COLUMBUS —
Scot Graddick knew Northern Little League would bring the best team Sumter Area would face all summer.
He just didn’t realize just how powerful Northern would be.
Northern pounded out 43 hits in two games and beat Sumter 20-2 and 26-1 to advance to the state tournament.
“They are an incredible team and an order of magnitude better than us,” said Graddick. “They have outstanding pitching, and every ball they hit was on a line; it was just a shot. They hit it harder than any group of kids I’ve ever seen, and I don’t think our kids are used to seeing anything like that ever.”
Both games lasted four innings.
Brandon Looney’s 2-run home run in the first inning Thursday night gave Sumter an early 2-0 lead. But that would be it as the team finished five hits, including a Will Graddick double, while striking out 11 times. Scot Graddick said the team committed six errors.
Jacob Pate led Northern with four hits — two home runs and two doubles — as it had 15 extra-base hits total.
“They’re very well-coached team, and they’re big,” said Graddick. “Will, he’s 5-7 and 195 (pounds), and he seemed like a baby next to them. I felt like we were playing a high school team. They were good.
“We’re not a bad team, and we were very competitive with the towns around here and towns even bigger than us. What they have in Columbus is a completely different thing altogether.”
Graddick said the start of Friday’s game was indicative of the entire series. Pitcher Hoyt Gurley used up 10 pitches on the first batter before Northern got a hit, and it scored nine runs before the first out was recorded.
“They don’t strike out looking,” said Graddick. “They foul balls off until they get a ball they can drive, and then they drive it.”
Northern had five home runs this game, including two grand slams. Kobe Bugioli had four hits, including three round-trippers.
“Whenever we pumped a fast ball to them, the ball left a lot quicker than it crossed the plate,” said Graddick.
Sumter had four hits in the game, including a double from Ridge Roland. Taylor Weldon drove in the lone run with a single in the fourth.
Sumter had five errors in the game and struck out six times. It used five pitchers in the series — four on Thursday and three on Friday.
“All I can say is that I was in awe,” said Graddick. “I’ll be watching Little League the rest of the summer. I want to see a team that can beat this team, and if a team can, that team is all-world. Those boys are absolutely outstanding from top to bottom in the lineup. I don’t even think we faced their best pitching. All of our boys were impressed with them.”
Sumter finished the summer with a 14-10 record. It beat every team it played at least once with the exception of Northern and Crisp County, which won the GRPA district.
“I’m extremely proud of them,” said Graddick. “I feel like a lot of folks wrote us off before we even got started. I had a blast, and I wouldn’t trade any of these kids for any other players. When I’m 90 years old and in the nursing home, I’ll think of how much fun I had with the Sumter Titans and this whole group of kids.”
———
The 8-and-under team lost its first two games at the GRPA state tournament. It lost 4-3 to Thomasville and 12-8 to Rockmart County.
“I’m so proud of them,” said coach Danny Minick. “They never gave up, and they played real hard.”
Local Sports
Northern LL too much for Sumter Area
- Local Sports
-
-
Eagles land two on All-Region Team, have four honorable mention
Two members of the Marion County baseball team were named to the 2012 All-Region Second Team for Region 4-A recently and four other players received honorable mention. The group of Eagle standouts was lead by Dylan McClellan and Jake McTaggert, who each represent Marion County on the Second Team.
-
Southland star signs with GSW
Alex Lindsey will be continuing her softball career at the college level, and she will not have to move very far to accomplish that feat. Lindsey, the superstar pitcher for the Southland Academy Lady Raiders softball team, signed with the Georgia Southwestern State University Hurricanes on Tuesday.
-
Wildcats’ baseball season comes to an end
Last Tuesday the Schley County Wildcats traveled to Charlton County to take on the Indians in the Class A state quarterfinals. The two teams were the final two public schools left in the Class A playoffs.
-
McKenzie selected to take part in Future Stars Game
Staley Middle School eighth grade quarterback Emory McKenzie is no stranger to success. Even McKenzie said he was taken aback, however, when he learned that he was chosen to represent his state in the Future Stars Game on June 16th.
-
Blue team holds off late charge from Gold team in Americus-Sumter’s 2012 spring football game
In the first Americus-Sumter football action of the 2012 year, the Blue team survived a late charge by the Gold team to earn the victory in the Panthers’ 2012 Spring game. After taking an early 13-0 lead, the Blue team had to sack Gold team quarterback Jonathon Thomas late in the fourth quarter to preserve a 13-6 win and earn bragging rights until next spring.
-
Former GSW and SGTC coach Dawson named head coach at Central Georgia Technical College
Another former Georgia Southwestern assistant basketball coach will be the head coach of another program next fall. Reco Dawson, who was an assistant coach on Mike Leeder’s staff at GSW during the 2011-2012 basketball season, recently accepted the head coaching position at Central Georgia Technical College in Macon, Georgia.
-
GSW's Griffin secures top 10 finish at Nationals
He started the tournament with a birdie. He ended the tournament with a birdie. In between, Georgia Southwestern golfer J.P. Griffin continued to play some terrific golf at the three-round, three-day NCAA Division II National Championships. Griffin finished at 4-under par and tied for ninth place in the 108-player field.
-
GSW club fishing team to compete in National Tournament
Georgia Southwestern has a long history of being successful in athletics. From boasting the 2002 NAIA Player of the Year in baseball player Paul Bush, to winning the school’s first Division Championship in the NCAA-era with a Western Division Championship in the 2011 basketball season.
-
Americus-Sumter dominates All-Region soccer team
The Region 1-AAA All-Region team was recently announced, and the Americus-Sumter Panthers won numerous awards from the head man all the way down to a freshman. After having an amazing year in which the Panthers finished with a 12-5 record and won the school’s first ever Region Championship in soccer, the Americus-Sumter soccer teams and head coach were recognized for all of their hard work with numerous post season awards.
-
Panthers spring football game set for Friday
Local football fans that are foaming at the mouth waiting for August to roll around can get a taste for the upcoming season this Friday night as the Americus-Sumter Panthers will be hosting their annual Blue-Gold spring game. The Panthers, who finished as the Region 1-AAA runner up in 2010 and 2011, will see how their team has progressed through their spring practices and evaluate their positions for the upcoming 2012 season.
- More Local Sports Headlines
-
