Photo credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Photo credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Mo’ne is, rightfully, getting most of the attention at the Little League World Series, but her teammates deserve some love, too. Jared Sprague-Lott is a stud, Kai Cummings speaks better than most professional athletes*, and Erik Lipson never stops grinning in much the same way that neighborhood kid who used to always whoop you on the Power Pad never stopped grinning. And then there’s masher ZION SPEARMAN, who goes by the nickname “The Preacher.”

Sarah Baicker wrote about him today:

The player nicknamed “The Preacher” has improved dramatically even over the past year, his coaches say. The reason, Spearman noted, is the intense effort he’s put into three areas of his game.

“My mechanics, my fielding and my batting,” he said.

Rice can’t underscore enough just how hard Spearman has worked to improve himself. Comparing him physically to a “mini Bo Jackson,” the manager said Spearman is a regular at Philly’s batting cages, doing all he can to perfect his form and make complete use of his 168-pound frame.

I weigh exactly 168 pounds, too, so either he’s way strong for his age or I’m a noodle. Whatever. Anyway, why The Preacher?

As for that nickname, “The Preacher?”

“He does our team prayer before we go out,” Rice said. “It’s not like a gospel thing where he gets into it, but it’s a very beautiful little prayer he says for us.

“And so far, it’s worked.”

Keep prechin’, ZION. Keep preachin’.

*Actual thing Kai said after the game the other night: “I was reading something that said luck is a combination of opportunity meeting preparation. So I think we prepared hard enough and we had the opportunity to get where we are.” Whoa.