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Creston teenager ready to play ball at BC Summer Games

Mitchell Bell is ready to take on the province when he plays in the BC Summer Games from July 19-22...
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Creston's Mitchell Bell will play baseball with the Kootenay zone team in the BC Summer Games.

With nine years of baseball under his belt, Mitchell Bell is ready to take on the province when he plays in the BC Summer Games from July 19-22.

It’s been one of his favourite pastimes since the 15-year-old was six, having been raised in a baseball-loving family.

“I grew up being a Toronto Blue Jays fan,” Bell said.

This season, Bell played for the Creston Valley Minor Baseball Association’s Creston Maroons, a Junior Babe Ruth team that played in a league with three Cranbrook and two Kimberley teams. The local team finished first during the regular season, but lost in the semifinal game of the league playoff tournament. Bell hit a grand slam home run in that game, which tied the score 6-6 (Kimberley eventually won 8-6).

“My strong point is hitting,” said Bell.

He earned his selection to the Kootenay Zone team at the same camp that saw him named to the Kootenay Hobos, a league all-star team with players from Cranbrook, Kimberley and Creston.

“It was kind of awesome when I found out about it,” he said.

Bell will have a small break after returning from the Summer Games before the Hobos head to Great Falls, Mont., for a tournament from July 27-29.

The timing couldn’t have been better — Bell attended the Toronto Blue Jays Honda Super Camp in Kelowna from July 9-11, brushing up his skills alongside former Blue Jays stars like Lloyd Moseby, Duane Ward, Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar and Rance Mulliniks.

The soon-to-be Grade 10 Prince Charles Secondary School student hopes to make a career out of the sport, and plans to attend a university where he can play baseball. For now, though, his sights are set on the BC Summer Games.

“I just hope I come back with a medal,” he said.