Bartow County wins Georgia Junior Little League state championship

July 11, 2024 Charles Wilson / BartowSportsZone.com

The Bartow County Little League 14U baseball team won the 2024 Georgia Junior Little League state championship July 6-10 by going 4-0 in the double-elimination tournament hosted by Hamilton Crossing Park.

Bartow County had wins over Peachtree City, Vine-Ingle, and two wins over Hart County to win the title. The local team outscored opponents 51-8 en route to the championship.

Bartow advances to the Southeast Region Junior League tournament on July 19-23 in Bridgewater, Virginia.

In last Saturday’s 12-1 win over Peachtree City, Hunter Dudley collected the pitching win by working into the fifth inning on the mound. He yielded just one, unearned run on two hits and three walks with three strikeouts. Darren Cole (1.1 IP, 2BB) and Nicholas Robinson pitched in relief. Robinson struck out the only batter he faced.

The locals needed just seven hits in the opening round while taking advantage of 13 walks issued by Peachtree City pitchers and five errors.

On Sunday, Bartow 14U was outhit by Vine-Ingle six to five, but a seven-run fifth inning helped lift the local team to a 10-5 victory.

Elijah Bryant picked up the pitching win in relief of starting pitcher, Tyler Parker. Bryant entered in the third inning and went 3-⅓ innings while allowing just one earned run on three hits and two walks. He struck out three. Parker yielded three earned runs in the first two innings on two hits and five walks with two strikeouts. Bartow utilized three other pitchers to close out the victory — Landon Farmer (2BF, 2BB), Grayson Isham (1.1 IP, 1ER, 1H, 1BB, 2K), and Kasey Jacobs (0.1 IP, 2BB).

Dustin Wallin tossed a four-inning, no-hitter on Monday as Bartow County blanked Hart County, 16-0. Wallin walked three and recorded five strikeouts, facing only 13 batters. Bartow outhit Hart 9-0.

After Hart County won an elimination game on Tuesday to earn a rematch with Bartow on Wednesday, the locals completed their run to the state title with a 13-2 victory. Jacobs and Isham combined on the mound to limit Hart County to two runs on four hits and eight walks in six innings. Jacobs fanned three as Bartow outhit the visitors 12-4.

In the four games of the state tournament, Isham and Wallin paced the Bartow County offense with six hits. Isham had five doubles and one triple with seven RBI. Wallin homered and doubled. He drove in nine runs.

Robinson totaled five hits in the tournament with six RBI. David Vigil followed with four hits including a double and one RBI. Farmer collected three hits and three RBI. Parker (double, three RBI), Bryant (RBI), and Jarrett Jackson (four RBI) produced two hits in the tournament. Wyatt Garlin (double, three RBI), Cole (three RBI), Dudley (two RBI), and Jacobs (two RBI) added one hit each.

Editor’s note: Game data provided by Bartow County Little League.