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After the 2011 Dixie Youth All-Star baseball team advanced deep into the State Tournament last summer, the 12 & Under softball All-Stars from Thomaston will have their chance to do the same.

The Thomaston-Upson All-Stars took care of the Villa Rica All-Stars twice to advance to the State Tournament and win the District Cahmpionship.

In the first game of the tournament for the T-U All-Stars, they easily handled the Villa Rica All-Stars by a dominating 12-0 score. The hometown girls jumped out to a commanding 7-0 lead in the first inning, led by Madison Wilder, who finished the game with two hits, two runs scored, two stolen bases, and a RBI. Kacee Fennell and Ally Thompson also added hits and each scored a run in the first inning.

Pitcher Lanier Williams was stellar on the mound, pitching a no-hitter and striking out six batters in the game. The T-U All-Stars added an eighth run in the game, after Mary Madson McCrary led the inning off with solid single, then stealing second base. McCrary would later come home to score in the inning on a RBI ground out by Bayleigh Jackson.

After Williams struck out two more batters in the second inning, the T-U All-Stars added two more runs in the third inning, with key RBI hits from Olivia Lindsey and Ally Thompson. With a 10-0 lead in the fourth inning, Williams helped herself out with a RBI hit of her own, as the T-U All-Stars cruised to a 12-0 victory in four innings.

Ally Thompson joined Wilder in the two-hit category, while also adding a RBI, run scored, and two stolen bases. Mary Madson McCrary finished the game with one hit, two runs scored and two stolen bases, Bayleigh Jackson added a hit, two runs scored, a RBI, and two stolen bases, Lanier Williams contributed with a hit and a RBI on top of pitching a no-hitter, Olivia Lindsey finished with a hit, two runs scored, a RBI, and two stolen bases, while Avery Pardue chipped in with one hit in the 12-0 victory.

The victory over Villa Rica placed the Thomaston-Upson All-Stars in the Championship Game, where they would face the winner between Villa Rica and Carroll County. Villa Rica knocked off Carroll County, giving them another crack at the girls from Thomaston.

In the Championship Game, the second time around against Villa Rica was a little different for the T-U All-Stars, but the end result was still the same, victory.

Villa Rica jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the T-U All-Stars answered back with a run of their own in the bottom of the first.

Mary Madson McCrary scored the hometown girls’ first run of the game, one of four runs which she would score in the game. It was McCrary’s ability to reach base in each of her four at bats which doomed the Villa Rica squad.

The Villa Rica team added five more runs in the second inning, taking a 7-1 lead and looking poised to force another, third decisive game. However, it was the T-U All-Stars’ perseverance which kept them in the game long enough to come from behind and secure the 13-10 victory.

The Thomaston-Upson team added four runs in the second inning, three runs in the third inning, and five more runs in the fourth inning to win the District Championship.

McCrary paced the T-U All-Stars with three hits, four runs scored, three stolen bases, and a RBI. Taylor King added two hits, two RBI, and a run scored, while Madison Wilder finished with a hit, two RBI, a stolen base, and a run scored. Abby Anthony added a hit, two runs scored and a RBI. Ashlyn Murphy contributed with a hit, two runs scored, and a RBI, while Ally Thompson, Lanier Williams, and Bayleigh Jackson each chipped in with a hit and run scored.

The T-U All-Stars will now travel to Dublin on July 11 to compete in the State Tournament. Keep reading The Times as we bring you more on the Thomaston-Upson 12 & Under softball All-Stars and their journey toward a state title.