Athletes looking to brush up on their pitch, hit, and run skills will have an opportunity to do just that next week at the Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy at Mercy Street Sports Complex, Presented by Toyota.
 
The Rangers Academy and Grant Thornton are partnering to offer four nights of free baseball fun on Oates Field on Monday, May 14; Tuesday, May 15; Wednesday, May 16; and Thursday, May 17.
 
Participants will receive a commemorative t-shirt, participate in a pitch, hit, and run skills competition, and more. The event will run from 6:00-8:00 p.m. each night.
 
Activities are open to athletes ages 7 through 16, and registration is available at: https://texasrangersya.leagueapps.com/events/666094-grant-thornton.
 
Advancing Champs
 
On Saturday, May 5, the Academy played host to the Local round of the Scotts Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit & Run competition.
 
Among the champions of the Local round at the Academy were two names that might be familiar to Rangers faithful. Ten-year-old Aubrey Robledo and 13-year-old Benjamin King are regular participants at the Academy and threw out first pitches at Globe Life Park on Opening Day.
 
On Saturday, they were both PHR All-Around Champs in local play for their respective ages.
 
Robledo and King, along with all of the other local winners listed below from Saturday's event, will advance to next week's Sectional Round.
 
Softball -- Age Group -- Name
7/8 -- All Around Champ -- Aaliyah Nichols
9/10 -- Aubrey Robled
11/12 -- Leanna Leon
13/14 -- Julianna Serrano
13/14 -- Pitch/Run Champ -- Natalie Perez
Baseball -- Age Group -- Name
7/8 -- All Around Champ -- Jordan Nichols
9/10 -- David King
9/10 -- Hit Champ -- Diego Montealvo
11/12 -- All-Around Champ -- Amaad Garrett
13/14 -- Benjamin King
13/14 -- Hit/Pitch Champ -- Tyler Puckett
 
Playing Host
 
The Academy will host a Sectional Round of the Pitch, Hit & Run competition on Saturday, May 19.
 
Participants in the free event compete in either baseball or softball and have the opportunity to advance through four levels of competition including Locals, Sectionals, Team Championships and the National Finals during MLB All-Star Week. Contestants in the May 19 action have already advanced through the local round of action.
 
Only the first place All-Around Champions from the site's Sectional round in each of the division age groups have the opportunity to advance to the Team Championship round. Their scores will be compared to the other Sectional All-Around Champions in the market. The top three scorers in each division age group will then advance to the Team Championships.
 
Round -- Date -- Location -- Time
PHR Sectional -- May 19 -- Oates Field -- 6:00-8:00 p.m.
PHR Rangers Team Championships -- June 9 -- Globe Life Park in Arlington (part of Play Ball Weekend)
 
MLB Team Championships are held at all 30 MLB ballparks during the month of June. Finalists from that round earn a trip to MLB All-Star Week.
 
Playoff Ball
 
The Academy is set to support scheduling for additional Dallas ISD UIL Baseball Playoff games beginning tonight, Friday, May 11.
 
Second Round High School Area playoff games between North Dallas vs. Midlothian and Woodrow Wilson vs. Cleburne will come to Oates Field on Friday. Cleburne and Woodrow Wilson will square off at Oates Field again Saturday, May 12.
 
The schedule for upcoming games at the Academy is below:
 
Area Playoffs -- Date -- Time -- Game -- Field Location
May 11 -- 4:00 p.m. -- North Dallas vs. Midlothian -- Oates Field
May 11 -- 7:00 p.m. -- Woodrow Wilson vs. Cleburne -- Oates Field
May 12 -- 11:00 a.m/1:00 p.m. -- Cleburne vs. Woodrow Wilson -- Oates Field
 
Potential playoff games to be played at the Academy in later rounds will be announced as that information becomes available.
 
For games played at Oates Field, the address is 2303 Bickers St., Dallas, TX 75212. Parking is available behind the building.
 
Entrance is free to all games.
 
In The Books
 
Spring programming at the Academy concluded Thursday, with 1,073 athletes, ages 9 through 18, having participated.
 
During the 10-weeks of free baseball and softball programming, participants worked on hitting, fielding, throwing, and defensive strategies with members of the Academy coaching staff.
 
Summer programming at the Academy is expected to begin in June, and additional details will be announced soon. More information about activities at the Academy can be found at: https://www.mlb.com/mlb-youth-academy/texas.