RALEIGH - Cary Bulls manager Ron Powell let out a few tears. He talked about being old and how that was necessary for him to reach a milestone of this magnitude.

With the Bulls defeating North Raleigh Post 297 Black 15-4 on Thursday night in the second game of a doubleheader, the Bulls claimed their 500th win.

Powell has been the manager for every victory.

"What it means to me is that we've had about 170 kids that have been a part of our program," said Powell, who has led the Bulls for 15 years. "It's been really fun. We're a development program and we try to get each player to develop and dream he can play at the next level."

The Bulls scored six runs in the second inning and were never threatened by Post 297 Black. Center fielder Robbie Thorburn led the Bulls with five RBIs. He also had a double and a triple.

"I think you always hit better early in the count because that's when you see the best pitches," Thorburn said. "I love to run, too, so I want to be reckless out there on the bases."

First baseman Patrick Graham had two hits and two RBIs, while third baseman Patrick Mason had two hits.

After the game, the team celebrated their accomplishment and everyone seemed to congratulate Powell first.

"You know he's been doing something right and you can tell he knows how to win," Graham said of Powell. "Everything he does is for a reason."

Thorburn agreed.

"He's fun to play for even when he gets on you for something," he said. "It's fun to be a part of a good team."

To get to 500 wins this season, the Bulls needed to play consistent baseball for a long stretch, which they started to do in early June. Since May 28, the Bulls have won 22 of their last 24 games.

"Because we get kids from three different schools we have to bring those kids together and blend them into a team," Powell said of the American Legion league structure. "It takes some time, but now we haven't lost many games after going through some different combinations."

Babe Ruth team: After completing an undefeated 14-0 season in which the team outscored its Triangle Area conference competition 140-18, most members of the Cary Babe Ruth baseball team will be competing in the eastern North Carolina state tournament beginning Friday in Havelock.

With the regular season now over, each Babe Ruth division from across the state picks two all-star teams to compete in the postseason.

The first all-star team from Cary's league, the Triangle South All-Stars, has 17 players from Cary.

The roster was selected by coach Jere Morton IV, who will lead the team. Should the Triangle South All-Stars win the tournament, they would advance to the Southeast Regionals in South Hill, Va.

Panther Creek senior pitcher Nate Harris led the Cary team with five wins. Middle Creek graduate Will Fuller had a team-high four triples, while Middle Creek senior Jimmy Boyd led the squad with six doubles.

The Cary team dedicated its season to Susan Allen who passed away during the school season because of cancer. Allen's son, Justin, recently graduated from Green Hope.

The team wore a pink breast cancer awareness ribbons on its jerseys all year long.

Staff writer J. Mike Blake contributed to this report.