Gloucester County coach Mike Dickson (left) gives Bryant Duke a fist bump after timing him on the radar gun during the annual NJCAA Little League clinic Thursday at Mike Carter Field. (Herb Nygren Jr. | Tyler Morning Telegraph)

It was a perfect fall day in Georgetown, Texas.

The fans were in the football stadium and it was homecoming.

Cody Ellerbee, a sophomore on Tyler Junior College’s baseball team, was enjoying his senior season as quarterback of the Eagles.

Then it all changed when he tore his ACL.

Gone was the football season. It took months of rehab, but he fought back to earn second-team all-district honors on a pitching staff that included current University of Texas hurler Corey Knebel.

Ellerbee was a three-year member of the varsity at Georgetown as he was called up his sophomore year for the playoffs. He was a key player in the Eagles’ success.

“I was really down on myself after tearing my ACL,” said the 6-1 Ellerbee. “I worked my way through my senior year of high school; and I didn’t get very many looks from colleges. I tried out at couple of places; including here. … It was an open tryout with around 75 players. I was hoping (TJC pitching) coach (Hart) Hering and (head) coach (Doug) Wren would notice me.”

Wren and Hering did just that. Now, two years later Ellerbee is an ace on the talented TJC pitching staff.

“Luckily coach Hering and coach Wren saw something they liked in me,” said Ellerbee, who is 7-2 on the season with a 1.83 ERA. “I knew right when I stepped on campus at TJC that this was the place I wanted to be. … Thank the Lord they did call. It has been the best decision I have ever made to come to Tyler.”

Not only has Ellerbee excelled on the mound, but also in the classroom as he graduated last week Cum Laude while majoring in business.

Now, he can fully concentrate on helping the Apaches in the NJCAA Division III World Series presented by Wells Fargo Advisors Tyler Texas Office. TJC, ranked No. 3, opens the tournament at 9 a.m. Saturday against No. 2 St. Cloud (Minn.) Technical & Community College at Mike Carter Field.

He is excited about the opportunity which is evident by his Twitter account, @CodyEllerbee.

Ellerbee, pictured with his diploma between Wren and Dr. Johnny Moore, vice president of students, states, “Just living life to the fullest right now, and thanking God for every day and opportunity He has given me.”

That positive attitude has infiltrated the Apache team as the squad relishes the chance to play in the World Series on their home field.

“It is amazing,” Ellerbee said. “To see how much work everyone puts into this; and see all the transformations that are going on around the ballpark … It is going to be a special time in our careers and lives — we are going to remember this forever. We want to seize the moment.”

The Apaches enter with a record of 36-18 and champions of District C; and Ellerbee feels team chemistry is what has fueled this squad.

“Team chemistry builds in the fall season and during the offseason in the weight room,” said Ellerbee, who will play at St. Edward’s next season. “We know everyone has each other’s back. If for some reason you don’t get the job done whether it is on the mound or elsewhere, you know someone from the bullpen or from the dugout will. We trust in each other and count on each other.”

NOTES: Ellerbee is the son of Tom and Mindy. His older brother Jared, 23, plays at Texas State University, and his younger brother Brent, 17, is a junior at Georgetown HS, where he plays quarterback on the football team and is an infielder for the baseball team.

SMOKE SIGNALS: Mike Carter Field, 1900 W. Houston St., is between the Tyler Rose Garden and Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium. … Ticket prices are: tournament pass (adults only) $20; single day pass (adult) $5; single day pass (students/children) $3; children 10 & under (free) and any Little League player in uniform (free). … Fans can watch and listen to the games on www.njcaatv.ihigh.com.

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NJCAA Division III World Series

Presented By Wells Fargo

Advisors Tyler Texas Office

At Mike Carter Field

Saturday, May 19

Game 1: Tyler Junior College (36-18) vs. St. Cloud (Minn.) Technical & Community College (35-5), 9 a.m.

Game 2: Joliet (Ill.) Junior College (33-29) vs. Nassau (N.Y.) Community College (23-26), noon

Game 3: Niagara County (N.Y.) Community College (35-20) vs. Gloucester (N.J.) Community College (46-9), 4 p.m.

Game 4: Montgomery (Md.) College-Germantown (30-26) vs. Northern Essex (Mass.) Community College (27-7), 7 p.m.

Sunday, May 20

Game 5: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 9 a.m.

Game 6: Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, noon

Game 7: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 4 p.m.

Game 8: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 7 p.m.

Monday, May 21

Game 9: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 7, noon

Game 10: Winner Game 5 vs. Loser Game 8, 4 p.m.

Game 11: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, May 22

Game 12: Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10, 4 p.m.

Game 13: Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 11, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, May 23

Game 14: Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 13, 7 p.m.

Thursday, May 24

Game 15: If necessary, 7 p.m.

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NJCAA Division III World Series Team Capsules

District A Champion

Niagara County Community College

Location: Sanborn, N.Y.

