STARKVILLE

Starkville started the tournament by beating Winona 18-6 in the first pool play game on Friday and got the No. 1 seed by knocking off Louisville 16-0 that night. On Saturday, Starkville played Eupora and dispatched of them with a 12-0 victory.

Starkville did have to play a semifinal game earlier on Sunday when it took on Winona for the second time this weekend. It gave up one run and one hit with two innings from Major Smith and an inning from Jackson Riekhof. Meanwhile, the offense continued its tear at the plate.

In just two innings of offense, Starkville beat down Winona 15-1. It got a 2-for3 day from Luke Johnson with a double, two-run home runs from Cameron Sherman and Luke Mckenzie, 2-for-2 days for Major Smith and Tanner Mckee and hits from Kade Waltman, Walker Hilbun and Riekhof.

After that, the rain came and didn’t allow for a final game, but Starkville had made its point well known.

The team, as it is now, has finished its rec league for the year but several of the players will continue on in the Little League Southwest Regional qualifiers coming up at the end of the month. Starkville Little League has made it to Waco, Texas, for the Southwest Region Tournament on a couple of occasions the last few years but they were held out last season.

Smith and his team is hoping to change that this year.

“It’s going to be a different type of baseball,” Smith said. “Hopefully if we win, we’ll be on a much bigger stage as well. I’m really looking forward to it.”