The Pike Patriots middle school baseball team competed in the Lee Scott baseball tournament in Auburn over the weekend and walked away with the championship after defeating Glenwood 3-2.

The Patriots also picked up wins against Lee Scott, 11-3, and Edgewood, 11-1.

“It was really exciting because this was my first official tournament,” said Patriots head coach Jonathon Valdez. “We are a very prepared team and we are working hard every day in practice. This is a result of working hard, and they are very excited.”

The Patriots (13-4) have qualified for the state tournament, which begins Thursday at Macon East.

“We are very prepared for the tournament,” Valdez said. “We are looking forward to playing a really solid defensive game, because that is what it is going to take to get you in the spot to win the tournament. I know we can hit the ball. It’s all about how well we play defense.”

Valdez believes his team has the balance to compete with anyone and that it will come in handy during the state championships.

“We are very solid,” Valdez said. “We are a very balanced team. We have to learn how to contain the game. We need to keep working at the game. We are balanced and we have a little bit of everything.”

The team includes seventh-graders Hunter Keenan, Marx Copeland, JD Wilson, Landon Thrash, Scott Tyler and Avery Ernsberger; eighth-graders, Jackson Blair, Payne Griffin, Cole McWhorter, Holt Steed, David Allen and Ty Singleton.

Pike’s first round matchup will be Thursday at noon. at Macon East.