Bailey hits it to the big time
SWINGING it out of the park in the softball world is 12- year-old Bailey Stone.
The budding baseman's Queensland side tied with NSW for first place at the national 12-years-and-under championships in Canberra from November 11 to 16.
His team did exceptionally well, managing to "mercy" every side throughout the tournament apart from NSW.
"That was our goal, to mercy everyone," Bailey said.
Bailey said he enjoyed the higher level of play and that although the pitching was to a level he was used to, he was impressed by the other players' fielding abilities.
"It was pretty hard to get on base," he said. "We had the best pitchers there. The whole team did really good.
"NSW were really good at batting and they had a good catcher."
Bailey's mother, Susan, who was in Canberra supporting Bailey with his grandmother, said that the boys were all committed, sliding into base - a messy process with red dirt on the field.
Next year Bailey says he hopes to make it into the under-15s school boys' team.
MERCY RULE
A mercy rule brings a sports event to an early end when one team has a very large and presumably insurmountable lead over the other team.
