Little League Baseball came to South Carolina just under five years ago.   It was then that Joe Orlando and Greg Lembcke began working towards putting a team together that could represent the Carolina Forest community.
 
This group of a dozen 11 and 12 year olds have been practicing hard to get ready for the Regionals and getting their first taste of the spotlight.
 
These kids are having fun even though they are heading into a high pressure tournament.  They've done it with great fundamental defense, solid pitching led by ace Aiden Stewart and timely hitting along with power -- Austin Schmidt had bragging rights at the end of practice by winning the home run derby.  
Carolina Forest heads to Georgia next week to represent South Carolina in r egional play.   There will be three games of pool play and the top four teams will take to the national stage in games televised by ESPN.  Five wins will get Carolina Forest to the biggest stage in youth sports - Williamsport, Pennsylvania and the Little League World Series.
 
Carolina Forest takes on Georgia this Saturday at 1pm to start pool play.