BY CALEB GARNER
Special to The Dispatch
Starkville Little League knew what to expect in their return trip to Waco, Texas, for the Southwest Regional of the Little League World Series.
The squad lost a hard-fought game in the tournament opener by a score of 3-1 to New Mexico, a team that won its way into the championship game of the regional. Two 10-run wins against Oklahoma and Colorado put them two wins away from a trip to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, for the Little League World Series. However, Louisiana ended the run, winning against Starkville in a 2-1 walk-off win.
Head coach Tom McReynolds enjoyed the experience and said it was experience that helped his team perform well under a lot of pressure against high-quality opponents.
“It was a great experience,” McReynolds said. “It puts kids on a big stage and is a lot of pressure. There is a lot of pressure as a coach but I think there is a lot more pressure as a kid. Everything is on a schedule based on what TV wants and the kids are getting interviewed. This was a very high level of baseball. There are some kids here that can really play well.”
While the team won a game last season in the regional, it topped that performance by winning a pair of games by 10 runs in this year’s tournament.
In the 10-0 win against Oklahoma, Starkville Little League pitching stifled the team from Tulsa, allowing just one hit in the shutout. Cole Gonzales led the team at the plate, going 2-for-2 on the day. Harris McReynolds, Will McReynolds, Koby Livingston, Brylee Wall and Hayes Davis all earned a hit in the victory. Both McReynolds and Davis hit a double. Wall earned the win in 2 2/3 innings of no-hit ball and seven strikeouts. Davis allowed one hit and struck out one in 1 1/3 innings.
Two days later, Gonzales had a big day at the plate in a 16-6 win against Colorado, going 2-for-3 with five RBIs. Four of those RBIs came on a grand slam in the first inning that saw Starkville take a 7-0 lead that was never relinquished. Colorado trimmed Starkville’s lead down to 7-6, but a four-run fourth inning and a five-run fifth was enough to put away Colorado, whose players were from the Boulder area. Will McReynolds was 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of RBIs.
On the mound against Colorado, Colby Allen, Harris McReynolds, Cole Gonzales and Brylee Wall combined to strike out nine batters in the contest. Wall led all pitchers with four strikeouts and pitched the final 1 2/3 innings.
Coach McReynolds was proud of his team’s efforts and hard work leading up to the regional tournament.
“I am very proud of my group of kids,” McReynolds said. “We worked really hard practicing for about three weeks leading up to (the regional).”
“Being associated with and going to that tournament is the best thing I have ever done with youth sports,” McReynolds added.
The Starkville Little League team included Aiden Fancher, Colby Allen, Brylee Wall, Randall Futral, Koby Livingston, Harris McReynolds, Xavier Sherman, Cole Gonzales, Porter Skelton, Hayes Davis and Will McReynolds.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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