Northern LL too much for Sumter Area

Chris Whitaker The Americus Times-Recorder

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.”

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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.”

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