SMYRNA - Will Badcock and J.R. Hammock hit solo homers to back the five-hit pitching of Zach Laughlin, leading Columbus American to a 3-0 victory over Toccoa American Tuesday night to win the Georgia State Little League Championship. <br>
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Columbus, finishing at 5-1 in the double-elimination tournament, will represent Georgia in the Little League Southern Regional Tournament, beginning Saturday in St. Petersburg, Fla. Toccoa goes home with a 5-2 record in the state tournament. <br>
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Laughlin struck out nine and never allowed a Toccoa batter past second base. Badcock homered in the second inning and Hammock in the fourth. Columbus added a run in the sixth inning when Cain Fuller reached on an error, then advanced on a series of passed balls to score. <br>
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Blake Pruitt led Toccoa with two hits, and pitcher Ben Dunson allowed three hits and struck out seven in a losing effort.
