Staff report

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — The Rowan Little League 12U softball team will play McLean, Va., at 10 a.m. on Friday for the Southeast Regional championship and a berth in the World Series.

Virginia smashed Florida 10-0 on Thursday to reach the regional final.

Rowan did not play on Thursday.

Rowan is 3-0 and Virginia is 4-1, but with a modified double elimination format this is a winner-take-all game. Virginia, which roared back through the loser’s bracket after an early loss to Florida, only has to beat Rowan once.

“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.”

The game will be televised by the ESPN network.

Rowan (3-0) battered Florida 10-0 on Wednesday in the winner’s bracket final to advance to the regional championship game.

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

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.

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