The Hartselle 6U softball all-stars traveled to Gulfport, MS, for the first All American Youth Sports Rec World Series. The Hartselle all-stars were one of eight teams participating in the three-day event.

Teams from Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana made up the eight-team bracket.

The Hartselle all-stars opened with an 11-3 win over Laurel, MS, in their first game of pool play. Unfortunately, they dropped their second pool game to West Mobile by a 13-12 score. The West Mobile team scored three runs in the bottom of the final inning to come from behind for the win.

Hartselle entered bracket play as the third seed behind West Mobile and top seed Columbia, MS. They opened with Semmes, AL, in the first round of bracket play. Hartselle won the game 16-8. 

The win set up another match-up with West Mobile in the winner’s bracket semifinals. But, once again, West Mobile came out on top in another one-run ballgame, this time 16-15.

The loss dropped Hartselle into the losers’ bracket and set up a rematch with Laurel, MS. Hartselle prevailed again, winning 16-5.

The win meant that Hartselle would advance in the loser’s bracket for a matchup with another North Alabama team, Blount County. But unfortunately, the weather postponed the matchup until Sunday morning. 

Hartselle won a hard-fought game over Blount County by a score of 13-9. The win meant that Hartselle was still alive. However, their opponent would be West Mobile once again.

The loser’s bracket final would be the sixth time the two teams have faced off against one another. They met three times at the Alabama State Tournament, and this matchup was the third at the World Series.

Unfortunately for Hartselle, West Mobile got the best of them for the third time during the World Series, this time by a 13-3 score.

Hartselle took home third place in the World Series following the loss.

Team members are Cooper James, Jane Randall Lusk, Lilliam-Kate Brantley, Laikyn Cobb, Mia Wilhite, Mackenzie Gilliland, Molly Winkles, Adalyn Borden, AnaBethMorgan, Anna Morrow, Adaline Long and Chandler Hulse.

The team coaches are Brian James, Chase Lusk, Jeremy and Katie Gilliland.