Staff report

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Rowan Little League 12U rolled again on Wednesday in the Southeast Regional Tournament.

Rowan (3-0) battered Florida 10-0 to advance to the regional championship game. The regional champion goes to the World Series.

That championship game will be played on Friday at 10 a.m.

Florida plays Virginia on Thursday morning to determine Rowan’s opponent.

The format for the regional is modified double elimination, which means that there’s a single state championship game. Rowan is undefeated in the event, but Florida or Virginia, both of whom have one loss, would only have to beat Rowan once, not twice.

“That kind of takes away the advantage of being undefeated,” Rowan manager Brett Mulkey said. “But it is what it is. The girls are playing really well and we’ve just got to keep it rolling for another game.”

Rowan smacked Georgia 12-0 and Tennessee 10-3 earlier in the tournament.

Rowan was off on Tuesday, but the girls weren’t idle.

“Team breakfast and then a practice,” Mulkey said. “Then they played laser tag, went bowling and went to an arcade. Then they wanted to go shopping. They stayed busy.”

It was back to baseball on Wednesday, and Rowan continued to get the job done.

“We expected a much tougher game with Florida, as they were 2-0 and had a really good pitcher and catcher,” Mulkey said. “But we played at a high level, and it was easier than anyone anticipated. We’ve got a pitcher (Bristol Smith) who isn’t a big strikeout pitcher, but she can throw three or four pitches for strikes and she doesn’t walk people. We usually play good defense behind her, so we don’t give up many runs.”

Rowan had another double play against Florida.

Rowan has shown some resilience. Rowan had a bye into the second round of the state tournament in Huntersville, but lost 6-1 to Pitt County in the first game that Rowan played. Rowan came back from that disappointment and won three in a row. Pitt County earned the direct entry to the World Series that goes to the North Carolina champion as the host state, but Rowan finished second and earned the chance to represent North Carolina in the Southeast Regional.

“North Carolina is a talent-rich state for softball as well as baseball,” Mulkey said. “I think our state tournament would probably match up with any. Mallard Creek was very solid. Johnston County had one of the best hitting teams we’ve seen. Pitt County is really good, with two dominant pitchers. We’re the only team in the regional that didn’t win their state, but we’re going pretty well.”

Rowan is on a path now that could lead to a return to the World Series, so a rematch with Pitt County in Pitt County’s backyard isn’t out of the question.

“We would have to play our best to beat Pitt County, but I do think our girls can play with them,” Mulkey said. “We had the bases loaded twice when we played them, but we couldn’t get the big hit. We’ve improved a whole lot since then. We’re still getting better every day.”

Mulkey and assistant coach (and wife) Jac White Mulkey and assistant coach Jeff Bernhardt will try to keep the team busy and laughing again on Thursday.

Then they’ll have to refocus on Friday to try to win one more big game.

Rowan Little League has taken the long and winding road to the World Series this year, but the goal is clearly in sight.