NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Teams from across the United States are converging on the City of North Myrtle Beach for the Triple Crown Softball East Coast Summer Nationals.
Starting tomorrow, 89 teams from 22 states, will play at the NMB Park & Sports Complex as well as the Central Park Sports Complex.
The event started last week across facilities in the Grand Strand area. Parents at the NMB Park & Sports Complex said the facilities and the ground crews were among the best they’ve seen while traveling across the country.
Carrie Rivera, East Coast Fast Pitch Director, echoed those sentiments, “That facility, that whole park is just gorgeous, and we’re so excited that they’re going to get six more fields.” Rivera also said, “The facility crew and the parks and rec people we deal with here are the best with which I’ve worked. It makes our job so much easier when we have the partnership and relationship that we have.”
Rivera also said some of the players are playing their last youth event before moving on to college softball. “It’s so much fun to watch because those that play in Triple Crown are the kids you’ll see playing at the College World Series in Oklahoma. It’s so cool and it’s fun to watch how these kids develop and play at the highest level,” said Rivera.
Gameplay starts on Wednesday and runs through Sunday.
A major expansion for the NMB Park and Sports Complex is in the works. The bidding process starts later this year. Once the work is completed, there will be six more baseball/softball fields, eight batting cages, concession stands, picnic shelters, and playgrounds. It will also include five new soccer/lacrosse fields and a Family Entertainment Center. The Family Entertainment Center will feature a splash park, birthday party rooms, and an arcade.
This past fiscal year, the NMB Park and Sports Complex provided more than $26 million in direct economic impact for local businesses in the City of North Myrtle Beach.