When Blue Ridge baseball hosts Senior Night on Tuesday, an extra set of eyes will be watching over the ceremony.
Though this year’s Tiger team has just three seniors on the active roster (Roper Pittman, Gabe Henson, and Hudson Sauer), four players will be honored as part of Tuesday night’s celebrations.
The fourth? The late RJ Cammarota, who would have been a senior for Blue Ridge baseball this year. Cammarota tragically passed away in January 2025.
“RJ was a relentless competitor, an amazing person to be around,” said Blue Ridge head coach Travis Henson. “And not to mention, one of the best centerfielders I’ve ever had.”
Cammarota was a standout centerfielder as a sophomore on Blue Ridge’s 2024 3-A Upper-State finalist team, making the All-Region team alongside his older brother, then-senior pitcher AJ Cammarota.
RJ’s passing just over a year ago deeply shook the Blue Ridge community.
“It was devastating. Just so much shock,” said Henson. “Never in a million years do you think something like that would happen.”
“He was just a kind-hearted dude. Even if you weren’t his friend, if you were going through something, he’d be there for you,” said former Blue Ridge baseball standout Brady Smouse, in an interview from February 2025. “He was always so polite, just an awesome guy. He’s someone I’m proud I can call my best friend for life.”
The Tiger community rallied around the Cammarota family following RJ’s passing, showing in full splendor exactly what the Tiger community is all about.
Now, they’ll show up again as a reminder that RJ’s life is never forgotten.
RJ’s memory will be honored before Tuesday night’s game against Broome. The Senior Night ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m.
“I wish [RJ] were still here. I’d tell him how much I love him, how he really changed my life for the better,” said Smouse. “I don’t know where I’d be without him. I’d tell him how much Jesus loves him and how much his family loves him. And that he’ll always be my best friend.”
“When RJ was in my class, he chose three words to describe himself,” said Henson. “Those words were passionate, determined, and eager. That’s exactly who he was, every day.”
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