SOUTH BOSTON (WSLS10) - The South Boston Dixie Majors baseball team is headed for Alabama, in hopes of winning the Dixie Majors World Series.
But even more than winning the title, the team wants to remember their teammate, Robert Oliver, Jr., who was killed Sunday when his truck went off the road.
"Joyful, full of energy. Loving, caring," said Oliver, Jr.'s cousin and teammate, Roland Brandon, describing his cousin.
Although the two were just cousins, Brandon says RJ was more like a brother.
Now, Brandon plans to live his life through RJ to honor their relationship.
"Everything I do, I do for him. Regardless of what I do, it's going to be for him," Brandon emphasized.
Other teammates, also say as they head into the world series, they are simply focused on honoring RJ.
"We're going to keep each others' spirits up; talk each other up," said teammate Keonte Gueritch. "It's something RJ would do for us. He kept a smile. If he came in the dugout, he'd say something funny. He kept our mojo up."
The letters RJ have been stitched into the side of the team's hats and each jersey has RJ's number 15 on the right sleeve.
Underneath those visible memories though are the more important, personal memories of their friend and teammate.
"The last day that we had practice together, he said that he would come and see me at ECU next year," Gueritch said, pausing several times as he struggled for words.
The memories weigh on the team, but they're determined to persevere.
"It's been very difficult so far. Everybody's going to miss him. We're just going to go down there and do the best we can and honor his name," said teammate and team manager Andrew McCann.
The team had a prayer with RJ's parents and gave them a team-signed baseball and card.
RJ's parents ask everyone to pray for the family.
Coach David Hudson said he will remember RJ most for his respect.
"Number one," said Coach Hudson, "his respect for the game and his respect for the coaches. Don't find that a lot in young people today. He had a passion for the game and a love for his teammates and his family."
After the prayer, the team rallied together one last time before hitting the road, shouting 'one, two, three, RJ!' .