Day 2 of the 2019 Little League World Series was a busy one. Rain held Thursday's opening-day action to only one game, creating a full schedule of seven games Friday. The majority of teams made their tournament debuts in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Three pitchers combined to throw the first no-hitter by a Virginia team at the Little League World Series. And they did it efficiently as all three pitchers are eligible to throw in Virginia's next game on Sunday against Minnesota.
Last year, Honolulu Little League won the LLWS championship. This year, they were knocked out in the state championship by Central East Maui Little League, which is in Williamsport looking to make it two straight titles for the state. And they're off to a good start after defeating Louisiana 5-2, thanks to a complete game from Jaren Pascual, who allowed just two runs, neither of which was earned.
On the international side, Japan lit up the scoreboard in its opener, downing Italy 20-0 in five innings. Fourteen of those runs came in the fifth inning, tied for the most in a single inning in Little League World Series history. Next up for Japan: a matchup with Mexico on Sunday.
Saturday's slate features four elimination games, as the eight teams in action will be fighting an uphill battle after starting 0-1. Since the Little League World Series expanded from 8 to 16 teams in 2001, no team has gone on to win the championship after losing its first game. But at least one manager is confident. "We have a tough draw, but regardless of what happens in Friday's game we'll have a chance to come back through the losers bracket," said Louisiana's Scott Frazier before the tournament began. After falling to Hawaii -- its first loss of the entire summer -- Louisiana begins that journey against Oregon on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.
Recapping Friday's games
New Jersey (Elmora Youth LL) 6, Oregon (Sprague LL) 2
New Jersey won its opening game at the Little League World Series for the first time since 1999. New Jersey teams had lost three consecutive opening games before Elmora's victory on Friday.
New Jersey's Yadi Mateo earned the win after allowing two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings pitched and striking out six.
New Jersey next plays Hawaii on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Oregon plays Louisiana in an elimination game Saturday at 8 p.m.
Hawaii (Central East Maui LL) 5, Louisiana (Eastbank LL) 2
Hawaii's Logan Kuloloia, Duke Aloy and Kaleb Mathias each had two hits and went a combined 6-for-7.
Teams from Hawaii have won 23 of their past 25 Little League World Series games. Last year, Honolulu Little League won the LLWS championship.
The loss was Eastbank Little League's first of the summer. Louisiana will play an elimination game Saturday at 8 p.m. against Oregon.
Hawaii's next game is against New Jersey on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Virginia (Loudoun South LL) 3, Rhode Island (Barrington LL) 0
Justin Lee, Liam Thyen and Chase Obstgarten combined to throw the first ever no-hitter for a Virginia team at the Little League World Series. All three pitchers are eligible to throw in Virginia's next scheduled game on Sunday against Minnesota.
Virginia's Brady Yates went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Virginia won its first LLWS game since 1994 -- which was the state's last appearance in Williamsport.
Virginia will next face Minnesota on Sunday at 11 a.m.
Rhode Island will play an elimination game against Kentucky on Saturday at 3 p.m. Barrington Little League is 10-0 in elimination games this summer.
Minnesota (Coon Rapids Andover American LL) 2, Kentucky (Bowling Green Eastern LL) 1
Minnesota earned its first LLWS win since 2007.
Minnesota's Jameson Kuznia pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing only one unearned run while striking out five. He hasn't allowed an earned run in 11 innings of work since the start of regionals (and has 17 strikeouts during that span). He is ineligible to pitch until Wednesday after throwing 87 pitches.
Kentucky suffered its first loss of the summer. It plays Rhode Island in an elimination game on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Minnesota next plays Virginia Sunday at 11 a.m.
Mexico (Epitacio "Mala" Torres LL) 5, Canada (Coquitlam LL) 0
Mexico's Santiago Leija tossed a two-hit shutout, with 11 strikeouts.
Mexico improved to 10-6 in LLWS all time against Canada.
Mexico next faces plays Japan on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Canada plays Italy in an elimination game Saturday at 6 p.m.
Japan (Chofu LL) 20, Italy (Emilia LL) 0 (5 innings)
Japan's win was the largest by any team in a Little League World Series opener since 1992, when the Dominican Republic defeated Canada 29-0.
Japan's 20 runs were the second-most ever scored by Japan in the LLWS. Chofu LL beat Germany by 25 in 1976 on the way to winning the LLWS championship.
Japan's Yuto Misaki went 2-for-5 with five RBIs and hit Japan's first grand slam in the LLWS since 2007.
Italy fell to 1-12 all time at the LLWS. European teams have lost 36 consecutive games at the LLWS (excluding consolation games).
Japan will play Mexico on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Italy will play an elimination game against Canada on Saturday at 6 p.m.
South Korea (Chung Nam (B) LL) 10, Venezuela (Cacique Mara LL) 3
Korea's Jinwon Na went 2-for-4 with five RBIs.
South Korea improved to 7-0 all time in LLWS openers.
South Korea plays Curacao on Sunday at 9 a.m. All of South Korea's pitchers will be eligible for that game.
Venezuela plays Australia in an elimination game Saturday at 1 p.m.
SATURDAY'S GAMES
Australia (Cronulla LL) vs. Venezuela (Cacique Mara LL), 1 p.m. ET on ESPN
Winner advances to play on Monday against the team that loses Sunday's game between Japan and Mexico. The losing team is eliminated from title contention.
This is second meeting between these two countries at the LLWS. Venezuela won the first meeting in 2015.
European teams have lost 17 straight LLWS openers. The last European team to start 1-0 was Germany in 1993, when it defeated Saipan.
Venezuela won four elimination games during the Latin America Regional tournament.
Kentucky (Bowling Green Eastern LL) vs. Rhode Island (Barrington LL), 3 p.m. ET on ABC
Rhode Island is 10-0 in elimination games this summer, including seven consecutive wins after dropping its opening game in district play.
Kentucky was held to one unearned run in its LLWS opener after scoring 35 runs in its three games during the Great Lakes Regional.
Kentucky is making its fourth LLWS appearance since the format switched from pool play to double-elimination in 2010. The state's representative hasn't started 0-2 under the current format.
This is Rhode Island's fifth LLWS appearance in the past six years. It has lost its opening game all five times but has only lost its second game once in that span.
Canada (Coquitlam LL) vs. Italy (Emilia LL), 6 p.m. on ESPN
Each of the past three LLWS teams from Canada won at least one of their first two games. The last Canadian team to lose its first two games in Williamsport was White Rock South Surrey in 2015.
Teams from Canada are 20-5 all time against opponents from Europe, including 14 straight wins. The last time a European team beat a Canadian team in the LLWS was in 1979.
Italy has lost 12 straight LLWS games since winning its first LLWS game in 1979 ... against a team from Canada.
The winner of this game remains in title contention and moves on to play Monday at 6 p.m. against the loser of Sunday's game between Curacao and South Korea. The loser of this game is eliminated from title contention but will play in a consolation game on Tuesday at 11 a.m. against the loser of Saturday's game between Louisiana and Oregon.
Louisiana (Eastbank LL) vs. Oregon (Sprague LL), 8 p.m. on ESPN
Louisiana is coming off its first loss in tournament play this year. It went unbeaten through districts, states and regionals.
Oregon is also coming off its first loss of its 2019 tournament run. It went 10-0 through district, state and regional play.
Louisiana left 10 runners on base in its loss to Hawaii on Friday.
Oregon scored just two runs in its loss to New Jersey on Friday -- its fewest runs scored in a game since the start of district play.
Louisiana lost its only previous LLWS meeting with Oregon in 2006.
Justin Page of the ESPN Stats and Information group contributed to this report.
