Warner Robins Little League Champs Come Home

The City of Warner Robins gave their Little League World Champions a welcome home they'll never forget.

Hundreds of well wishers turned out to welcome the Warner Robins American Little League team back home. Hundreds of friends, family and fans waited for the boys to arrive. Nine shirtless men led the crowd in singing, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."

The team arrived at their home ball field in a tour bus, led by a police escort.

Warner Robins resident, Charles Smith, attended all the games. His son is a coach, and his 11 year-old grandson, Hunt Smith, is on the team. He says he knew the boys had a good shot at winning.

"I felt like we could play with any of them. Just how the game goes is whether you make it or not. I think we surprised a lot of people up there."

The team beat Japan on Sunday to take the title. The city will continue its celebration on Saturday with a parade and rally.

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More on their arrival in Atlanta last night is here.

Georgia sports for Monday, August 27th

The Braves have fallen farther back in their hopes of returning to the postseason, after losing at St Louis Sunday afternoon 4-1. The Braves dropped 2-of-3 in their series against the Cardinals, and now are 2-5 on their road trip. On Sunday, the Cardinals scored 3 runs in the 5th inning off Atlanta-starter Jo-Jo Reyes. The Braves’ offense came from catcher Brian McCann, who singled home Mark Teixeira in the 6th inning. The Braves now trail the NL-East leading Mets by 7 games, and are behind in the wild card race by 4 games. The final stop on the road trip for the Braves opens tonight with the 1st of 3 in Florida.

From the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons will hit the field for their third exhibition game of the preseason--their first at home, facing the Cincinnati Bengals. The side story of course will be the absence of Michael Vick, who will appear in Virginia court this morning to plead guilty to dog fighting charges.

The Little League World Series champion banner will reside in Georgia for a 2nd straight year. Yesterday in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Warner Robins beat the team from Japan 3-2 for the title. It took extra innings--in the bottom of the 8th, shortstop Dalton Carriker knocked a solo home run to right field for the dramatic game-winner. Just last year, the city of Columbus celebrated its Little League title. Now, a celebration for the Warner Robins kids is being planned for later in the week.

Warner Robins wins Little League World Series

Dalton Carriker's game-winning homer.
(Phil Ellsworth for ESPN.com)

Dalton Carriker's homer to right field in the bottom of the eighth inning brought Warner Robins victory against Tokyo 3-2 in Sunday's title game.

The 12-year-old Carriker raised his arms in celebration after hitting a 2-1 pitch from Japan's Junsho Kiuchi over the right-field stands.

"USA! USA!" cried the Georgia-partisan crowd.

The jubilant kids from Warner Robins hugged Carriker as he reached the plate. A relieved manager Mickey Lay lost his hat after joining his team in celebration following a tense game marked by excellent pitching.

The Georgia crowd in the stands included Governor Sonny Perdue, who himself was a Warner Robins little league player growing up. Perdue missed a Southern Governors Association meeting over the weekend to be in Pennsylvania for the game.

This is the third straight Little League World Series championships that the United States has won. Columbus won the crown last year, and Ewa Beach, Hawaii, in 2005.

The previous two Georgia teams to advance to South Williamsport also won the title, including Columbus last year and East Marietta in 1983.

After exchanging handshakes with players from Japan, Georgia players took hold of the championship banner, their proud parents snapping pictures from the stands.

Teammates celebrate with Dalton Carriker, center with helmet on, as he crosses the plate. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

(Associated Press)

Georgia sports for Friday, August 24th

The Braves have stumbled out of Cincinnati, after losing 3 of the 4 games in their series against the Reds. Last night, the Braves fell in 12 innings in the 9-7 final. The winning blow came courtesy of Adam Dunn, who knocked a 2-run homer off closer Bob Wickman to end it. That ruined a night for Chipper Jones, who matched a career-high with 5 RBI's. With the loss, the Braves fell farther back in the wild card race, 3 games behind leading San Diego. In the chase for the NL-East division, the Braves remain 6 games behind the Mets. Atlanta's road trip continues tonight, opening a series in St. Louis.

Warner Robins' little league team has moved into the U.S finals of the Little League World Series. They beat the team from Chandler, Arizona on Thursday by the 16-6 final.
Warner Robins will face a team from Lubbock, Texas tomorrow for the U.S crown. The winner of that contest moves to Sunday's international game for the chance to claim the Little League World Series championship.

