LLWS 2015: TV Coverage, Live Stream Schedule, Predictions for Friday's Bracket
Thursday's action at the Little League World Series was suspended due to rain, which means that an eight-game slate is ready to take center stage in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on Friday.
According to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com), Friday's jam-packed schedule is believed to be the first time in Little League World Series history that eight games will be played on the same day.
With highly touted domestic and international squads ready to take the field, here's a preview of when and where you can catch first-round showdowns as double-elimination play gets underway.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
| 10 a.m. | Dominican Republic vs. Uganda | ESPN2 | WatchESPN | Volunteer Stadium |
| 11 a.m. | Southwest (Texas) vs. Northwest (Oregon) | ESPN | WatchESPN | Lamade Stadium |
| 1 p.m. | Venezuela vs. Australia | ESPNEWS | WatchESPN | Volunteer Stadium |
| 2 p.m. | Great Lakes (Kentucky) vs. West (Southern California) | ESPN | WatchESPN | Lamade Stadium |
| 4 p.m. | Canada vs. Mexico | ESPNEWS | WatchESPN | Volunteer Stadium |
| 5 p.m. | New England (Rhode Island) vs. Southeast (South Carolina) | ESPN | WatchESPN | Lamade Stadium |
| 7 p.m. | Tokyo vs. Chinese-Taipei | ESPNEWS | WatchESPN | Volunteer Stadium |
| 8 p.m. | Midwest (Missouri) vs. Mid-Atlantic (Pennsylvania) | ESPN | WatchESPN | Lamade Stadium |
Friday Predictions
Texas Downs Oregon to Kick Off U.S. Play
The squads fielded by Wilshire-Riverside Little League and Pearland West Little League of Oregon and Texas, respectively, are both wildly impressive, but some serious buzz is building around the latter club.
During regional qualifying play, Pearland West defeated its opponents by a total margin of 41-7, including a 15-0 defeat of Mississippi.
"We thought we had a legitimate chance to go pretty far in the tournament," head coach Andrew Solomon said, according to the Houston Chronicle's Joseph Duarte. "They've worked for this moment—and they believed it could happen. A lot of kids might hope and wish and dream that it can happen, but these kids have seen it happen now three times."
Now everyone's got their eyes on the rising stars, including Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt.
"It's cool to have another Pearland team in it this year," Watt said, according to Click2Houston.com's Adam Wexler. "It's Texas, so go out there and do big things."
With Watt's support and the city of Houston cheering them on, Pearland will be looking to become the first team from the Houston area to capture a Little League World Series title since 1966, as noted by Duarte.
The title quest will begin Friday at 11 a.m. ET.
South Carolina Squeaks Past Rhode Island
Cranston Western Little League captured a LLWS title 19 years ago, and the New England Regional champions are seeking to carry on that championship tradition when they battle Northwood Little League (South Carolina) under the Friday night lights.
"It's really exciting," Cranston coach Larry Lepore said, according to the Associated Press (via Turnto10.com). "It's really crazy to think about doing it once, let alone twice."
However, Rhode Island's road to a 1-0 start in Williamsport could be disrupted by a talented Northwood squad.
South Carolina's little leaguers put on a showcase at the plate during Southeast qualifying, with an 18-3 victory over Tennessee and a 7-0 championship win against Virginia—and tallied 30 runs four days earlier against West Virginia.
"This marks the first time that a South Carolina team has played in the Little League Baseball World Series since Clinton Little League made a trip there in 1950," GreenvilleOnline.com wrote. "A year earlier Charleston Little League earned the prestigious trip and was the first South Carolina team to do so."
While both teams are looking to make history, South Carolina appears to have the upper hand after going undefeated against the Southeast's finest squads. Expect a narrow victory in what figures to be an entertaining clash.
Pennsylvania Closes the Night Strong
Speaking of teams that have been bashing the ball, Pennsylvania's Red Land Little League raised eyebrows by scoring at least 10 runs in each of its contests during Mid-Atlantic Regional qualifying.
Specifically, Red Land scored 36 runs while allowing just five during that same span.
"It's been remarkable," Taney Dragons Little League coach Alex Rice said, according to PennLive.com's Aaron Kasinitz. "I've never followed a team that's so thoroughly dominant. Obviously, I think they'll be one of the favorites in Williamsport."
That's some high praise from a coach whose team qualified for the U.S. Championship game a year ago.
While Missouri's bats picked up serious steam by scoring at least 10 runs in each of their final four regional qualifying games, Pennsylvania is entering the 2015 Little League World Series as one of the favorites to capture a national—and perhaps world—championship.
There will be fireworks, but Red Land should have a slight edge.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
