WHEREAS, the Virginia Cardinals baseball team won the 2014 World Wood Bat Association Underclass World Championship, hosted by Perfect Game USA, in Fort Myers, Florida, at Major League Baseball spring-training facilities on October 13, 2014; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Cardinals baseball team, which is based in Midlothian, is led by Head Coach Rich Graham; and

WHEREAS, the tournament-rostered players on the Cardinals squad include Jake Bartlett, Matoaca High School; Mitchell Carmody, James River High School; Steven Carpenter, New Kent High School; Robert Fultineer, Matoaca High School; John Gregory, Hanover High School; Christian Hague, Cosby High School; Khalil Lee, Flint Hill School; Jacob Long, Cosby High School; Grey Lyttle, Hanover High School; Henry Moore, Atlee High School; Liam Moreno, Beaver Country Day School; Noah Murdock, Colonial Heights High School; Vinnie Pasquantino, James River High School; Cayman Richardson, Hanover High School; Jackson Rivera, Prince George High School; Aaron Robinson, Monacan High School; and Justin Sorokowski, Lee-Davis High School; and

WHEREAS, Perfect Game USA established the World Wood Bat Association (WWBA) to govern the highest level of tournament baseball play; and

WHEREAS, the 2014 WWBA Underclass World Championship, which included 216 teams, is considered the premier fall baseball scouting event for underclassmen and is Perfect Game USA's most prestigious fall national championship tournament for players in the high school junior class or younger; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Cardinals baseball team ended pool play as the number six seed, then won four initial playoff games to advance to the championship game; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Cardinals defeated powerhouse teams from Florida, Wisconsin, Ohio, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Texas to reach the championship game; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Cardinals scored in the game's first at bat to take the first lead its opponent had yielded, then broke the game open with a six-run fifth inning, and completed a mercy rule victory in the sixth inning; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Cardinals allowed no stolen bases and committed only one error throughout the tournament and out-scored opponents 59 - 10; and

WHEREAS, the win secured the Virginia Cardinals their first Perfect Game USA national championship and the only such championship ever for a Chesterfield-based team; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Virginia Cardinals baseball team for winning the 2014 World Wood Bat Association Underclass World Championship, hosted by Perfect Game USA; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Rich Graham, head coach of the Virginia Cardinals baseball team, as an expression of the General Assembly's congratulations and admiration for the team's stellar achievement.