Little League World Series

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Aug 31, 2009

Little League World Series

California vs. Taiwan

The Blue Bombers from Chula Vista, Calif. secured the fifth straight Little League championship for the United States.

California vs. Taiwan

Let the celebration begin! Chula Vista team members congratulate one another after their 6-3 win.

California vs. Taiwan

California escaped Taiwan's bases-loaded threat in the fifth inning after shortstop Andy Rios (right) tagged out a runner, then threw to first to complete a double play.

California vs. Taiwan

Chula Vista trailed 3-1 after three innings, but scored three runs in the fourth and added two more in the fifth.

Mexico vs. Texas

Dugout, the mascot of Little League Baseball, shares a light moment with an umpire during a break in the action.

Mexico vs. Texas

Texas pitcher Steven Cardone (front) reacts to giving up a two-run home run to Mexico's Raymundo Berrones (back) in the sixth inning of Mexico's 5-4 win.

California vs. Texas

San Antonio right fielder Jacob Ramos gives it his all while trying to haul in Bulla Graft's home run during the U.S. championship game.

California vs. Texas

California right fielder Bradley Roberto makes a great diving catch to help stop a third-inning uprising.

California vs. Texas

California'a Luke Ramirez (right) rounds third past San Antonio third baseman Zachary Morrow after hitting a three-run home run. Ramirez and his mates advanced to the LLWS title game with a 12-2 win.

Taiwan vs. Mexico

An umpire pauses for a little fun with some of the Taiwanese players during the International final.

Taiwan vs. Mexico

Taiwan's Chin Ou reacts to his RBI double in the sixth inning as Mexico's Agustin Montoya looks on. Taiwan advanced to the LLWS final with a 9-4 win.

California vs. Georgia

Chula Vista, Calif.'s Nick Conlin is mobbed by teammates after he ran home from third on a wild pitch by reliever Conner Smith to give California an 11-10 win. California came back from a five-run deficit to reach Saturday's U.S. final against San Antonio.

California vs. Georgia

Warner Robbins, Ga.'s Justin Jones scores as the ball gets away from Chula Vista, Calif. catcher Daniel Porras Jr. in the fourth inning of a semifinal game.

Taiwan vs. Curaco

Taoyuan,Taiwan catcher Yu Chieh Kao, left, begins to celebrate after Willemstad, Curacao's Richendly Bicentini (13) strikes out to end an international semifinal game. Taiwan won 5-2.

San Antonio vs. Staten Island

Steve Cardone helped San Antonio reach the U.S. Finals by getting out of three bases-loaded situations in a 4-1 win over Staten Island.

San Antonio vs. Staten Island

All told, San Antonio turned three double plays against the New Yorkers en route to their fourth consecutive victory in the tournament.

Mexico vs. Japan

Raymundo Berrones of Reynosa, Mexico, struck out 10 batters before being lifted with one out in the fifth after reaching his limit of 85 pitches. His team won 6-0 and advanced to Saturday's international final.

Mexico vs. Japan

Raul Rojas hit this two-run homer in the first inning as Reynosa, Mexico, remained undefeated with a 6-0 win over Chiba City, Japan.

Katie Reyes

Katie Reyes hit a two-run single in the top of the sixth to help Vancouver, British Columbia, rally for a wild 14-13 victory over Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany. Her hit is believed to be the first game-winner by a female at the Little League World Series.

Katie Reyes

Fifteen girls have played in the series since 1984, when Victoria Roche of Brussels, Belgium, became the first female to play in South Williamsport. "I was excited. I was shaking," Reyes said about going to the plate for her big hit. She finished with three hits and three RBIs.

Vancouver, BC vs. Ramstein AFB, Germany

Canada rallied in the sixth, when Anthony Cusati hit his second homer of the game, a two-run shot that got Canada within 13-12. After loading the bases, Reyes drove in the winning runs.

San Antonio vs, Chula Vista, Calif.

San Antonio pitcher Kyle Pollard (right) and manager Mike Shull celebrate a 6-3 win over Chula Vista, Calif. Texas will play Staten Island in the semifinals.

Dhahran, Saudi Arabia vs. Maracaibo, Venezuela

John Sheppard held Venezuela hitless the last three innings as Saudi Arabia won for the first time, 5-3.

Reynosa, Mexico vs. Taoyuan, Taiwan

Luis Perez (right) hit a solo home run in Reynosa, Mexico's beat Taoyuan, Taiwan 3-2.

Peabody, Mass. vs. Russellville, Ky.

Peabody, Mass.'s Matt Gonick (right) scored on a wild pitch in 12-3 win over Russellville, Ky.

Vancouver, British Columbia vs. Ramstein AFB, Germany

Nicholas Carusi (left) and Taz Burman scored on a sixth-inning single by Katie Reyes as Vancouver, British Columbia rallied for a 14-13 win.

