Liz Gray/Managing Editor
OKMULGEE, Oklahoma – For the first time in Little League Softball World Series history, Oklahoma came home with the championship in their premier appearance at the series held in Greenville, North Carolina.
The team stood out not only for their talent, but for the 80 percent Native American roster with players from different tribal nations including Muscogee (Creek), Cherokee, Choctaw and Kiowa.
Players Taylan Starr, Ailanee Hicks and Shianne Dill represented the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.
Their journey to the big stage began with an undefeated season, taking them to the Southwest regional hosted in Texas, where they would come out with a 3-0 record.
During the Aug. 18 LLSWS championship game, Team Virginia scored at the top of the second inning, but an early game error on the play would not keep Team Oklahoma down.
A hit up the middle of the field would even out the score, but Starr would shift the game in Oklahoma’s favor with a solid RBI to the right side. The team would eventually answer back with five runs in the bottom of the second.
Oklahoma’s defense would hold Virginia at one while they continued to stack runs, ending the game with a final score of 9-1.
The 2021 champs are representatives of Green Country Little League in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
