Cincinnati Reds RBI to face RBI Austin in Senior Division championship game at Holman Stadium, streaming Live on MLB.com on Saturday, August 7th
The teams competing in the baseball championship games of the RBI World Series tomorrow, Saturday, August 7th, are now set following playoffs today at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex (JRTC) in Vero Beach, Fla. In the Senior Division Championship Game, the #1 seeded RBI Austin (5-0) will face #3 Cincinnati Reds RBI (4-1-1), streaming LIVE on MLB.com at 11:30 a.m. ET from Holman Stadium at JRTC. The #2 seeded Atlanta Braves RBI (4-1) will take on #4 Roberto Clemente RBI of Jersey City (4-2) in the Junior Division Championship, beginning at 8:15 a.m. ET. Three of the participating programs are making their RBIWS Championship Game debuts – Cincinnati Reds RBI, RBI Austin (Texas), and Roberto Clemente RBI of Jersey City (N.J.).
The Senior Division Baseball Championship live stream on MLB.com will be called by former Major League Manager and current Coaching Development Consultant with Major League Baseball Bo Porter and Gregg Caserta. Gabrielle Shirley, sports reporter for Tampa-based WFLA, will join the crew as a sideline reporter.
Austin is making just its third overall appearance at the RBI World Series and first-ever in a championship game. Outfielder Justin Strong led the Senior Division with a .571 batting average and finished with an OPS of 1.541.
Cincinnati’s two teams in the 2021 RBI World Series (Senior-Baseball and Softball) represent the 9th and 10th overall appearances for the city, with the Senior Division Baseball team making its debut in an RBI World Series championship game. Outfielder Harrison Barnes consistently delivered for his team throughout the tournament, driving in 5 runs, scoring 6 times, and stealing two bases.
Atlanta’s two teams (Junior-Baseball and Softball) represent the city’s 36th and 37th overall appearances, which is the fourth most in RBI World Series history. Atlanta has 13 overall RBI World Series Championships (combined from all three divisions), which is the second most after Los Angeles (14). Atlanta was the first-ever Junior Baseball Division Champion in 1993. They also claimed that title in 1995 and 2002. Second baseman Chase Reeves has a team-leading .467 average on 7 hits, including two doubles and a triple. He’s also tied for the team lead with 6 RBI.
Jersey City’s appearances in the Junior Baseball Division and Softball represent the city’s 16th and 17th overall appearances, but it is the first for Roberto Clemente RBI. Two Senior Baseball Division teams from Jersey City have been crowned champions in RBI World Series history – in 2012 and 2014. Shortstop Isaiah Ruiz leads the team with a .450 average on a team-leading 9 hits. He’s also driven in a team-high 6 runs while scoring 8 runs (also a team-high).
The RBI World Series is the international baseball and softball championship tournament of the Major League Baseball RBI program, which is designed to provide young people from underserved and diverse communities with the opportunity to play baseball and softball, encourage academic success and teach the value of teamwork. The special event in 2021 will ultimately include participation from nearly 200 young athletes on RBI teams from 14 cities around the United States.
The RBI program, which has served approximately 2 million young people since its inception, is administered by Major League Baseball and designed to give young people from underserved and diverse communities the opportunity to play baseball and softball, while also encouraging academic achievement and success and teaching the value of teamwork and other important life lessons. RBI currently serves youth in over 200 programs in approximately 200 cities worldwide. MLB and its Clubs have designated more than $40 million worth of resources to the RBI program, and all 30 Clubs support RBI leagues. For more information about the RBI World Series, please visit MLB.com/rbiworldseries.