Lutz Softball Team wins 8 and Under Division at the 2024 Babe Ruth League World Series.
The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners presented a commendation to the Lutz Girls Softball Team during its Sept. 19 Board meeting for winning the 8 and Under Division at the 2024 Babe Ruth League World Series in Florence, Alabama. After an undefeated run through district and state tournaments, the team won its first nationwide championship in its 30-plus-year history. The team's coaches Ryan Darling, Erika Harris, Amanda Torres, and Alex Araujo and the Lutz 8 and Under All-Stars accepted the recognition.
The nonprofit youth sports organization enables girls ages 4 to 18 to be engaged and active in fast-pitch softball, teaches world-class sportsmanship, and ensures all players are equipped to be the best they can be, on and off the field. In addition to defeating Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, Recreation Department-East for the 8 and Under title, Lutz placed three Top 10 Hitters on the All-World Series Team and two Golden Glove winners on the All-Golden Glove Team out of 150 players in the tournament.
After accepting the commendation, Darling thanked the Board and said that winning the championship was symbolic in more ways than one.
"Lutz has accomplished a lot over the last 40 years of its existence," he said. "This was the 40th anniversary of Babe Ruth. So, I think it's kind of special that Lutz is 40 years old and Babe Ruth is 40 years old, and [the] girls won the championship that year."
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