The tournament, played July 21-24, consisted of two pool play games and two days of bracket play.
“The girls played with their hearts all weekend,” Ken Godfrey, coach of the Cartersville-based team, said. “Some players were injured but fought through it. Every single player on our team contributed to our victories. I am not sure that we played this hard all year.
“These girls were so focused on winning this World Series. It really made my job as a coach so much easier.”
Two of Team ELITE’s games were run-ruled by the fourth inning. Another was a nail-biter that sent them to an international tiebreaker they finally won 7-3.
ELITE pitchers were Shana Abram, Savannah Poole, Kayla Watson, Courtney Godfrey and Ava Tillmann. Catchers were Tori Evans and Lindsay Hamby.
The infield consisted of first base, Ieshia Haggerty; second base, Courtney Godfrey and Ava Tillmann; shortstop, Shana Abram; and third base, Lauren Goss and Taylor Calhoun. Outfielders were right fielder Kayla Watson and Savannah Poole; center fielder, Logan O’Neal; and left fielder, Tori Evans.
The players, who at the start of the season were from 10 to 12 years of age, hail from Acworth, Rome, Summerville, Kingston, Euharlee, Cartersville, Taylorsville and Cedartown.
The 12U Team ELITE fastpitch team won championships several times this year but didn’t expect to bring home a World Series win, their coach said.
“A lot of teams who enter these tournaments each year [have] hopes of hanging in long enough to get close to the top rankings and having a respectable finish,” Godfrey said. “To actually win this event was bittersweet, and it was an honor to represent Bartow County.”