Chiba City, Japan vs. Maracaibo, Venezuela

Toshinori Wakai scored from first with two out in the sixth inning to give a joyous Japan team a 5-4 victory that eliminated Venezuela. The South Americans made two errors on the play.

Chiba City, Japan vs. Maracaibo, Venezuela

Edgar D'Empaire and Venezuela had overcome an 0-4 deficit to force a tie with Japan through five innings, but lost when two throwing errors with two outs led to the winning run.

Willemstad, Curacao vs. Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

Junters Dossett (center) broke a 3-3 tie with a two-run homer in the fifth. Curacao will play either Mexico or Taiwan on Thursday in the semis.

Staten Island, N.Y vs. Urbandale, Iowa

Staten Island pitcher Michael Rapaglia and catcher James Morisano discuss strategy during their victory over Iowa. Rapaglia struck out seven over four-plus innings to advance the New Yorkers to a Wednesday night semifinal against either Texas or California.

Warner Robins, Ga vs. Mercer Island, Wash.

Washington's Keegan Ogard steals second base before Warner Robbins, Ga., shortstop Blake Jackson can apply the tag. The Georgia team won to stay undefeated, while Washington remained winless.

Reynosa, Mexico vs. Ramstein AFB, Germany

Oscar Noguera notched the victory in Mexico's 13-0 shutout of Ramstein, Germany, on Monday.

Reynosa, Mexico vs. Ramstein AFB, Germany

Cody Prince snags a ball off the bat of Reynosa's Raul Rojas. Prince's team had a rough start to the tournament, losing 16-0 and 13-0 in its first two outings.

Reynosa, Mexico vs. Ramstein AFB, Germany

Luis Perez slides under the tag of Ramstein catcher Matt Zembraski.

Willemstad, Curacao vs. Chiba City, Japan.

Richendly Bicentini scores the winning run in the bottom of the sixth on a Jayson Libert bunt to lead Willemstad, Curacao, to a 12-11 victory over Chiba City, Japan.

Peabody, Mass. vs. Chula Vista, Calif.

J.J. Layton (left) and Matt Correale of Peabody, Mass., ponder what went wrong as they await a pitching change amid a 12-run sixth inning. Peabody lost 14-0 to Chula Vista, Calif.

Urbandale, Iowa

Aidan Plummer of Mercer Island, Wash., gets the safe sign from umpire David Latherwood after beating the tag of Iowa catcher Spencer Struges. Iowa won 5-3 to avoid an 0-2 start.

Willemstad, Curacao vs. Maracaibo, Venezuela

Claycandy Hariquez doubles in Curacao's 2-1 victory over Maracaibo, Venezuela.

Willemstad, Curacao vs. Maracaibo, Venezuela

Claycandy Hariquez is tagged out at third by Yobel Pozo of Venezuela.

Chula Vista, Calif. vs. Russellville, Ky

Bradley Roberto gets congratulations from Ric Ramirez after hitting one of the seven homers Chula Vista, Calif., had in a 15-0 win over Russellville, Ky. It was the most homers by one team in a game since the tournament expanded from eight to 16 teams in 2001.

Chula Vista, Calif. vs. Russellville, Ky

Nick Conlin of Chula Vista, Calif., breaks up a double play with this slide into Kentucky shortstop Matt Harper. The Californians won 15-0.

Dhahran, Saudi Arabia vs. Chiba City, Japan

Nicky Knight celebrates after his third-inning triple plated two runs in Dharan, Saudia Arabia's opening game. The team, made up primarily of children of Americans living overseas, lost 5-2 to Japan.

Dhahran, Saudi Arabia vs. Chiba City, Japan

Branden Barnett scores one of Saudia Arabia's two runs in a 5-2 loss to Japan.

Warner Robins, Ga. vs. Staten Island, N.Y.

Hunter Phillips of Warner Robbins, Ga., failed to make this catch but completed a force out at second during his team's 6-3 victory over Staten Island, N.Y.

Mercer Island, Wash. vs. Staten Island, N.Y.

William Mansfield gave up 11 hits and 10 runs in Mercer Island's opening-round loss to Staten Island, N.Y.

Warner Robins, Ga. vs. Urbandale, Iowa

Conner Smith and his teammates on the Warner Robbins, Ga., team scored 11 runs in an opening-round win over Urbandale, Iowa.

San Antonio, Tx vs. Peabody, Mass

San Antonio's Jacob Ramos gets a hero's welcome after his three-run homer help put away Peabody, Mass., in an opening-round game. San Antonio enjoyed 10-1 and 12-0 victories in its first two games, setting up a Tuesday night showdown with undefeated Chula Vista, Calif.