Georgia's Columbus Northern Little League was the visiting team in the opening game of the Southeastern Region tournament at Gulfport, Florida, and thus was the first of the eight tourney participants to come to the plate.

Pitcher Kyle Carter led off the game, and slammed a pitch over the scoreboard beyond the right center field fence. Josh Lester followed, and stroked an opposite field home run. Cody Walker stepped to the plate, and sent yet another pitch flying beyond the outfield fence.

Exit Bridgeport (West Virginia) Little League's starting pitcher. Three batters into the game -- three batters into the tournament -- Columbus Northern had hit as many home runs as any of the other eventual semifinalists would muster over the course of three pool games.

"Those guys can swing it," observed Greater Dunedin (Florida) Little League manager Matt Morrow.

"If Georgia wins this thing, they're going to go very far at the World Series," added Cottage Hill Little League (Mobile, Alabama) manager Gene Wyatt after his team fell to Columbus Northern later in the tournament. "It wasn't just one or two guys on their team. They can all hit."

Northern rang up ten runs in that first inning -- Patrick Stallings and Walker (again) also went yard before the third out was recorded, then Carter took the mound and struck out all three batters he faced in the bottom of the inning.

"We were hot early," said Columbus Northern manager Randy Morris. "I couldn't have asked for a better start."

Morris will not likely quibble with the finish, either. Not just in that early-round game, which Columbus Northern won easily by a 16-0 score, but in the tournament, and ultimately, the summer. The Georgia champions went on to defeat Greater Dunedin, 5-0, in the Southeastern Region championship game at Al Lang Stadium. And as Wyatt suggested, Northern had an extended stay in South Williamsport. Seventeen days after winning the Southeastern Region title, Columbus Northern defeated Kawaguchi (Japan) Little League, 2-1, at Howard J. Lamade Stadium to win the Little League World Series.

Carter pitched only the one inning in Northern's inaugural victory in Gulfport, but was on the mound for the duration of the region championship game. The hard-throwing left-hander allowed five hits, and struck out 14 Dunedin batters while walking none.

"It's tough when you've got someone like that on the mound," said Morrow of Carter. "They get a run or two on the board and it's tough to come back."

Columbus stranded five baserunners in the first two innings but slowly built its lead. Carter scored on a wild pitch in the opening frame, then Stallings homered over the right field fence in the third. Lester poked a two-run single into left field in the fourth, and Northern added a run in the fifth following a Dunedin error.

Three of the five Columbus baserunners who scored had walked, including Carter (7-for-9 with 15 runs scored in the tournament) on two occasions. Greater Dunedin pitched around Carter in each of his plate appearances -- a common occurrence throughout the international tournament -- and walked him all four times.

Dunedin threatened early, moving runners into scoring position in each of the game's first three innings, but Carter cut short each of the rallies without allowing a run.

"We left too many baserunners on base, and you can't do that," said Greater Dunedin coach Don Schnitzhofer.

"Dunedin is a great team, and we had to bring it," said Morris. "They hit the ball well and there is a reason they made it to the regional final."

One of the reasons was pitcher Noah Klassen, who struck out seven and scattered six hits against a Columbus lineup that hit at least three home runs in each of its prior region tournament games.

"Klassen was every bit as good as advertised," said Morris of the Dunedin pitcher. "We were able to scratch across some runs early, and that was big."

"Noah pitched fantastic," agreed Morrow. "He kept us in the game and was poised out there."

Carter, who earlier had pitched a complete game one-hitter during pool competition, ran his tournament-leading strikeout total to 33 batters in 13 innings pitched.

"It's no secret that as Kyle goes, our team goes," said Morris of Carter, whose six region tournament home runs came on the heels of ten at the Georgia state tournament in Augusta.

"A player like Kyle comes along once every 15 to 20 years," added the Georgia manager. "I'm sure glad he's on my side."

Morris and Carter had actually been at the region tournament once before -- when Morris was a coach and Carter a ten-year-old cheering on his cousin Johnny as Columbus Northern's 2004 all-star team came within a game of the Little League World Series before falling to Morganton (North Carolina) Little League in the region championship game.

“I think this team is a little stronger,” said Morris of Northern's 2006 edition. “Our pitchers throw harder and we hit a little deeper through the lineup.”

Northern's potent offense was on display throughout the region tournament. The Georgia champions hit a collective .371 and pounded 17 home runs, with seven different players clearing the fences. Walker batted .611 (11-for-18) and hit four home runs, including a walk-off grand slam in Northern's come-from-behind, 10-6 victory over Greater Dunedin during pool competition. Lester batted .466 and scored six times, while Stallings homered three times and J.T. Phillips drove in six runs.

Northern's pitchers were equally overpowering, not allowing a run in 25 of the 26 defensive innings the team played and finishing the tournament with a collective 51-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Carter handled Greater Dunedin in the championship game, and also struck out 16 batters against a Columbia American (Tennessee) Little League team that had the misfortune of facing Klassen and Carter in its first two pool games.

Phillips later pitched Northern into the championship game, striking out ten, walking none, and overpowering Cottage Hill with a four inning no-hitter in an 11-0 semifinal round victory. Phillips, Brady Hamilton, and Matthew Kuhlenberg each delivered run-scoring singles as Columbus Northern batted around in a five run third inning rally that sealed the victory. Phillips added a three-run homer, while Carter and Stallings also cleared the fences for the Georgia champions.

"It's real exciting for the kids right now," said Morris after the win. "They're starting to realize what's about to happen."

