Tyler and Jax Wardwell are three years apart in age, but the brothers from Cincinnati are best friends and excellent baseball players.
Prior to this summer they had only played one game on the same team, that was back in high school.
"This is the first time we have really gotten the opportunity to be on the same team," Tyler said. "It is something that I will never forget."
"It is unbelievable," Jax added. "It is something that we've dreamed of since he started playing college baseball and we got the opportunity this summer with coach Rup (Bombers field manager Mike Ruppenthal) giving him a call and giving us both an opportunity to play up here so it is just unbelievable."
The Wardwells both play shortstop and switcht hit. The fact that they share many similarities is no coincidence.
While Tyler gets more of the playing time at short this summer with the Bombers, they have had opportunities to play up the middle together with Jax at second base.
"It was awesome," Tyler said. "We got an opportunity to play up the middle here I was at short and he was at second, it was a great experience."
"We have a good feel for each other because we have always worked out together since we were kids growing up playing the game of baseball," Jax said. "It's my favorite double play partner I've ever had."
Tyler will be a senior at Miami (OH) in the fall, Jax will enter his first year of college playing at Eastern Kentucky. The Northwoods League is usually reserved for guys who have already played some college baseball.
"It's awesome! When coach Rup from Battle Creek talked to me about playing up here I mentioned the possibility of bringing my brother up here and he said 'yeah why not, let's do it' and that just got my excitement through the roof," Tyler said. "To be able to play with my brother is something that I've always wanted to do."
"For him (Jax) to be able to play with his big brother for the first time that is pretty cool," Bombers field mananger Mike Ruppenthal said. "That's a special thing for a summer like this especially in these circumstances that we are in in 2020.
For Jax it's a great opportunity to see what college baseball will be like and a nice way to get acclimated with his older brother along side.
"He's the best big brother I could ever ask for," Jax said. "He's always taken care of me, he has let me hang out with his friends, get used to be with older guys, I couldn't ask for a better situation."
