CBS Sports Network features the top 11-year-old and 12-year-old youth baseball players from around the world as they meet at Ripken Baseball Academy in Aberdeen, Md. for the Cal Ripken World Series. The action airs live on CBS Sports Network on Saturday, August 18 with the U.S. Championship (5:00 PM, ET) and International Championship (7:30 PM, ET). The winners meet on Sunday, Aug. 19 (2:00 PM, ET) in the World Championship.

        James Bates announces Saturday’s match-ups, along with analyst Cal Ripken, Jr. and sideline reporter Lou Tilley. Billy Ripken joins Bates, Ripken and Tilley to handle the call for Sunday’s Championship.

        Between Saturday’s games, CBS Sports Network airs SPIRITS RISING: CAL RIPKEN JR. IN JAPAN (7:00 PM, ET), a 30-minute show that follows Cal Ripken and a group of former Major League Baseball players as they tour Japan teaching baseball to youth teams.

        CBS Sports Network is available across the country through local cable, video and telco providers and via satellite on DirecTV Channel 613 and Dish Network Channel 158. For more information, including a full programming schedule and how to get CBS Sports Network, go to www.cbssportsnetwork.com.

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Media Contacts:

Mariel Brady, 212-975-5373, mariel.brady@cbs.com

Dan Sabreen, 212-975-5936, dsabreen@cbs.com