The win earned Columbus Northern a rematch with Greater Dunedin, which capitalized on seven walks and five wild pitches to edge Greenville Tar Heel (North Carolina) Little League, 4-2, in the other semifinal. Alex Hart's second inning home run gave the Florida champions their first two runs, and two more scored on wild pitches in the fifth.

Tar Heel pitchers combined to strike out 17 Greater Dunedin batters in the game, with starter Stephen Whedbee fanning 15 in 5-1/3 innings and reliever Austin Chiang striking out the only two batters he faced.

Greater Dunedin pitcher Will Honeycutt stranded a pair of baserunners with two strikeouts in the first inning, then escaped a bases loaded, no-out threat in the third.

"Any time in a Little League game at this level, at a regional, and you get 17 of 18 outs by strikeout, you'd think you'd be in a pretty good position to win the ballgame," said North Carolina manager Eric Jarman. "Unfortunately for us, we couldn't get the timely hit that we needed to win."

Timely hits were in abundance for Columbus Northern, which brought two of its families full-circle by reaching the region tournament. Josh Lester's father Jimmy and Kyle Carter's father Richard had both played on state championship teams from the now-defunct Columbus Eastern Little League during their playing days. Johnny Lester's team reached the Southern Region semifinals in 1973, while Richard Carter's 1967 squad fell to eventual Little League World Series qualifier West Tampa (Florida) Little League in a divisional tournament. In 2006, they were outside the lines, watching their children follow a similar footpath.

"For me, it was great," said the elder Carter of Columbus Northern's journey through the 2006 international tournament. "I got to come to the World Series as a dad, as a coach, and I got to see my son pitch the World Series-winning game."

It was a progression that Northern knew was possible at the outset of the tournament, but one that they dared not dream could come true -- particularly just two years removed from a near-miss. Morris noted along the tournament trail that each step closer made his team not only want more, but also believe more. Somewhere between Northern's 22-2 thrashing of Columbus Peach Little League in the opening round of district play and the force out that secured victory in the Little League World Series championship game, Columbus Northern turned a dream into reality.

Great beginnings. Even better endings.

Cody Walker connects for a two-run home run in Columbus Northern's 8-0 victory over Tennessee during pool competition. (Photo courtesy of Columbus Northern Little League. Reprinted with permission.)

J.T. Phillips' four inning no-hitter against Alabama lifted Columbus Northern into the region championship game. (Photo courtesy of Columbus Northern Little League. Reprinted with permission.)

Kyle Carter's post-game interview after the region championship game win over Greater Dunedin is interrupted by a celebratory ice bath from his teammates. (Photo courtesy of Columbus Northern Little League. Reprinted with permission.)

Columbus Northern became Georgia's second-ever Little League World Series qualifier, and later, the state's second-ever World Series champion. (Photo courtesy of Columbus Northern Little League. Reprinted with permission.)

Linescores:

Pool Play Game 1	1	2	3	4	5	6		R	H	E
Columbus Northern (Georgia)	10	1	3	2				16	14	0
Bridgeport (West Virginia)	0	0	0	0				0	2	1
Pool Play Game 2
Cottage Hill (Alabama)	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	2	2
Greenville Tar Heel (North Carolina)	0	0	0	0	0	1		1	3	1
Pool Play Game 3
Tuckahoe National (Virginia)	3	0	0	2	1	1		7	11	0
TCFM Yellow Jacket (South Carolina)	0	0	0	0	0	1		1	5	1
Pool Play Game 4
Greater Dunedin (Florida)	2	0	3	2	1	2		10	6	1
Columbia American (Tennessee)	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	2	3
Pool Play Game 5
TCFM Yellow Jacket (South Carolina)	1	0	0	1	3	0		5	7	1
Greenville Tar Heel (North Carolina)	2	2	0	2	1	x		7	16	2
Pool Play Game 6
Columbus Northern (Georgia)	1	0	2	0	1	4		8	8	0
Columbia American (Tennessee)	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	1	3
Pool Play Game 7
Greater Dunedin (Florida)	0	2	0	3	11			16	10	0
Bridgeport (West Virginia)	0	0	0	0	0			0	3	3
Pool Play Game 8
Tuckahoe National (Virginia)	1	0	1	0	0			2	3	4
Cottage Hill (Alabama)	1	8	0	2	1			12	10	1
Pool Play Game 9
Bridgeport (West Virginia)	0	0	0	0				0	1	3
Columbia American (Tennessee)	3	1	3	3				10	10	0
Pool Play Game 10
Cottage Hill (Alabama)	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	4	0
TCFM Yellow Jacket (South Carolina)	0	0	0	0	0	1		1	3	2
Pool Play Game 11
Greenville Tar Heel (North Carolina)	1	0	10	0	0	0		11	15	2
Tuckahoe National (Virginia)	1	0	3	0	0	0		4	5	4
Pool Play Game 12
Greater Dunedin (Florida)	0	0	6	0	0	0		6	6	1
Columbus Northern (Georgia)	3	0	0	1	1	5		10	9	2
Semifinal Round
Columbus Northern (Georgia)	3	0	5	3				11	9	3
Cottage Hill (Alabama)	0	0	0	0				0	0	1
Semifinal Round
Greater Dunedin (Florida)	0	2	0	0	2	0		4	3	0
Greenville Tar Heel (North Carolina)	0	0	0	0	2	0		2	5	0
Championship Game
Greater Dunedin (Florida)	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	5	2
Columbus Northern (Georgia)	1	0	1	2	1	x		5	6	0

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