Houston Astros RBI, out of Houston, Texas, has won the Softball Division Championship of the 2018 Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) World Series. Houston, making its 45th appearance in the tournament, earned its first-ever softball RBI World Series title and second overall championship (2010 - Seniors Baseball). The Texas team defeated Rays RBI Tampa RBI in a 9-1 contest today at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium at the University of Minnesota. Houston finishes the 2018 international championship tournament with a 5-2 record.
Houston's Jenika Lombrana was crowned Most Valuable Player of the Softball Championship Game. The pitcher tossed 5 innings, allowing just one run (unearned) and surrendering only three hits. The righty pitched to a 1.61 earned run average over seven games.
The softball portion of the RBI World Series included appearances by softball legends and Olympic Gold Medalists Jennie Finch, and Natasha Watley. As part of off-field programming, RBI Softball players participated in roundtable discussions and attended a Twins and Pittsburgh Pirates game at Target Field. Finch, who serves as a Youth Programs Ambassador for Major League Baseball, awarded a $1,000 scholarship to a player from each RBI team (8) who most exemplifies inspirational values and character.
In order to earn a spot in this year's RBI World Series, teams from the United States, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Uganda and Curaçao competed in RBI Regional Tournaments. Historically, 12 countries and U.S. territories around the world have competed in the RBI World Series, including the United States, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Curaçao, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, St. Thomas, Uganda, United Kingdom and Venezuela.
The RBI World Series is the international baseball and softball championship tournament of Major League Baseball's RBI program, which is designed to provide young people from underserved and diverse communities the opportunity to play baseball and softball, encourage academic success and teach the value of teamwork. The 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 young men and women in over 300 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.