South Carolina Bat Boy Inspires Series Victory
07/08/2011
The University of South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team won its second consecutive College World Series Tuesday night, defeating the University of Florida Gators in a two-game sweep of the best-of-three-game finals. Great pitching and sharp defense carried the team through its 10-0 run in the playoffs.
Gamecock pitcher Michael Roth won the clinching game with a strong performance over 7 2/3 innings. Were not the most talented team, and we dont have the best players position-for-position, Roth said, but we go out and stick together as a team. We battle. I cant describe it. Were a bunch of average Joes and love each other and come out and battle.
Back in 2003 when Peters was only 5, he battled against a foe mightier than Gators or Cavaliers. At an age when most kids are learning to tie their shoes, Peters battled Burkitts lymphoma, a disease that produced a bowling ball-sized tumor in his stomach.
While lying in a hospital bed at Omaha Childrens Hospital fighting the disease, the little boy received a visit from members of the South Carolina baseball team who were in town for the 2003 CWS. Upon his release from the hospital, Peters was invited by Gamecock coach Ray Tanner to serve as a one-game honorary batboy for the team, which the little boy quickly accepted. When he came to the ballpark he brought along a positive spirit and a poster he made for the dugout wall that read, Never give up.