State Championships: 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006
Top 5 National Rankings: 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2014 - National Champions: 2007, 2020, 2021



Americus Travelers (Jr.) 16 & Under
2001 Schedule and Recaps

Team Roster (Jersey # Order)


  • Taylor Austin
  • Shawn Pritchard
  • Kyle Dixon
  • Ben Martin
  • Dustin Wolcott
  • Dustin Childres
  • Jess McNeill
  • Justin Hildreth
  • Chris Lee
  • Josh Dean
  • Derek Wolcott
  • Ben Gardner
  • Logan Gardner
  • Chase Lightner
  • Jonathan Rooks
  • Head Coach: Joe Lamb
  • Assistant Coach: Ted Turner
  • Assistant Coach: Jeremy Law
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2001 Schedule
DATE OPPONENT # GAMES TIME LOCATION
May 19 Panama City AAU Two - Seven Innings 3:00 p.m. Bell Stadium
May 22 Americus Travelers One - Seven Innings 7:00 p.m. Bell Stadium
June 2 Americus Lightning Two - Seven Innings 1:00 p.m. Bell Stadium
June 4 Ellaville Hornets Two - Five Innings 6:00 p.m. Bell Stadium
June 9 Americus Thunder Two - Seven Innings 1:00 p.m. Bell Stadium
June 12 Albany Post 30 Jr. Team Two - Seven Innings 6:00 p.m. Albany, Georgia
June 15 Ellaville Hornets One - Seven Innings 6:00 p.m. Ellaville, Georgia
June 18 Americus Thunder Two - Seven Innings 6:00 p.m. Bell Stadium
June 24 Albany Post 30 Jr. Team Two - Seven Innings 1:00 p.m. Bell Stadium
June 25 Dooly County Two - Seven Innings 6:00 p.m. Vienna, Georgia
June 30 Crisp County Two - Seven Innings 11:00 a.m. Cordele, Georgia
July 2 Americus Lightning Two - Seven Innings 5:30 p.m. Bell Stadium
July 7 Alpharetta Red Wings Two - Seven Innings 1:00 p.m. Alpharetta, Georgia
July 9 Dooly County Two - Seven Innings 6:00 p.m. Bell Stadium
July 11 - July 14 GRPA State Tournament DE TBA Bell Stadium


Recaps Section

May 19 - Panama City

The Jr. Travelers opened their inaugural season with a split with Panama City, winning 8-7 and losing 8-2. Hitting (Series): Dustin Childress (1 run, two hits, 1 RBI), Josh Dean (1 run, 1 hit), Kyle Dixon (1 run, 4 hits, 1 RBI), Chris Lee (4 hits, 2 RBI), Ben Martin (1 run, 2 hits, 1 RBI), Jess McNeill (1 run, 3 hits, 1 RBI), Shawn Pritchard (1 run, 1 hit, 1 RBI), Ben Gardner (2 runs, 1 hit), and Derek Wolcott (2 runs, 3 hits).


June 2 - Americus Lightning

The Jr. Travelers lost a doubleheader to the Americus Lightning, 6-0 and 12-2. Hitting (Series): Kyle Dixon, Justin Hildreth, Chris Lee, Chase Lightner, Ben Martin and Logan Gardner each contributed a hit. Shawn Pritchard and Gardner scored for the team.


June 9 - Americus Thunder

The Jr. Travelers split a doubleheader with the Thunder, losing 6-2 and winning 16-2. Hitting (Series): Dustin Childress (2 runs scored), Josh Dean (1 run scored, 2 hits, 1 RBI), Kyle Dixon (3 runs scored, 3 hits), Justin Hildreth (1 run scored), Chris Lee (1 run scored, 3 hits, 2 RBI), Chase Lightner (1 run scored), Ben Martin (1 run scored, 1 hit), Jess McNeill (2 runs scored, 1 hit, 1 RBI), Shawn Pritchard (3 runs scored, 4 hits), Ben Gardner (4 hits), Derek Wolcott (4 runs scored), and Dustin Wolcott (2 hits).


