto, Liam McClure, Cameron Tiffany, Carson Tiffany, Kyle Morales, Matteo Whitney, Judah Kimmig, Bradley Calo and Easton Gabor.
The team will have another week to prepare for the Southeast Regional that will be played in Ft. Myers starting on July 15. The Schedule will be released later this week.
Other teams already committed to the Southeast Regional is the host team of South Fort Myers, the South Florida Champions, the Okeeheelee-Indians, the East Lincoln-Optimist from Western North Carolina, Lancaster Parks & Recreation from South Carolina, Tullahoma, Tennessee and West Raleigh, North Carolina. Still to be decided are two teams from Virginia.
Here are the State Tournament results:
2025 Cal Ripken Major 70 Northern State Tournament
Ed Austin Regional Park, Jacksonville
Thursday, June 19, 2025
Game 1 _ Sanford 17, Fort Caroline-Lightning 3.
Game 2 _ Jacksonville Beach-Barracudas 10, Suwannee 0.
Game 3 _ Fleming Island-Storm 13, Julington Creek-Diamond Kings 0.
Game 4 _ Sanford 18, Keystone 3.
Friday, June 20, 2025
Game 5 _ Fleming Island-Storm 8, Jacksonville Beach-Barracudas 5.
Game 6 _ Julington Creek-Diamond Kings 6, Suwannee 3 (Suwannee eliminated).
Game 7 _ Julington Creek-Diamond Kings 11, Keystone 1 (Keystone eliminated).
Game 8 _ Jacksonville Beach-Barracudas 10, Fort Caroline-Lightning 9 (Lightning eliminated).
Saturday, June 21, 2025
Game 9 _ Sanford 8, Fleming Island-Storm 3.
Game 10 _ Julington Creek-Diamond Kings 1, Jacksonville Beach-Barracudas 1 (Barracudas eliminated).
Game 11 _ Julington Creek-Diamond Kings 6, Fleming Island-Storm 3 (Storm eliminated).
Sunday, June 22, 2025
CHAMPIONSHIP
Game 12 _ Sanford 6, Julington Creek-Diamond Kings 0 (Diamond Kings eliminated).
