STARKVILLE — Starkville Little League is an undeniable powerhouse in Mississippi.
Following a tight 3-2 victory over Clinton in Thursday’s Mississippi Little League state title game, Starkville took home its seventh state title since 2015, advancing to the Southwest Regional in Waco, Texas.
“At the end of the day, they’re just winners,” Starkville LL coach Wes Gordon said. “I’ve been watching them since they were six years old and every year, they’ve been successful. This week was tough. Our championship game was tough. They didn’t play great, but they found a way to win.”
In the eight Little League World Series competitions held since then, excluding 2020, where it wasn’t held, Mississippi has been represented by a team based in Starkville.
Since the expansion and addition of the Southwest Region in 2001, made up of Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Colorado and New Mexico, only Ocean Springs has represented the Magnolia State as many times.
“I’m super proud of them,” Gordon said. “It took every one of them at some point in time to win this week and we’re pumped about going to Waco.”
Now, Starkville LL will look to end a Little League World Series drought that has existed since 1977.
Just one team from Mississippi has ever made it to Williamsport, and despite a tough road ahead of them, beginning at 10 a.m. Aug. 3 against the East Texas representative, this team is ready to go.
“It’s going to be great,” Gordon said. “This was the goal. We’re fortunate that we had four kids on this year’s team who experienced it last year, so they have that taste of what it’s like. It’s so different than any ball that we play up until this point. It’s the purest form of baseball I’ve ever seen…We’re pumped up.”
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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