June 13 - Ellaville Hornets

The Jr. Travelers defeated the Ellaville Hornets in a doubleheader, 5-3 and 7-3. Hitting (Series): Dustin Childress (2 runs scored, 3 hits, 2 RBI), Josh Dean (1 RBI), Kyle Dixon (2 runs scored, 1 hit), Justin Hildreth (1 run scored, 1 hit), Chris Lee (2 runs scored, 1 hit, 1 RBI), Chase Lightner (1 run scored, 1 hit, 1 RBI), Ben Martin (2 runs scored, 3 hits, 2 RBI), Derek Wolcott (2 hits, 1 run scored, 1 RBI), and Dustin Wolcott (1 hit).


June 15 - Ellaville Hornets

The Jr. Travelers won a doubleheader against Ellaville, 6-0 and 15-6. Winning pitcher in game #1 was Ben Gardner, who allowed a trio of walks, sent six back to the dugout, and scattered a pair. Shawn Pritchard had a trio of hits - one a dinger - and a trio of runs batted in. Chase Lightner went 2-for-2 in the contest, and Jess McNeill went 2-for-3.

In the nightcap, Logan Gardner took the win on the mound. He also contributed three hits. Pritchard added a pair more, as well as a run batted in. Justin Hildreth contributed a dinger and drove a trio to home plate. Kyle Dixon had quad hits, scored three times, and had a pair of runs batted in. Chris Lee had a pair of hits and a pair of runs batted in. Jonathan Rooks also contributed with a pair of hits and an RBI, and Ben Martin went 2-for-5.


June 24 - Albany Post 30 Juniors

The Jr. Travelers split a doubleheader with Albany Post 30, winning 11-10 and losing 4-2. In the initial at-bat inning of game #1, Kyle Dixon hit a bloop single to right, then Dustin Childres had a sac bunt. Justin Hildreth's double tied the game at that point, then Derek Wolcott and Ben Gardner had back-to-back criss-cross hits that brought the go-ahead runner home. In the deuce frame, Childres posted a sac fly, then Hildreth's single drove in another score. Later in the fifth, Hildreth doubled to lead off the frame. Josh Dean posted a bunt hit, Gardner a sac fly, and Dustin Wolcott a run-batted-in double. In frame #6, Hildreth's second double brought in another run and Jess McNeil contributed a sac fly to up the lead by one. Gardner and Shawn Pritchard then had back-to-back hits that brought runners to home plate. Pritchard was the winning pitcher, striking out a trio of batters.


June 25 - Dooly County

The Travelers Jr team defeated Dooly County 14-2.


June 30 - Crisp County

The Jr. Travelers crew lost to Crisp County, 5-4.


July 2 - Americus Lightning

The Jr. Travelers split a doubleheader with the Americus Lightning, winning 8-2 and losing 13-2. Winning pitcher for game #1 was Chris Lee. Taylor Austin and Dustin Childers combined on the mound in the nightcap.


July 11/12 - GRPA State Tournament

The Jr. Travelers had one win and two losses in the GRPA State Tournament, held in Americus.

Game One - Ware County: Americus lost the opening game to Ware County, 8-4. The junior orange and navy crew was held to only five hits in the contest. Logan Gardner pitched the final four in relief and held the opposing team to one hit. He struck out a trio and allowed no walks. Hitting: Ben Martin had a double in the third. Both Kyle Dixon and Dustin Childress walked, then Dustin Wolcott's double brought in a pair. In the seventh, Justin Hildreth had a run-batted-in single.

Game Two - Savannah Mustangs: Americus won this contest 1-0. Ben Gardner pitched, allowing a trio of hits and a pair of walks and fanned five batters. Hitting: Ben Gardner hit a fly ball to center to score Josh Dean. The Americus team had four hits in the game, with Dean contributing a pair.

Game Three - Dublin/Laurens County: Americus lost this game, 8-2, and was thus eliminated from further play.