 Hours before the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies took the field in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, a couple of pitchers turned in big league performances to highlight Sunday's action at the Little League World Series. Soo Ho Choi registered the first six-inning complete game of the LLWS, allowing three hits and one run in South Korea's 5-1 victory over Mexico. Gregory Bruno continued his dominance dating back to the Mid-Atlantic regionals, giving up one run in 5⅓ innings as New York defeated Texas 2-1. In other games, Japan downed Panama, 4-2, to notch its 100th LLWS victory, the most all-time by an international country, and Hawai'i downed Michigan, 8-3. Later, the Little Leaguers traveled across town to BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field as they watched the Mets beat the Phillies, 8-2, in the second annual MLB Little League Classic. With their victories, New York and Hawai'i will meet Wednesday, with the winner advancing to the U.S. championship game on Saturday. South Korea and Japan also play Wednesday, with the winner qualifying for Saturday's international championship game. There are five games Monday, including a consolation game and four win-or-go-home games involving 1-1 teams, meaning just eight title contenders will remain by day's end. Ten straight and 15 of the past 16 Little League World Series champions started the tournament 2-0. The most recent team to lose one of its first two games and then go on to win it all was Georgia in 2007. Recapping Sunday's gamesHawai'i (2-0) 8, Michigan (1-1) 3 This is the fourth time a team from Hawai'i has started 2-0 in Williamsport. In two of the three previous instances, Hawai'i won the LLWS title. Hawai'i scored six runs in the second inning, and had three walks and three hit-by-pitches in the inning. Hawai'i pitchers have allowed three runs in 17 innings this LLWS. Ka'olu Holt pitched 3⅓ IP, giving up two hits, one earned run and striking out four. Aukai Kea went 2-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI. He now has three extra-base hits in two games (two doubles, one home run). Michigan (1-1) falls to the elimination bracket and will face Iowa on Monday at 3 p.m. ET. Michigan pitchers walked five, hit five batters and threw seven wild pitches. Preston Barr (Michigan) went 2-for-3 with an RBI and is now 4-for-6 in the LLWS.
Japan (2-0) 4, Panama (1-1) 2 Japan plays South Korea on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN. Japan improved to 3-1 all-time against Panama at the LLWS. Shisei Fujimoto (Japan) hit a two-run home run in the first inning. Panama remains in title contention but will move to the elimination bracket and play Puerto Rico on Monday at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN. Panama has to win Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to make it to Saturday's international championship game.
New York (2-0) 2, Texas (1-1) 1 New York has started 2-0 for the fifth time in its LLWS history. In each of the previous four instances, New York made it to the LLWS title game. Winning pitcher Gregory Bruno (New York) has pitched eight innings in the LLWS, allowing four hits and one earned run and striking out 13. Steven Martinez (New York), who had a single, walk and an RBI, has reached base in four of five LLWS plate appearances. Texas moves to the elimination bracket and will play Georgia on Monday at 8 p.m. ET. It was Texas' first loss of the summer after going 15-0 across all tournaments.
South Korea (2-0) 5, Mexico (1-1) 1 South Korea needs to win just one more game in order to make it to Saturday's international championship game. South Korea improved to 3-1 all-time against Mexico at the LLWS. Soo Ho Choi (South Korea) threw 82 pitches in his complete-game effort, striking out six and allowing one run on three hits. Mexico remains in title contention but will drop to the elimination bracket and play Canada on Monday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Mexico has to win on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday to make it to Saturday's international championship game.
Previewing Monday's gamesAustralia (0-2) vs. Rhode Island (0-2), 11 a.m. ET on ESPN (consolation game) Both of these teams have already been eliminated from title contention. This consolation game will be the last game of the LLWS for both teams. It's the third time Australia has played a team from the United States in the LLWS. Australia lost a consolation game against Texas in 2013 before beating South Dakota in a consolation game in 2017. Australia is trying to avoid its second winless tournament in six trips to Williamsport. After going 0-3 during its first trip in 2013, Australia has won at least one game in each of its past four appearances. This will be the fifth time a team from Rhode Island has played an international opponent in the LLWS; it has split the previous four meetings.
Panama (1-1) vs. Puerto Rico (1-1), 1 p.m. ET on ESPN The winner of this game remains alive and in title contention. The winner will move on to face the winner of Monday's Mexico-Canada game in an elimination game at 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday. The winner must win on Tuesday and Thursday to reach Saturday's international championship game. The loser of this game is eliminated from the LLWS. This will be the second matchup between Panama and Puerto Rico at the LLWS. Panama won the first encounter in 2013.
Michigan (1-1) vs. Iowa (1-1), 3 p.m. ET on ESPN The winner of this game remains alive and in title contention. The winner will move on to face the winner of Monday's Texas-Georgia game in an elimination game at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday. The winner must win on Tuesday and Thursday to reach Saturday's U.S. championship game. The loser of this game is eliminated from the LLWS. It will be the second all-time meeting between teams from Michigan and Iowa. Iowa won the first encounter in 2013. Michigan is looking to win multiple games for just the third time in 12 LLWS appearances. With a win Monday, Iowa will tie its record for wins in a single LLWS. It has won two games in three LLWS appearances.
Canada (1-1) vs. Mexico (1-1), 6 p.m. ET on ESPN The winner of this game remains alive and in title contention. The winner will move on to face the winner of Monday's Puerto Rico and Panama game in an elimination game on Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET. The winner must win on Tuesday and Thursday to get to Saturday's international championship game. The loser of this game is eliminated from the LLWS. This is the 15th meeting in the LLWS between teams from Canada and Mexico. Mexico has a 9-5 record in the previous 14 meetings. The nine wins for Mexico are the most it has against any international team. Mexico is in danger of being eliminated from the tournament with only one win. The last time the Mexico representative failed to win at least two games in Williamsport was 2007, when it finished 1-2. This year's representative from Canada, Whalley LL, is 8-10 all-time at the LLWS. All other Canadian teams are 42-118 in Williamsport. Canada hasn't posted a winning record at the LLWS since 1998. That year, Langley Little League went 3-1.
Georgia (1-1) vs. Texas (1-1), 8 p.m. ET on ESPN The winner of this game will remain in title contention and face the winner of Monday's Iowa-Michigan on Tuesday. The winner must win on Tuesday and Thursday to get to Saturday's U.S. championship game. The loser of this game will be eliminated from the LLWS. Teams from Texas and Georgia are meeting at the LLWS for the second time. Georgia beat Texas in 2007.
Justin Page of ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this report.
|
