Biloxi wins Little League title, advances to Waco regionals

The Biloxi Little League Major Division (12 year-old) All-Stars won the state championship Saturday, July 23, beating Natchez in Hattiesburg 13-0 and 11-0 in a best two out of 3 series. The team now advances to the Little League Southwest Regional beginning Aug. 7 in Waco, Texas.

Radio station WXBD-AM 1490 will broadcast the Biloxi games live (see schedule below), and ESPN will televise the regional finals at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13.

In order to compete for the state title, Biloxi won the Mississippi Little League District 2 championship tournament July 11-17 at the Biloxi Sports Complex where they scored 67 runs and allowed only 5. District 2 Little League includes Woolmarket, D’Iberville, Ocean Springs, Gulfport and Biloxi. Biloxi went undefeated in District and State play. During the state and district tournaments, Biloxi pitchers struck out 60 batters in 29 innings and its offense hit 10 home runs.

This is the first time that Biloxi has sent a team to the Little League regionals since Mississippi became a part of the Southwest Region formed in 2002. Mississippi had competed in the Southern Regional tournament and the Gulf States Regional tournament held in Gulfport, Fla., near St. Petersburg.

This is only the third team that Biloxi has sent to a Little League regional tournament in the last 15 years, the last team qualifying in 2001. This is also the first team from the new Biloxi Little League, which was formed when Biloxi National Little League and Biloxi American Little League merged at the new Biloxi Sports Complex earlier this year.

Biloxi will represent Mississippi, competing with seven teams in the Southwest tournament, several of whom are still competing in their state playoffs. The Southwest is one of eight US Little League regionals being held across the country. Mississippi’s pool (Pool A) includes Mississippi, Texas East, Oklahoma and New Mexico. Pool B includes Louisiana, Arkansas, Colorado and Texas West.

Biloxi will face Oklahoma on Sunday, Aug. 7 at 6 p.m., East Texas on Monday, Aug. 8 at 1 p.m. and New Mexico on Tues., Aug. 9 at 6 p.m. in a Round Robin format. Those teams winning two or more games will advance to a single elimination playoff round beginning Wednesday, Aug. 10. That round will culminate in the ESPN televised final game on Sunday, Aug. 13. The winner of the Southwest regional will advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania Aug. 19-28.

Members of the team are D. J. Hogue Grant Griswold, Nick Wheelock, Brandon Pace, Jordan Mata, Blake Plummer, Jacob Turk, Justin Freche, Hawtin Buchanan, Zach Mayhew, and.Jer-rel Mark. Coaches are Dave Hogue, Doug Mata and Pat Buchanan, and manager is Keith Wheelock. To see a photo of the team, click here.

Little League provides housing and meals for players and coaches. However, the team is raising funds to help with transportation costs for players and families, as well as hotels and meals for the families for the 8-day duration of the tournament. If you would like to make a donation, contact Allison Buchanan, Treasurer, Biloxi Little League at (228) 596-3192 or email ab@buchanangroup.com.

More information about all of the regional tournaments and the Little League World Series brackets and schedules can be found on at www.littleleague.org.