Hart County Little League in Scores in Tournament Play

By Charlie Bauder, WNEG Radio, Toccoa

Some of the top 10 and 11-year-old Little League baseball teams in the state are in Toccoa this week.

Toccoa Little League is hosting the Georgia 10 and 11-year-old State Baseball Tournament at the Doyle Street Park.  Games started Saturday.  The tournament banquet was Friday at Stephens County High School.

Speaking at the banquet was University Of Georgia Head Baseball Coach Scott Stricklin.  He says the age of 10 and 11 is when he realized he wanted to spend his life in the game of baseball.

“I played other sports, whatever season it was, that was my favorite sport,” Stricklin said. “But when I got to be 11 and 12 years old, I realized that was my sport and I realized that was what I wanted to do with my life, and it was because of my experience with Little League.”

Stricklin also says that the game of baseball will teach a lot about life, including how to handle adversity.

“Your moms and dads and grandparetns can all tell you about the tough times you’re going to go through,” he said. “And this game of baseball is going to teach you how to deal with those tough times. You’re going to have a lot of 0-4’s in your life. You’re going to have a lot of days on the mound when you give up a lot of runs, and you’re going to have a lot of errors. But you know what? There’s another game tomorrow. You got to pick yourself up and you got to play tomorrow. And that’s what you have to do in the game of life. You have to pick yourself up and move on.”

Stricklin told the players to always give 100 percent and play the game with enthusiasm.

Hart County is representing District 7 in the tournament.  In its first game, Hart County beat West Point 12-2 on Saturday.

Hart lost to Cartersville on Sunday, 8-7.  Hart plays Vine Ingle today at 3:30 p.m.

Meantime, in the 11 and 12-year-old Little League Baseball All-Stars District 7 Tournament,  Hart County dominated Toccoa Friday in Clarkesville, beating them 21-0 in four innings.

Toccoa could not get a hit against the Hart County pitcher, Casey Tallent, and the Hart County bats were hot, scoring 7 runs in the first inning, including 2 home runs; 5 runs in the second inning; and 9 runs in the 3rd, including 4 homers.

Hart County went undefeated in the tournament, and will represent District 7 in the state tournament in Athens beginning July 25th.