Little League World Series Regionals 2018: Saturday Scores and Bracket Results

With the 2018 Little League World Series set to begin later this month, teams around the United States continue to battle for a trip to Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

The next week will feature plenty of regional action around the country. Eight regions are up for grabs, but thus far only two are underway.

The Southwest regional began Thursday and will continue on through the middle of next week. Meanwhile, the Southeast regional kicked off Friday and will conclude Wednesday.

While the opening days helped set the tone for the regionals, the double-elimination tournaments are set to heat up this weekend. Some teams are establishing themselves as the front-runners as others are on the brink of elimination.

Below is a look at Saturday's action as well the updated standings:

Southeast Regional Standings

Georgia (2-0)

Alabama (2-0)

North Carolina (1-1)

South Carolina (1-1)

Virginia (1-1)

West Virginia (1-1)

Florida (0-2)

Tennessee (0-2)

Southwest Regional Standings

Oklahoma (2-0)

Texas-East (2-0)

Arkansas (1-1)

Louisiana (1-1)

Mississippi (1-1)

New Mexico (1-1)

Colorado (0-2)

Texas-West (0-2)

West Virginia 2, Tennessee 1

In a day where runs were tough to come by, West Virginia pitcher Jared Nethercutt was the star of the game.

His offense was only able to plate a pair of runs, but that proved to be enough. Nethercutt allowed just one run on four hits in 4.2 innings of work, striking out six. That dominant performance helped keep Tennessee from ever being able to draw even after falling behind in the bottom of the third.

While Nethercutt was dealing on the mound, West Virginia was able to create two-out magic in the third to scratch across a couple of runs. A one-out walk by Landon Nida followed by a two-out single by Cooper Cummings and a triple by Jack Eastone gave West Virginia a 2-0 lead.

Tennessee immediately responded with a run in the top of the fourth, thanks to a walk, a double and an error. However, although it threatened against Nethercutt in the fifth, it wasn't ever able to push across the tying run.

Bryson King provided two innings of one-hit, shutout baseball to start the game for Tennessee, striking out four. Carson Carter closed out the victory for West Virginia, allowing just one hit in 1.1 innings.

West Virginia advances to play on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, while Tennessee is eliminated after losing each of its first two contests.

North Carolina 5, Florida 2

The first game of the day was a hard-fought pitchers duel from the start, but the second matchup featured offense right out of the gate.

North Carolina was able to open the scoring in the first of the inning when Will D'Alonzo came around to score after a leadoff single. However, Florida came out ready to play, responding with a walk and a home run within the first three batters to take a 2-1 lead.

But that would be all Florida would get off North Carolina pitcher Cole Smith. He would hold his opponent scoreless the rest of the game, allowing just the two runs on four hits in a complete-game effort. He struck out seven in six innings.

As Smith settled in after a rough opening frame, North Carolina managed to grab the lead for good in the top of the third. An error and singles by Smith, Charlie Blizzard and Marcus Byrd helped North Carolina score three in the inning to move ahead, 4-2.

North Carolina added an insurance run in the fourth behind a two-out single by West and a triple by D'Alonzo. From there, Smith did the rest.

North Carolina awaits the loser of the Georgia-Virginia game for a 4 p.m. ET win-or-go-home showdown on Sunday. Florida is eliminated after dropping to 0-2.

Georgia 4, Virginia 3

In a battle of unbeatens, it was Georgia that was able to keep its perfect record in tact.

Virginia jumped out in front first, after Nate Hoskins scored after tripling in the bottom of the second.  However, Georgia put together a two-out rally in the top of the third that was capped off by a three-run shot by Jansen Kenty.

That 3-1 lead would not last long, though, responded with a pair in the bottom of the frame. Georgia mistakes in the field combined with a two-out single by Connor McGoldrick evened the score.

After leaving the bases loaded in the fifth, Georgia scored the go-ahead run in the sixth following a sequence of defensive miscues.

Tai Peete led Georgia to a 4-3 victory with a complete game, allowing three runs on three hits, striking out nine in six innings. Virginia starter Chad Yates allowed three runs on three hits in four innings while striking out eight.

Georgia will be back in action on Monday against the Alabama winner. Virginia will face North Carolina on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET.

Oklahoma 3, Louisiana 2 (7 innings)

It's tough to win when you don't get a hit, but Oklahoma found a way to do exactly that.

Diego Corrales (3.1 innings, three strikeouts), Nik Toups (one inning, two strikeouts) and Carson Devillier (2.1 innings, five strikeouts) combined to no-hit Oklahoma for 6.2 innings. However, six walks and defensive miscues came back to haunt them.

With the pitching keeping the Oklahoma bats quiet, the Louisiana offense was able to score just enough to get the win. A leadoff single by Devillier in the top of the fourth got things started, and a two-out double by Landon Victorian followed by a single by Toups resulted in a 2-0 lead.

Louisiana piled up nine hits and added a bases on balls, but it couldn't find a way to add to the lead—and that would prove costly.

Oklahoma took advantage of the help provided by Louisiana throughout the game, though. Five walks, a dropped third strike and errors/wild pitches led to a run in each the fifth and the sixth to tie the game as well as the game-winning run in the seventh. 

Oklahoma will not play again until Monday at 9 p.m. ET, when it will take on the winner of Mississippi and Texas-East. Louisiana will face Arkansas in an elimination game on Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.

Alabama 3, South Carolina 2

South Carolina struck first, but it was Alabama that walked away victorious.

Neither team was able to dent the dish for the first two innings, but the offenses woke up in the third inning. South Carolina took advantage of back-to-back walks to lead off the bottom of the third, getting a double by Harder to move in front, 2-0.

However, Alabama's bats responded in a major way. Four straight hits and a walk to start the top of the fourth even the score at 2-apiece. Then, Alabama took the lead in the fifth with the help of three walks and a hit batter.

Tucker Arrington (two innings), Jake Trent (2.2) and Aden Malpass (1.1) held South Carolina to two runs on just two hits. On the other side, Nelson Vaughan allowed just two runs while striking out five in four frames. South Carolina's James Kakaras threw two innings of hitless baseball in relief, but his three walks would play a role in the game-winning run scoring.

South Carolina will face West Virginia on Sunday at 1 p.m. in an elimination game. Alabama will take on Georgia on Monday at 7 p.m. ET.

Texas-East 16, Mississippi 4

By scoring early and often, Texas-East controlled this game from start to finish.

A leadoff single by Kaleb Rook put Mississippi on notice that the Texas-East bats were ready to go from the start. That helped spark a two-run first, which would only be the beginning of an offensive explosion.

Texas-East piled on with three runs in the third and put the game away with a six-spot in the third. By the time the Mississippi bats got going, it was already an 11-0 game.

Mississippi tried to claw back into the game with three runs in the third, but it couldn't keep its opponent off the board. Texas-East added two in the fourth to push its lead back up to 10.

Rook (3-for-4, two RBI, two runs) and Ryan Selvaggi (1-for-3, walk, home run, 2 RBI, two runs) led the way atop the Texas-East lineup. Justin Michaels added three RBI as the team pounded out 15 hits while also being aided by seven errors.

They scored at least two runs in all five innings.

As good as the offense was, the Texas-East pitching made sure Mississippi never made a game of it. Rook and Selvaggi each threw a shutout, hitless inning to start the game. Overall, Mississippi was able to muster up just three hits.

Texas-East returns to the diamond on Monday at 9 p.m. ET against Oklahoma. Mississippi will face New Mexico on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET in an elimination game.