Warner Robins team plays on

The Warner Robins little league team has moved into the U.S. semifinals of the Little League World Series, being played in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Georgia's team beat their counterparts from Walpole, Massachusetts yesterday 8-1. The victory now sets a meeting for Warner Robins against a club from Chandler, Arizona today. The winner goes to the U.S finals. A win in that game earns the right to play for the international title.

Georgia sports for Tuesday, August 21st

Warner Robins' little league team was rained-out from action in the Little League World Series up in Williamsport, Pennsylvania Monday. All five games in the tournament yesterday were rained-out, so the entire schedule moves to today. Warner Robins has split their first two games, and must win this evening in order to stay alive.

To major league baseball, the Braves opened a long 10-game road trip in fine fashion last night, blasting the Reds 14-4 in Cincinnati to commence a 4-game series. For a 2nd-straight game, 1st baseman Mark Teixeira hit a pair of home runs--he had 3 of the Braves' 17 hits on the night, and accounted for 6 RBI's. Atlanta cracked 4 homers overall, including a grand slam from Brian McCann and a homer from Andruw Jones. The offense was more than enough to support the pitching of Tim Hudson, who earned his 5th-straight win, and is the first pitcher in the National League to reach the 15-win plateau.

Georgia sports for Monday, August 20th

The Braves scored a 6-2 win Sunday afternoon to salvage 1 victory in 3 games played against the Arizaon Diamondbacks over the weekend. 1st baseman Mark Teixeira knocked a pair of 2-run homers to support the strong pitching of John Smoltz. The Braves veteran pitcher posted a season-high 12 strikeouts in his 8 innings on the mound. In the process, he became the Braves’ all-time franchise strikeout leader, passing Phil Niekro on the list, with #2,913 in the 3rd inning. The Braves went 3-3 on the homestand, and now hit the road for 10-straight games. They'll open a 4-game series in Cincinnati tonight. In the standings, the Braves are in 3rd place in the NL-East division, trailing the leading New York Mets by 5-and-a-half games. Atlanta is closer in the wild card chase, trailing the San Diego Padres by only a game-and-a-half.

Warner Robins' Little League team split its 1st 2 games of action from the weekend in the Little League World Series up in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. A victory Friday over a team from Lake Oswego, Oregon was followed by defeat on Saturday to a team from Hamilton, Ohio. The Warner Robins kids face the New England representative tonight at 6pm-—a team from Walpole, Massachusetts

Out of the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons appear to have lost 3rd-string quarterback DJ Shockley for the entire upcoming season. The former Georgia Bulldog suffered a torn ligament in his left knee Friday night, in the Falcons’ preseason win at Buffalo.

Georgia sports for Friday, August 17th

The Braves were denied a sweep of the Giants last night, getting ripped by San Francisco 9-3 in the finale of the 3-game series. Starting pitcher Chuck James allowed 4 home runs in his stint on the mound, lasting only 3-and-2-thirds innings. The Braves remain 3-and-a-half games back of the Mets for 1st in the NL-East division. The Braves stay at home through the weekend, opening a new series at Turner Field tonight--hosting the NL-West leading Arizona Diamondbacks.

Many in the city of Warner Robins will have their focus on Williamsport, Pennsylvania starting tonight--and they hope, through the following weekend. The city's Little League All-Star team begins Little League World Series-play against a team from Lake Oswego, Oregon. Warner Robins is the southeast U-S champion. Warner Robins hopes to follow the fortunes of the team from Columbus, Georgia last year--crowned champs of Little League.

From the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons hit the field for their 2nd exhibition game of the preseason. They're in Buffalo, New York to face the Bills tonight. The Falcons were losers on the road last week in their preseason opener against the Jets.

College football teams are drawing closer to their season openers, roughly 2 weeks away. High School teams also in the closing stretch of preseason practice. Most prep teams in the state begin play on August 31st

Warner Robins team heading to Little League World Series

For a second straight year, a team from Georgia is on its way to compete in the Little League World Series.

The team from Warner Robins won the Southeast Regional championship game in St Petersburg, Florida last night. They beat a team from Mobile, Alabama 10-9.

This marks back-to-back years for a Georgia team to play for the Little League Championship. Last season, the team from Columbus went all the way in winning the title, beating a team from Japan.

Should the Warner Robins kids duplicate the Columbus-effort this year, it would mark the third team from Georgia to win a Little League crown. A Marietta-team was a winner in 1983.

The Series begins next Friday in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.