Nickname: Thunderwolves

Colors: Blue & Gold

Enrollment: 7,431

Miles From Tyler: 1,337

Record: 35-20-1

Current Winning Streak: Nine

National Ranking: No. 5

Head Coach: Matt Clingersmith (fifth season)

World Series Appearances: Three (1998, 2009, 2012)

World Series Championships: None

Hitters Average: Dylan Baun, .419; Mike Elwood, .409; Cal Sluberski, .387.

Home Runs: Baun, 7; Sluberski, 5.

RBIs: Baun, 47; Sluberski, 42; Elwood, 38.

Top Pitchers: Mark Gampietro, 7-2, 3.26 ERA; Sluberski, 6-0, 4.50 ERA; Brandon Bielecki, 4-3, 2.17 ERA.

Saves: Angelo Harkins, 2.

Notes: Niagara County Community College was founded in 1962 and is sponsored by Niagara County and State University of New York. It is located in southwestern New York and northeast of the city of Niagara Falls.

Distinguished Alumni: Rashad Evans, former UFC light heavyweight champion; George Maziarz, a New York state senator; Pete Wagner, a mixed martial artist.

District B Champion

Joliet Junior College

Location: Joliet, Ill.

Nickname: Wolves

Colors: Purple & White

Enrollment: 8,571

Miles From Tyler: 857

Record: 33-29

Current Winning Streak: Two

National Ranking: No. 6

Head Coach: Wayne King Jr. (26th season)

World Series Appearances: 11 (1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012)

World Series Championships: Two (1994, 2008)

Hitters Average: Trey Russell, .400; Luke Andrade, .398; Dakota Brown, .346.

Home Runs: Andrade, 6; Nick Gould, 5.

RBIs: Andrade, 64; Russell, 59; Dominic Olszta, 42.

Top Pitchers: Trevor Vermillion, 7-4, 3.86 ERA; Alex Parks, 4-2, 3.52 ERA; Jared Steck, 4-2, 4.80; Kaleb Strothman, 4-1, 6.68 ERA.

Saves: Jonathan Rosario, 4.

Notes: Joliet Junior College was the first public community college founded in the United States (1901).

Distinguished Alumni: Dr. John C. Houbolt, NASA scientist; Robert Ninkovich, a linebacker with the New England Patriots; Kelvin Hayden, cornerback with the Chicago Bears.

District C Champion

Tyler Junior College

Location: Tyler, Texas.

Nickname: Apaches

Colors: Black & Gold.

Enrollment: 12,000

Miles From Tyler: zero.

Record: 36-18

Current Winning Streak: Nine

National Ranking: No. 3

Head Coach: Doug Wren (Third season)

World Series Appearances: 3 (2007, 2010, 2012)

World Series Championships: One (2007)

Hitters Average: Connor Lewis, .365; Hunter Sutton, .328; Jon McManemin, .323.

Home Runs: McManemin, 3; Taylor Drolette, 2.

RBIs: McManemin, 44; Sutton, 31; Estevan Hernandez, 31.

Top Pitchers: Cody Ellerbee, 7-2, 1.83 ERA; Payton Smith, 7-3, 2.59 ERA; Eythan Lenz, 5-0, 2.79 ERA.

Saves: Zach Aitken, 3.

Notes: TJC is one of the largest community colleges in Texas, with an enrollment of more than 12,000 credit students each year with an additional 20,000 continuing education enrollments annually. The college operated as part of the Tyler public school system from its inception in 1926 until 1945, when voters supported the creation of an independent Tyler Junior College District. TJC has won a combined 46 national championships in all sports.

Distinguished Alumni: Allen R. Morris, Emmy Award winning producer/director/writer; Jimmy Butler, guard with the Chicago Bulls; Byron M. Tunnell, former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.

District D Champion

Montgomery College-Germantown

Location: Germantown, Md.

Nickname: Gryphons

Colors: Purple, Silver, Black & White.

Enrollment: 1,060

Miles From Tyler: 1,295.

Record: 30-26

Current Winning Streak: Three

National Ranking: Not ranked

Head Coach: Dan Rascher (Seventh season)

World Series Appearances: 10 (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012)

World Series Championships: None

Hitters Average: Travis Smith, .410; Shawn Hendon, .394; Chris Kyser, .362.

Home Runs: Hendon, 4; Smith, 2; Greg Turlik, 2.

RBIs: Smith, 44; Hendon, 35; Kyser, 33; Colin Cox, 33.

Top Pitchers: Matt Selmer, 7-4, 1.81 ERA; Nick Wodoslawsky, 4-3, 5.24 ERA; JP Hoover, 4-3, 5.40 ERA.

Saves: Selmer, 1; Hoover, 1; Patrick Carter, 1.

Notes: Montgomery College-Germantown is located just outside of Washington, D.C. It was organized in 1946.

Distinguished Alumni: The Blair Witch Project Creators/Production Team — Eduardo Sánchez (co-director and co-writer) and Neal Fredericks (Cinematography); Rick Leventhal, Fox News correspondent; Jerome Williams, former NBA player.

