Little League World Series 2011: California's Win Will Take LLWS to New Heights

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The thrilling final of the 2011 Little League World Series is going to push the popularity of this event to new heights. This was a fantastic tournament with a spectacular ending.

It was also one by an American team, which is always good for ratings in the home of the tournament.

Everything that is great about this event was on display on Sunday.

Huntington Beach's Nick Pratto had a moment custom made for Sportscenter and the endless highlight reel. He got the walk-off hit with two outs in the 2011 Little League World Series. The hit drove home the winning run to give he and his teammates a 2-1 victory over Japan.

Pratto was engulfed by his teammates almost as soon as he touched first base. He and his teammates were delirious with joy as they celebrated being crowned 2011 Little League World Series champions. These are the kinds of memories that will stay vibrant in the minds of participants and viewers.

In an interview right after the game, Pratto was asked about his great LLWS run and what memory will stick out the most. He let it be quickly known that it was his last moment, and that clutch hit. Pratto said it felt good coming off the bat and he knew he had just ended the game.

And the smiling young hero gave the interview right next to his proud father, who also happened to be the coach. Those kinds of moments are infectious. They resonate with a large portion of the public. It is the exact kind of thing that leaves people talking about it around the proverbial water cooler the next day.

While this event will be long gone from the public consciousness the next time this tournament rolls around, people will see the ads for it, and remember the great moment from the past year. This will be enough to attract even more viewers to next year's event. Each one hoping to catch a piece of the magic that happened this year.

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—Richard Langford