Henderson Blue Sox run ends at the DBB Majors World Series

Published 10:58 pm Thursday, July 31, 2025

STERLINGTON, La. — The Henderson Blue Sox’ run representing Texas at the DBB Majors World Series ended with a 5-2 loss to Georgia on Monday.

The Blue Sox, a 19U team franchised by the Henderson Boys Baseball Association and made up of players from mostly Henderson, Hallsville and Harleton, went 2-2 overall for the tournament. Georgia, with a Majors team from Columbia County, dealt the Blue Sox their first loss in game one on Friday in a 10-2 blowout. The Blue Sox went on to earn back-to-back wins on Sunday against two Louisiana teams, first a 13-8 decision over the host team from Sterlington and then a 6-0 shutout over Monroe. On Monday they faced Georgia again. By then, the latter had taken their first loss from North Charleston, South Carolina, the defending Majors World Series champs.

With both teams facing elimination, Georgia took a 2-0 lead in the second inning and the Blue Sox tied it up in the bottom of the fourth with RBI singles from Manning Bradley (Henderson) and Kayne Brantley (Henderson). It was 2-2 until the top of the sixth, where Georgia scored on a passed ball and an error. The Blue Sox’ pitching options had narrowed by day four of the tournament. Aiden Brantley (Beckville) had thrown 99 pitches (61 strikes) and struck out five in 5.2 innings before Colt McDowell (New Diana) stepped in as relief, but Georgia was able to squeeze out one more run in that inning with a walk.

The Blue Sox had a promising comeback attempt in the bottom of the sixth, with Trentan Johnson (Hallsville) drawing a walk and Bradley getting a base hit. Unluckily, Georgia got the first two outs with a double play. Caden Foster (Henderson) singled, giving the Blue Sox two runners on, but next batter Gage Shirts (Harleton) hit into a fly out. They gave themselves chances again in the seventh as McDowell walked and Dunn Smith (Hallsville) doubled to move them into scoring position, but final batter Brantley was struck out.

The Blue Sox had high hopes for winning another title after they won the Pre-Majors World Series last summer. It was disappointing to come up short this year, but Blue Sox coach Bart Bradley said they were proud to go out in a competitive game against the more experienced Georgia team.

“After that first game, we really seemed like we had it together with the two games we won on Sunday,” said Bradley, noting the players had been disappointed in their teamwork that led to that first loss on Friday.

There hadn’t been many practice opportunities since they won the state tournament in June, but this was a group that played together last summer, and some have been travel ball teammates since they were 13 or earlier. They and their coaches knew they could do better.

“It was an unbelievably good game [Monday] against Georgia after we got beat 10-2 and then we were right there with them in the sixth inning,” said Bradley.

Bradley commended Aiden Brantley’s work on Monday. They’d used multiple pitchers in the first three games to avoid having anyone throw too much, but that meant certain pitchers weren’t available to step in for Monday’s game due to DBB pitch rules. Bradley needed to save some of them for the potential semi-finals and final on Tuesday.

“Aiden was going to go until he couldn’t go anymore and he pitched really good. He threw 100 pitches and got to the sixth inning,” said Bradley. He had McDowell warming up but the passed ball and error that cost the Blue Sox two runs happened very quickly before he got to step in. “I was really pleased with the way we played. I think everybody had some participation in every game—whether it was pinch run, pinch hit, playing the field or playing several innings.”

The Blue Sox had their work cut out for them against teams like Georgia with a roster full of 2024 graduates who had all played a season of college baseball. The eventual winners of the 2025 World Series, South Carolina, were another team with college experience.

Due to the August birthday cut off in DBB rules, the current Blue Sox roster is eligible to come back next summer for another shot at the World Series. Many are continuing their baseball careers into college and Bradley expects they will be interested if their 2026 summer schedule allows it.

“I’m proud of the way we played, the way they competed with those guys being college players… I guess it kind of showed what they’ll be up against in college,” said Bradley.

Henderson’s Kayne Brantley is headed to Champion Bible College, Foster to Howard Payne, Manning Bradley to Dallas Christian and David Jimerson to NTCC. Hallsville’s Hawk Haynes will play for Ranger JC, Kaden Aiken for Ark-Rich Mountain, Kade Chappell for UT Tyler, Landon Vineyard for Ranger JC and Tyler Durrett for Ark-Rich Mountain. Harleton’s Shirts is headed to Ranger JC, Beckville’s Aiden Brantley to Murray State and New Diana’s McDowell to LeTourneau.

Kayne Brantley, Manning Bradley and Jimerson have been teammates since they were five years old, playing for HBBA. Foster joined them when they were 12 years old, and at 13, they joined a travel team with Hallsville kids Haynes, whose dad Billy Haynes has been assistant coach for the Blue Sox, Johnson and Aiken. Those seven players were the ‘nucleus’ of the time for a long time as the team expanded.

In the Blue Sox’s 13-8 win over Sterlington, Smith tripled and singled twice with two RBI, Vineyard doubled and singled with two RBI, Shirts tripled and singled with one RBI and Ransom Smith (Hallsville) doubled with two RBI to lead them at the plate. Kayne Brantley earned the pitching win with three strikeouts, one walk and five hits allowed in three innings. McDowell struck out two pitching 1.2 innings in relief.

Ransom Smith, Chappell, Vineyard and Kayne Brantley each had hits in the 6-0 victory over Monroe and Aiken struck out eight batters over 4.2 innings for the pitching win, allowing two hits and walking one.