California Wows Fans with Walk-Off HR in 2023 LLWS World Championship vs. Curacao
California walked off in the bottom of the sixth inning Sunday to claim its first Little League World Championship title since 2011.
Louis Lappe hit a walk-off home run Sunday afternoon to seal a 6-5 California (West) victory over Curaçao (Caribbean) in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
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Lappe, who also recorded five RBIs Saturday to help California win the U.S. bracket with a victory over Texas, was celebrated by fans as a key part of the West's championship.
Lappe's home run helped the West recover from a stunning late push from the Caribbean.
Although California held a comfortable 5-1 lead after four innings, Curaçao came back with a huge top of the fifth.
With the bases loaded and two outs on the board, Nasir El-Ossais stepped up to the plate and hit a grand slam to tie the game at 5-5.
The game-tying four-run homer earned shock from those watching at home.
Given the late comeback grand slam and the walk-off winning homer, fans celebrated the game as one of the most exciting LLWS finals in recent memory.
Sunday's win marks California's 25th appearance in the Little League championship and its eighth victory, the most of any team in the United States, according to the Associated Press.
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