By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Rowan Little League softball’s 12U all-stars will be in another World Series.

Rowan finished a 4-0 run in the nationally televised Southeast Regional on Friday with a 9-4 victory over Virginia. It was the closest game Rowan had in the regional. Virginia went 4-2 in the tournament.

‘We had the advantage of a day off (on Thursday), and the girls didn’t let playing one game for the championship make them nervous,” Rowan manager Brett Mulkey said. ‘They played loose and played together. We keep getting better every game.”

The play of Friday’s game was a remarkable diving catch by Rowan catcher Tenley Shell. She not only snagged a popup with a dive toward the third-base line, she bounced to her feet and doubled a runner off first base.

“You might see that one on ESPN’s top 10 plays of the day,” Mulkey said.

Rowan stayed hot at the plate. Runs were never an issue throughout the regional tournament.

“Approaches were good and we had great at-bats up and down the lineup,” Mulkey said. “We ran the bases very well, and our offense is really starting to click. I believe we scored all of our nine runs with two outs. A lot of girls had clutch hits.”

Pitcher Bristol Smith had two of the biggest hits, including one in the bottom of the first. Evee Baxter and Peyton Mulkey. The manager’s daughter, also had key hits.

“And we had fun support and community support at a level you won’t see in very many places,” Mulkey said. “We’re very lucky to have that. People drove down just to watch Friday’s game, and I’m talking about fans who don’t have a child or grandchild on the team.”

This is the fifth time Rowan has won the Southeast Regional Tournament. Rowan also won the regional in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019.

This will be Rowan’s seventh trip to the World Series. Rowan won the World Series in 2015 and 2019 and was runner-up in 2016 and 2017. Rowan also was a World Series participant in 2021 and 2023.

“I think Little League competition is getting tougher every year, especially in North Carolina, but our girls did it,” said Mulkey, who was a baseball and basketball standout at North Rowan High. “We couldn’t be more excited and more proud than we are. We’ll head back home on Friday night, and we’ll regroup and start getting ready for the World Series.”

The World Series will be played in Greenville, N.C., on Aug. 4-11.

Rowan will be one of 12 teams in the field. There are eight American teams, including Rowan, which will be playing as “Southeast.” Pitt County, Rowan’s biggest rival, will be playing as “North Carolina” as the host team.

Pitt County beat Rowan 6-1 early in the state tournament in Huntersville and went on to earn a direct entry into the World Series as champion of the host state. Rowan won its last three games in the state tourney to finish second, before going undefeated in the regional, so Rowan will take a seven-game winning streak into the World Series.

Rowan will be in the Orange Bracket for the World Series, a pool of six teams that will include the champions of Canada and Latin America as well as the Northwest, Southwest and Central Regional champions. Six more teams, including representatives from Europe-Africa and Asia-Pacific will be in the Purple Bracket.

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The Rowan team: Evee Baxter, Harper Deal, Megan Linebarger, Mak Melchor, Peyton Mulkey, Mary Kate Okula, Ashlynn Pfister, Leniyah Ratcliffe, Khloe Ratliff, Tenley Shell, Jaycee Small, Bristol Smith and Emory Stewart.

Brett Mulkey’s assistant coaches are Jac White Mulkey and Jeff Bernhardt.