Columbia 11u claimed its fifth straight state championship since it’s been together Sunday in Laurel while outscoring the opposition 61-10 in five games.
The all-stars kicked off the tournament with a 10-5 win over Laurel Friday night before completely dominating their morning game Saturday. The all-stars scored 19 first-inning runs that included a three-run homer by Logan Buckley to top Philadelphia 22-0. In the nightcap Saturday, Columbia kept the momentum going with a 17-1 victory over Pike County.
In the semifinals Sunday against Laurel Red, the all-stars dominated once again with a 13-1 blowout win. It wasn’t until the championship against Laurel Blue that the 11u squad got tested, but it still pulled through with a 4-3 win to raise the trophy.
“It’s a combination of a lot of years’ work that has gone into (five straight state titles) and a lot of people helping out. We’ve had consistency with the players, the coaches and the parents, and the consistent production can be attributed to that,” Ryan Stringer said. “Five years is a long time.”
Stringer added the pitching carried the team, and the offense, although it had a couple slow innings, was good as well.
Columbia 11u will play in the Invitational World Series July 19 through July 21 in Brookhaven.
Pictured Above: Columbia 11u's Logan Buckley crushes a three-run homer against Philadelphia. | Photo by Joshua Campbell
