Along with sweltering heat, another certainty of the summer is success for the Starkville Little League All-Stars.
The baseball team made up of 11- and 12-year-olds won their third-straight state tournament Thursday night with a 14-0, four-inning victory against Brookhaven at Vernon Dahmer Park in Hattiesburg.
Starkville defeated Brookhaven 12-1 on Monday and Jones County 17-1 on Tuesday. All victories came by the run rule.
“Offensively, we had three great games,” Starkville coach Russ McReynolds. “We had guys hit the ball up and down the lineup. That is what you have to have to win tournaments like this.”
Starkville will play McAllister Park National LL (San Antonio, Texas West) at 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3, at Marvin Norcross Stadium in Waco, Texas. The team will leave Aug. 1.
The five regional winners will advance to the Little League World Series, which will be Aug. 17-27 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
All of the games from the Southwest Regional will be shown live on the Longhorn Network and also available on the Watch ESPN App.
“It’s a really big challenge,” McReynolds. “The competition will be much tougher. We are going to have a great week of practice and go see what we can do. I think being mentally sharp is something that will be real important.”
In the second victory against Brookhaven, Brennon Wright and Ethan Pulliam each threw two innings of shutout ball. A three-run home run by Jett Joiner highlighted a four-run second-inning as the locals matched their first-inning output and built an 8-0 lead.
Russ McReynolds has taken over this squad after his brother, Tom, coached the team each of the past two seasons. This season, Tom McReynolds is coaching the Starkville Intermediate 50/70 League team. That group of 13-year-olds play in competition design to help Little League All-Stars transition into the Junior and Senior Leagues.
Tom McReynolds’ 13-year-old squad also has advanced to regional play and was set to begin play Saturday in Grand Junction, Colorado.
A year ago, Starkville won two games in Waco. That experience should prove beneficial as the squad prepares for the increased challenges ahead.
“The experience of being out there the last couple of years will help tremendously,” McReynolds said. “The players know what it takes to win games in that tournament.”
In addition to Wright, Pulliam, and Joiner, Eli Dale, Xavier Prater, Mac McReynolds, Jack Ruth, Cy Hallberg, Aiden Harper, Bentley King, and Newt Thomas round out the team.
Eric Hallberg and Tyler Johnson are assistant coaches.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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