Even as they prepared to pull an all-nighter to close this year’s Babe Ruth Softball 12U World Series late Tuesday night, employees of the city’s Depart-ment of Leisure Services were already talking about hosting another similar event.

Rain delayed the finals in the week-long tournament almost five hours. When California defeated Florida in the game that began about 10:15 p.m., it forced a second game in the finals of the double-elimination tournament. As the second game was about to start at 11:30 p.m., Allen Bracewell was looking toward the need to get the Othello, Wash., team out of town at 4 a.m. Wednesday.

“Their flight’s leaving Montgomery at 7 a.m.,” he said. “I think we’ll just stay up.”

Except for Tuesday’s rain delay, the events ran practically flawlessly, Department of Leisure Services director Dwight Mikel said.

“If a natural event like rain is the only downside, it’s hard to complain,” he said.

“Our people once again just absolutely did the impossible,” Mikel said. “The hospitality of all the people here has shown we were willing to meet their needs. Everybody who was here enjoyed it.”

In addition to being a great event economically for local businesses, it also was a great opportunity for the girls who played for the host team, he said. The South Alabama host team finished third in the tournament.

“They got a chance to play some really good softball,” he said. “Our girls had a great run.”

Generally, he said, the host team is expected to win a game or two in the pool play that precedes the tournament brackets.

Though exhausted, the men were still enthusiastic about the prospect of another Babe Ruth World Series event in the future.

Bracewell said he had spoken with Babe Ruth officials who have been here for the tournament about the possibility.

“Our interest has been communicated,” he said. “There is a minute possibility of getting a tournament in 2014, but we’re in the heat for 2015.

“They were overwhelmed by what they saw here,” Bracewell said.

If Andalusia gets the bid for a tournament in 2015, it’ll likely be a 12-60 baseball tournament, Bracewell said, explaining that’s a 12-year-old team that plays with 60-ft. bases. Generally, travel teams play with 70-ft. bases.