After beating their opponents a combined 76-7 in the district and state tournaments, the Warner Robins American Little League West All Stars have the chance to represent Georgia in the Little League Baseball Southeastern Regional Tournament.

Friday, the team from Warner Robins faced Northern Little League out of Columbus in the state championship game and won 10-4.

You would have to go back to 2005 to find a team other than Warner Robins American or Columbus-Northern to win the Georgia title.

When the game ended, mitts and hats were thrown in the air, players were hugging each other and tears were in the eyes of some of the coaches. The reality set in for 13 boys that they were going to the next level.

“It’s a big deal. The whole town supports it,” manager Martin Pinckney said of going to the regional tournament in Warner Robins.

The first game is Friday.

Last year, a different group of boys from WRALL came back to town and were dubbed the “cardiac kids” due to their last minute rallies.

This team’s closest game was the championship game, when they were tied at 0-0 for the first two innings.

“We feel real fortunate to come out on top,” Pinckney said.

From the top of the lineup to the bottom, each player has the ability to hit.

The team also is deep in pitching, and it showed during one game where six different pitchers were used.

One coach accepted hugs from parents and players alike. Randy Dempsey, who does not have a child on the team, said he remembered in 2009 when he went to the regionals with his son, Kal Dempsey, who now plays at Veterans High School.

“It means so much to be going back to regionals,” he said.