BaylerBall Invitational Travel Ball Tournament comes to Byerly Park

A slate of 32 youth baseball teams from around the region will converge in Hartsville this weekend of Oct. 24 and 25, as the first-ever BaylerBall Invitational Travel Ball Tournament arrives at the Byerly Park Recreation Complex to raise funds for the Bayler’s Prayer Endowment, a fund which benefits the Palmetto Health Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorder Department.

The teams, made of children ages 8 to 13, are coming from Columbia, Lexington, N.C., Florence, Mullins, Chesterfield, Sumter and Hartsville, and will make up the largest invitational baseball tournament ever seen at Byerly Park, 700 Russell Road in Hartsville. They will play on all eight fields at the park from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The Bayler’s Prayer Endowment began in 2010 after Rob and Risha Teal lost their son, Bayler Joel Teal, 7, following a 22-month battle with Neuroblastoma. Bayler loved the staff of Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital, which his Endowment benefits, and at times would even pretend to have a fever to go to the hospital, according to his parents.

Jessica Cohen, Hartsville’s Director of Tourism and Special Events, described the BaylerBall Invitational as not only an excellent cause and way to spread awareness, but also a strong showcase of how accommodating Hartsville’s facilities are to the community’s visitors.

“Byerly Park’s staff has done a tremendous job making this happen. They bring years of experience to the table, and they’re showing how they can tackle tournaments of this magnitude,” she said.