Ford Park will be one of the sites for the Perfect Game Fall Super NIT tournament coming this weekend. Photo made on June 27, 2020. Fran Ruchalski/The Enterprise
Fran Ruchalski / Fran Ruchalski/The EnterpriseSoutheast Texas is set to welcome 185 youth baseball teams to the region this weekend as one of the largest local tournaments in recent memory prepares for first pitch.
Hosted by Southeast Texas Baseball Academy, the Perfect Game Fall Super NIT will be held at Ford Park and other surrounding areas on Saturday and Sunday. Teams from Texas, California, Arkansas, Missouri and Louisiana will converge on Beaumont to compete.
It’s the first year that Southeast Texas Baseball Academy has partnered with Perfect Game, resulting in an increase in participation, according to academy president Morgan Walker.
“We are excited to host the Perfect Game Fall Super NIT at Ford Park, Marauder Park, West Orange-Stark High School, Port Neches Little League and Senior Field, and Baseball for Everyone,” Walker said. “Working with Perfect Game has given us so much more access to the number of teams we can host, and we could not be more excited about the tournament and the impact it will have on Beaumont and Jefferson County.”
Taking into account hotel rooms, restaurants and retail stores, the Perfect Game Fall Super NIT will have an estimated economic impact of $260,000, according to the Beaumont Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.
In total, Southeast Texas Baseball Academy has hosted nine tournaments this year, creating $2.4 million in economic impact, officials with the Beaumont CVB said.
“We are so happy to have the continued support from our community and these sports planners who use Beaumont to host their tournaments,” said Beaumont CVB Director of Sales, Freddie Willard. “Baseball isn’t just for the summer, it is year-round, and we are lucky to have these partnerships and facilities to host business.”