Little League World Series 2017: New England Tops Mid-Atlantic on Wednesday

After rain in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on Tuesday forced a change in the 2017 Little League World Series schedule, three games are on the docket today.

The first game is yesterday's postponed game between United States teams from the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions. It is an elimination matchup for both teams coming off losses on Saturday.

In the two regularly scheduled games for Wednesday featuring Canada vs. Japan and the U.S. Southeast vs. Southwest, two teams will remain in the ranks of the unbeaten and advance to the Little League World Series semifinals to be held on Saturday. 

Wednesday's Little League World Series Results

United States Bracket: New England def. Mid-Atlantic, 12-2

International Bracket: Japan def. Canada, 10-0

United States Bracket: Southeast def. Southwest, 2-1

Wednesday's Little League World Series Recap

Japan 10, Canada 0

Japan continues to roll through its opponents at the Little League World Series, dispatching Canada 10-0 to reach the International Championship game on Saturday. 

Canada was able to keep the game within reach early, despite giving up two runs in the first inning back-to-back RBI hits from Natsuki Yajima and Ryota Ono

That meant Canada's offense would have to break out against Japan's pitching, which didn't happen. Canada managed just one hit against three Japan pitchers in the game, a single by Ty Fluet in the top of the second inning that set up its best scoring chance after Daniel Orflay walked. 

Japan starter Tsubasa Tomii responded by striking out the next three hitters to escape the jam and preserve the 2-0 lead. The offense broke things open with four runs in the bottom of the third, highlighted by a two-run homer from Yajima. 

Yuya Nakajima made it 9-0 with a three-run homer in the fourth inning. Ryusei Fujiwara ended the game in the fifth with an RBI double that scored Ryuto Inoue.

Japan is now 3-0 against international competition in this year's Little League World Series and has given up just one run. 

Canada can earn a second matchup with Japan on Saturday, if it can get past Mexico in an elimination game on Thursday. 

New England 12, Mid-Atlantic 2

New England wasted no time flexing its offensive muscle, storming out of the gate with five runs in the first inning and cruising to a 12-2 victory over Mid-Atlantic that ended after five innings due to the mercy rule. 

Matthew Vivona got the scoring started for New England with a two-run double in the bottom of the first. The next three runs in the inning would come on two fielder's choice outs and an error by Mid-Atlantic right fielder John Grano. 

Things would settle down for a couple of innings with Mid-Atlantic's offense pushing across two runs and the pitching shutting down New England's lineup. 

The fourth inning saw New England's bats wake up, though, when Troy Ashkinos broke things wide open with a grand slam off Mid-Atlantic starter Dean Daddio. Michael Iannazzo stole home and Troy Ashkinos' RBI single in the bottom of the fifth ended the game. 

With the win, New England keeps its hopes alive for a spot in the United States Championship game. It will have to defeat the loser of today's game featuring Texas vs. North Carolina on Thursday. 

Southeast 2, Southwest 1 

North State Little League from Greenville, North Carolina, continued to dazzle on the mound Wednesday night as the Southeast representatives punched their ticket to the United States Championship Game with a 2-1  walk-off win over Texas in seven innings. 

Chase Anderson drew the start for North Carolina and proved efficient with two strikeouts and zero earned runs in 2.2 innings of work. He allowed one hit during that span, marking the first time an opponent registered a base knock against North State since play in Williamsport opened. 

Once Anderson's night was done, Matthew Matthijs entered and shut down Texas' bats in a big way. 

Over 4.1 innings, Matthijs recorded 12 strikeouts and zero walks. According to the News & Observer's Aaron Moody, Matthijs faced 14 batters total and struck out the final 11. 

Carson Hardee opened the scoring for Southeast with a solo home run in the first inning, and a Texas error in the bottom of the seventh allowed North Carolina to push Cash Daniels-Moye across the plate for the game's winning run. 

North Carolina will now be off until Saturday as it awaits the winner of Thursday's elimination clash between Texas and New England.