Staff report

The Rowan Little League 12U team won the state championship on Thursday in Marion.

Rowan beat Pitt County 8-5 in the final.

Rowan went 4-0 in the tournament, beating Pitt twice, as well as Lake Norman and McDowell.

Rowan players are Madyson Baker, Leisha Carter, Jordan Dry, Kaylee Furr, Brinley Hiatt, Josephina Huynh, Caroline Lyerly, Myla McNeely, Reese Poole, Sophia Redding, Danica Rosa, Eva Shue, Leah Troutman and Regan Williams.

Poole pitched three shutouts in the state tournament for Rowan.

Coaches are Donnell Poole, Charlie Dry and Allen Baker.

Little League softball was shut down by COVID last summer, but this is the sixth straight 12U state championship for Rowan Little League.

Next for Rowan is the Southeast Regional in Warner Robins, Ga., July 24-28.

Rowan will play the West Virginia champions at 11 a.m. on July 24 to open the regional tournament. There are three games on the first day.

Also in the regional are Florida, Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.

The Rowan-West Virginia winner plays Tennessee at noon on July 25.

The Southeast Regional is one of five in the United States. The Central Regional is being played in Indiana. The East Regional is in Connecticut. The West Regional is in California, while the Southwest Regional takes place in Texas.

This year’s softball World Series will be held in Greenville, N.C., on Aug. 11-18.

Due to COVID concerns, this year’s tournament will not include international teams. The top two teams from each of the five U.S. regionals will advance to the World Series.