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GULFPORT - Florida claimed the top seed in Pool B on Wednesday by defeating Georgia 6-1 at the Southeast Region tournament.
Florida avoided using its best starter, putting seldom-used Patrick Mullen on the mound in front of the largest crowd of the week. Mullen gave Florida all it could have asked for, limiting Georgia to four hits and one run in 32/3 innings.
"A lot of kids have a hard time hitting the off-speed pitch," Florida coach Ken Emerson said. "He told me he had been working on it, and he had. So we gave him the call."
Mullen was backed by aggressive defense to keep the game scoreless through four.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, Benny Townend bailed Mullen out with a diving catch in leftfield. Second baseman Devon Travis also made a tough play to his left and threw out Conor Welton.
A four-run third put Florida ahead. Travis scored the first run on a wild pitch, and Mike Broad broke it open with a two-run homer over the rightfield wall.
Florida scored two more in the fifth on a throwing error and wild pitch.
Florida plays North Carolina tonight at 7 in the second semifinal. Virginia plays Georgia in the first game at 4.
TENNESSEE 6, ALABAMA 0: All Alabama coach David Ward could do was stand in the coaches box, turn his cap sideways and watch as three Tennessee pitchers combined to beat Russellville in their final game.
The team that had high hopes of advancing to the Little League World Series a few days ago was brought back to reality by a strong contingent in Pool A.
In games against Georgia, Florida and Tennessee, Alabama batted .147, allowed 29 runs and had eight errors.
Tennessee took the lead in the top of the first when Boston King scored an unearned run on a fielder's choice. An error by centerfielder Jake Ward allowed King to reach second after a flyout by Aaron Guernsey.
Pinch hitter Zac Jordan added to Tennessee's lead with a two-run homer over the leftfield wall in the fourth. Nick Guernsey put the game out of reach in the fifth with a two-run single to score King and Aaron Guernsey.
Hunter Thomas pitched all six innings for Alabama, allowing 11 hits and striking out four.
Palma Ceia halted by rainThe Palma Ceia Junior baseball team's regional championship game against Virginia was suspended because of rain with the game tied at 3 in the fifth inning. It will resume at 10 a.m. today in Cartersville, Ga.
Palma Ceia fell behind early but rallied with a pair of runs in the third to tie it.
Virginia took advantage of walks to score three runs on one hit in the second. Peto Kirkwood singled down the leftfield line to get Palma Ceia going in the third as it trailed 3-1. Thompson Brandes followed with a single, and Patrick Hafner's single scored Kirkwood to get Palma Ceia within one. Logan Welch, who walked and scored Palma Ceia's first run on an Ian Woods single in the second, drove in Shane Scanlon to tie it. Scanlon was batting with two outs in the fifth when the game was called.