Little League World Series 2014: TV Schedule Info, Teams and Early Preview
Amid a sea of sporting controversies and scandal, the Little League World Series provides a welcome refuge for young adults to innocently polish their baseball skills on a national stage.
Everyone jaded by the backstage drama and ballooning contracts and egos of professional athletes can take a breather by watching these talented kids spend their summer playing baseball because they enjoy playing baseball.
Or maybe their overbearing parents forced them to so they can live vicariously through them.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Wait, this is supposed to be the place to escape cynicism in sports. Sorry about that.
Rather than breaking down which squads have the most and least fortuitous batting average on balls in play, let's put sabermetrics in the drawer and enjoy baseball as purists.
Also try not to get angry at any of the youngsters for bunting either, though their misguided coaches are teaching them to waste outs and... sorry, not the right time for this discussion.
Sixteen squads—eight international and eight from the United States—will travel to Williamsport, Pennsylvania. One team will leave victorious, and everyone will depart with an awesome life experience to brag about.
Let's take a look at the participants and schedule for the 75th Little League World Series.
| Thursday - August 14, 2014 | ||
| Seoul (Asia-Pacific) vs. South Moravia (Europe-Africa) | 1:00PM | ESPN |
| Jackie Robinson West (Great Lakes) vs. Lynnwood Pacific (Northwest) | 3:00PM | ESPN |
| Miguel Luzunaris (Caribbean) vs. Perth Metro North (Australia) | 5:00PM | ESPN2 |
| Canyon Lake (Midwest) vs. Mountain Ridge (West) | 7:00PM | ESPN2 |
| Friday - August 15, 2014 | ||
| Guadalupe Linda Vista (Mexico) vs. South Vancouver (Canada) | 1:00PM | ESPN |
| Taney (Mid-Atlantic) vs. South Nashville (Southeast) | 3:00PM | ESPN |
| Coquivacoa (Latin America) vs. Tokyo Kitasuna (Japan) | 5:00PM | ESPN2 |
| Pearland East (Southwest) vs. Cumberland American (New England) | 8:00PM | ESPN |
| Saturday - August 16, 2014 | ||
| LLBWS Pool Play | 12:00PM | ESPN |
| LLBWS Pool Play | 2:00PM | ABC |
| LLBWS Pool Play | 5:00PM | ESPN2 |
| LLBWS Pool Play | 7:00PM | ESPN |
| Sunday - August 17, 2014 | ||
| LLBWS Pool Play | 12:00PM | ESPN2 |
| LLBWS Pool Play | 2:00PM | ESPN |
| LLBWS Pool Play | 5:00PM | ESPN |
| LLBWS Pool Play | 7:00PM | ESPN2 |
| Monday - August 18, 2014 | ||
| Consolation Game A | 11:00AM | ESPN2 |
| LLBWS Elimination Game | 1:00PM | ESPN |
| LLBWS Elimination Game | 3:00PM | ESPN |
| LLBWS Elimination Game | 6:00PM | ESPN2 |
| LLBWS Elimination Game | 8:00PM | ESPN2 |
| Tuesday - August 19, 2014 | ||
| Consolation Game B | 12:00PM | ESPN |
| LLBWS Elimination Game | 3:00PM | ESPN |
| LLBWS Elimination Game | 7:30PM | ESPN |
| Wednesday - August 20, 2014 | ||
| LLBWS Double Elimination | 3:00PM | ESPN |
| LLBWS Double Elimination | 7:30PM | ESPN |
| Thursday - August 21, 2014 | ||
| LLBWS Elimination Game | 3:00PM | ESPN |
| LLBWS Elimination Game | 7:30PM | ESPN |
| Saturday - August 23, 2014 | ||
| LLBWS International Championship | 12:30PM | ABC |
| LLBWS United States Championship | 3:30PM | ABC |
| Sunday - August 24, 2014 | ||
| LLBWS Third Place Consolation Game | 10:00AM | ESPN |
| LLBWS Championship | 3:00PM | ABC |
Preview
The 16-team field is set after a wild stretch of qualifying games. With the format pitting clubs across the world and U.S. teams throughout the region against one another, the competition is as diverse as ever.
Some fresh U.S. locales have fought their way to Williamsport this season. Mountain Ridge fired off a nine-run again against Northern California’s Pacifica American in the Western Regional championship game. As a result, they'll become the first Nevada representative to compete in the Little League World Series.
The event's official Twitter page shared a photo of the squad celebrating:
Trailing once throughout six games, Mountain Ridge will look to continue smashing against Midwest representative Canyon Lake. They'll square off in their opening bout of the double-elimination tournament.
Jackie Robinson West also made history by qualifying through the Great Lakes region. After defeating New Albany, 12-7, they became the first all-black Chicago team to make it to the LLWS in three decades.
Manager Darold Butler explained the significance of their feat to the Chicago Sun-Times:
"You have 13 African-American players, volunteer coaches, and everybody throughout the league trying to do something positive for the city of Chicago. So this is huge. This gives our kids something to strive for, to set goals, and to accomplish. It gives them something to look forward to outside of the negativity.
"
They haven't delivered a World Series in over a century, but the Chicago Cubs offered their support to Jackie Robinson West to bring home a championship.
Then there's Mo'Ne Davis, who pitched the Philadelphia Taney Dragons into the Little League World Series with a dominant display on Sunday night.
According to espnW, who profiled her in the video below, she'll join a small group of females to participate in the 75-year-old tournament.
Since she pitches for the Dragons, it's only fair to call her Khaleesi, right? Armed with a fastball that clocked in at 70 mph, Davis will strike out whom she likes with fire and blood.
Over the past 10 years, an international team has won six times, including Tokyo's three titles in the last four years. Tokyo Kitasuna will attempt to replicate 2012's championship in their return to the amateur circuit's grand stage.
Now that the road is set, get ready for another intense, yet joyous stretch of baseball.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
