Little League Season Nears End
The Mahaska County Minor League All-Stars team takes on Knoxville in tournament play on July 6 at the Lacy Recreation Complex. Mahaska County would ultimately fall 9-8 in a hard-fought battle.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – To many, a staple of the summer is hearing the crack of a baseball against an aluminum bat and the cheers of parents, siblings, and teammates alike. The start of little league practice in the springtime is often an early reminder that summer will soon be here. And just as soon as it arrives, it comes to a close. This week, the sun will set on little league action in Oskaloosa.
Most little league action came to an end the week on June 19, when the Mahaska County Little League Tournament Championship games were held. Since then, All-Star teams have practiced and started their regional tournament, with regional play wrapping up by July 14. In minor league play, the winner of the regional tournament will play in the district tournament for a chance to advance to the state tournament in Sioux City later this month. Major League baseball play features the same road to the state tournament, albeit with opportunities to advance past the state tournament. The winners of the state tournament will head to the Midwest Region Tournament in Indiana, where they will square off for an opportunity to advance to the Little League World Series in August.
While no Oskaloosa/Mahaska County team has ever advanced to the Little League World Series, the 2023 Mahaska County little league all-stars campaign marks 25 years since the Mahaska County National team represented Iowa in the Central Regional Tournament (now the Midwest Region Tournament). While the team barely missed out on advancing to the Little League World Series, its’ success in 1998 is engrained in local little league history. No Mahaska County All-Star baseball team has advanced that far since the Mahaska County National team made their run in 1998. A sign recognizing the 1998 team is on display at Hewitt Field in Vanderwilt Park near the Oskaloosa Elementary School.