District E Champion

St. Cloud Technical & CC

Location: St. Cloud, Minn.

Nickname: Cyclones

Colors: Green & Black.

Enrollment: 3,047

Miles From Tyler: 1,044.

Record: 42-7

Current Winning Streak: Seven

National Ranking: No. 2

Head Coach: Jason Fischer (Fifth season)

World Series Appearances: 1 (2012)

World Series Championships: None

Hitters Average: Jon Traetow, .439; Dan Sargent, .416; Kevin Kramer, .405.

Home Runs: Traetow, 8; Ryan Schneider, 7.

RBIs: Traetow, 47; Sargent, 46; Schneider, 42.

Top Pitchers: Schneider, 8-0, 1.90 ERA; Jake Lindenfelser, 6-2, 2.50 ERA; Corey Fitzgerald, 2.84 ERA.

Saves: Schneider, 4.

Notes: Teams will try to keep Kramer off the basepaths as he has stolen an incredible 62 bases in 70 attempts. The school was founded in 1944.

District F Champion

Nassau Community College

Location: Garden City, N.Y.

Nickname: Lions

Colors: Blue & Orange.

Enrollment: 15,000

Miles From Tyler: 1,539.

Record: 23-16

Current Winning Streak: Six

National Ranking: No. 7

Head Coach: Larry Minor (15th season)

World Series Appearances: 3 (1966, 2010, 2012)

World Series Championships: 1 (1966)

Hitters Average: Eddie Hernandez, .500; Peter August, .431; Dylan Pastor, .425.

Home Runs: Pastor, 4; Dan Diblasi, 3.

RBIs: Pastor, 22; Hernandez, 21; Alex Miden, 19; Diblasi, 19.

Top Pitchers: Arismendy Nunez, 5-0, 1.73 ERA; Luke Noone, 4-1, 4.05 ERA; Alex Brosnan, 1-1, 3.95 ERA.

Notes: The school was created by the State University of New York in 1959. When Mitchel Air Force Base closed, the college obtained substantial property, including buildings to develop its new campus, on what is now known as Mitchel Field.

Distinguished Alumni: Bruce Arena, former coach of the United States men’s national soccer team; Billy Crystal, comedian; Eddie Murphy, comedian/actor.

District G Champion

Gloucester County College

Location: Sewell, N.J.

Nickname: Roadrunners

Colors: Blue & Buff.

Enrollment: 6,600

Miles From Tyler: 1,420.

Record: 47-9

Current Winning Streak: Three

National Ranking: No. 1

Head Coach: Mike Dickson (Seventh season)

World Series Appearances: 17 (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012)

World Series Championships: 7 (1992, 1993, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2010)

Hitters Average: Thomas Kain, .442; Kevin Needham, .400; Zach Passerelle, .382.

Home Runs: Eric Barbieri, 15; Kain, 7; Needham, 7; Passerelle, 7; Hanson, 7.

RBIs: Barbieri, 61; Kain, 56; Needham, 45.

Top Pitchers: Jeff Singer, 9-0, 1.78; Bill Mendek, 7-2, 1.46 ERA; Andy Sullivan, 6-0, 3.06 ERA.

Saves: Mike Cogliano, 5.

Notes: The school was established in 1966. It is about 12 miles from Camden, N.J., and 16 miles from Philadelphia. The Roadrunners have won seven national championships in baseball.

Distinguished Alumni: Larry “Pretty Boy Sharpe” Weil, WWF wrestler; Nick Alloway is a pitcher in the Minnesota Twins organization; and Bill Rice is an outfielder in the Philadelphia Phillies farm system.

District H Champion

Northern Essex Community College

Location: Haverhill, Mass.

Nickname: Knights

Colors: Blue & Gold.

Enrollment: 4,152

Miles From Tyler: 1,750.

Record: 27-7

Current Winning Streak: 10

National Ranking: No. 4

Head Coach: Chris Shanahan (Third season)

World Series Appearances: 2 (2006, 2012)

World Series Championships: None

Hitters Average: Patrick Parker, .507; Domingo Cruz, .440; John Faia, .388.

Home Runs: Cruz, 4; Manuel Cabral, 4; Keegan Pafford, 4.

RBIs: Parker, 57; Cruz, 44; Cabral, 41.

Top Pitchers: Derek Dolan, 5-0, 1.69 ERA; Nicholas Goodin, 2.27; Shane Beauchemin, 5-1, 5.75.

Saves: Goodin, 2.

Notes: The school is located in Essex County in northeastern Massachusetts. The college serves residents of the Merrimack Valley including southern New Hampshire. Sixty-one percent of the student population is female.

Distinguished Alumni: Tom Bergeron, television personality; Dan Lyons, Newsweek columnist; Steve Bedrosian, former Major League Baseball player and 1987 National League Cy Young Award winner.