The Vicksburg Venom have won three state titles and two Governors Cups over the past two summers. This week, they hope to add a USSSA Global World Series.

The Venom, an 11-year-old travel team, head to Southaven to play in an 18-team USSSA Global World Series.

Venom coach Todd Boolos said his team has responded to a tougher schedule. The Venom started the season as an AA rated team in USSSA but the team was raised to the AAA level just a month into the season. The Global World Series Tournament is an open 11-year-old event.

“They’ve opened it to all teams, but you have to qualify for it, and we did by finishing third at a tournament in Baton Rouge,” Boolos said. “At this tournament in Southaven, they’ll have one AA team, 12 AAA (teams) and five majors.”

Venom coach Sherman Simpson said the Venom will get to play a lot of baseball at the World Series.

“This is something new for USSSA,” Simpson said. “Usually they have 24 teams but here it will be 18. We’ll have pool play first, then a seed play tournament and then will put us in three different divisions and crown a champ in all three divisions.”

According to Boolos, this is the first year the Venom has played an all-USSSA schedule. In the past, the squad has had a dual membership in both USSSA and Cal Ripken Baseball. The Venom won the Cal Ripken 10-year-old title last year.

“This is the team’s fourth year together and in the last three years, they’ve won two USSSA state titles, the Ripken last year, and we have won two straight Governor’s Cups,” Boolos said. “And as 11s, we’re still going. We want to add a World Series title and another Governor’s Cup.”

Despite a lot of rain, the Venom has gotten in a number of games. They will take a 24-13 record into the World Series and are coming off a second-place finish in last Sunday’s U12 Summer Slam Tournament at Halls Ferry Park.

“It’s been a good summer, even with all the rain. We’ve had two tournaments totally washed out and three more we called after one game,” Boolos said. “Not playing Ripken changed our dynamic some, but we’ve played some really quality teams this summer.”

Dale Griffith, one of the team’s top pitchers, says the move to the AAA level and the increased competition has helped.

“It’s helped push ourselves more,” Griffith said. “My pitching has improved because I’m hitting my locations better.”

Tyler Smith, another top pitcher and big bat in the lineup, said the Venom has made strides this summer.

“My hitting has gotten better because I’ve worked on my fundamentals. As a team, I think our teamwork has gotten better,” Smith said.

Following the World Series in Southaven, the Venom will return to Vicksburg to close out the summer in the Governor’s Cup on July 31.

“We’re two-time defending Governor’s Cup champions and we look forward to that tournament because it always has some of the best competition we see all summer,” Boolos said.

The Venom consists of Dale Griffith, Tyler Smith, Brooks Boolos, Lane Hynum, John Austin Burris, Lee Simpson, Matthew Register, Liam Hopson, Will Pierce, Taft Nesmith and Landon Little.

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Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com