MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – Religion Academy sophomore Lathan Boddie returned to Cellular with some new {hardware} — and a brand new title: world champion.

Boddie arrived again dwelling Monday, the place household, coaches and Religion Academy teammates had been ready on the airport to welcome him dwelling after he helped the Staff USA 15U Nationwide Staff seize gold on the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup in Mexico.

Staff USA defeated the Dominican Republic, 5-4, in a walk-off extra-inning thriller in Mérida, Mexico, to assert the world championship.

For Boddie, it capped a outstanding stretch that has seen the younger pitcher win two championships in a matter of months.

“It’s been a lot enjoyable with Lathan. He’s had an incredible yr right here in actually simply the previous 5 months,” Religion Academy head baseball coach Matt Seymour stated. “He walks off the sphere as a state champion and closes out the sport there, after which to obtain the gold medal for the USA and win that world championship, it’s simply tremendous thrilling for him.”

Boddie was solely a freshman in Could when he took the mound for Religion Academy and helped shut out the Rams’ state championship victory.

Now a sophomore, Boddie went from representing Religion Academy to representing his nation.

He earned his spot on Staff USA after a variety course of that started with 64 gamers and was ultimately narrowed to a 20-man nationwide group roster. Boddie was the one participant from the Gulf Coast to make the group.

Seymour stated Boddie confirmed indicators early in his Religion Academy profession that he may deal with huge moments.

“Even in center college, we knew he was going to be particular,” Seymour stated. “To be sincere, I didn’t know he would have such an incredible influence as a freshman for us this previous varsity season.”

Because the season progressed, the Rams continued placing the younger pitcher into more and more tough conditions.

“The extra we went to him, the extra we had some strain conditions through the yr final season, and he thrived,” Seymour stated. “He was simply cool on the mound. You couldn’t get him upset or something. He’s an incredible pitcher and is barely going to get higher.”

That have throughout Religion Academy’s state championship run proved precious when Boddie discovered himself pitching on an excellent larger stage in Mexico.

“For positive, going via the playoffs with Religion Academy, we had quite a lot of robust video games taking part in all the very best groups within the state,” Boddie stated. “I feel it actually helped not be as nervous going into this match down there, simply having the ability to deal with strain since you’ve been via it earlier than.”

Boddie stated he solely realized he could be heading to Mexico about three weeks earlier than the match.

“Simply working laborious actually is what set me up for this,” Boddie stated. “I didn’t know I used to be going to be down there till three weeks in the past, so it was superior.”

The expertise additionally gave Boddie one thing few athletes ever get to expertise — standing on a world stage with a gold medal and listening to the nationwide anthem after successful a world championship.

“You have got 20 brothers that you just don’t actually know, coming from all around the nation, and also you’re going on the market and also you’re all competing for one factor,” Boddie stated. “You’re attempting to climb the mountain and turn into a world champion. It’s a surreal feeling, actually.”

“After you win that gold medal, you win that Cup, you go on the market and stand on your nationwide anthem, supporting your nation,” he added. “It’s a sense like no different.”

For Seymour, Boddie’s accomplishment isn’t solely a mirrored image of the sophomore’s expertise and work ethic, but in addition a proud second for your complete Religion Academy baseball program.

“For him to make the USA group and go and produce and do properly and assist his group deliver again gold is simply phenomenal,” Seymour stated. “It says quite a bit for our coaches, it says quite a bit for our weight room guys and for everyone — our college and our entire scholar physique. All of us pull for one another.”

Boddie now returns to Religion Academy with a state championship and a world championship already on his résumé earlier than starting his sophomore baseball season.

And when requested whether or not the Rams may make one other run at a state title subsequent spring, Boddie didn’t hesitate.

“I hope so,” Boddie stated. “I feel we’ll.”