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Little League World Series 2021: Bracket Schedule, TV Info, Round 1 Predictions
August 18, 2021
The bracket is set for the 2021 Little League World Series, and 16 teams will descend upon Williamsport, Pennsylvania, to earn a spot in the history books.
The event is returning with a little bit of a modified look after being canceled altogether in 2020. Due to the logistics of holding an international tournament with the threat of COVID-19 spread, both regional champions and runners-up qualified for the tournament this year and no international teams will be in the tourney.
Despite the lack of international flair, there should still be plenty of fun baseball ahead. It creates the potential for a team who wouldn't have typically qualified to go on to win the whole thing.
From Hawaii to New Hampshire the first round has teams from all over the country. Here's a look at how things will get started in Round 1 of the double-elimination tournament along with where and when you can take in the games.
LLWS Round 1 Schedule
August 19
Hawaii vs. Connecticut, 1 p.m. on ESPN
Tennessee vs. Ohio, 3 p.m. on ESPN
Nebraska vs. New Jersey, 5 p.m. on ESPN
New Hampshire vs. California, 7 p.m. on ESPN
August 20
Pennsylvania vs. Oregon, 1 p.m. on ESPN
Michigan vs. Florida, 3 p.m. on ESPN
Louisiana vs. South Dakota, 5 p.m. on ESPN
Washington vs. Texas, 7 p.m. on ESPN2
All times ET.
Key Dates
August 19: Round 1 Begins
August 21: Round 2 Begins
August 28: Tom Seaver and Hank Aaron Finals
August 29: Little League World Series Championship Game
The action starts with Hawaii vs. Connecticut at 1 p.m. on ESPN on Thursday. Hawaii last produced a world series champion in 2018 when it defeated South Korea 3-0 in the final.
This team doesn't have any members from that championship team returning. They'll also have to deal with the loss of their ambidextrous pitcher Tyler Shindo. The 12-year-old has decided to forgo the tournament to honor a previous commitment to play at Team USA's National Team Identification Series in North Carolina, per Sam Spangler of KHON2.
Still, Hawaii's bats should make it a threat to make a run in the tournament once more, even without Shindo's pitching. In the West Regional tournament, the team never scored fewer than seven runs and scored in the teens twice.
Expect that firepower to guide it to a second-round berth against Connecticut.
The Tennessee squad is another team to watch on Day 1. The Southeast Regional champions went 5-1 in their tournament to get to Williamsport.
Nolan Brown—who is the son of Vanderbilt pitching coach Scott Brown—has been integral in the team's run thus far. He mashed four home runs and 14 RBI in their six regional games.
It'll take on an Ohio team that has a star pitcher in J.J. Vogel. The young man fanned 13 batters in a no-hit effort on its way to the tournament.
He'll have to be on his game to shut down the high-powered lineup from Tennessee, but he should be up to the task.
Day 2 features a couple of contenders for the title as well. Michigan rolled through the Great Lakes qualifier with an unbeaten record. They have a dominant pitcher in their own right in Ethan Van Belle. He went 4-0 with a 0.47 ERA and 24 strikeouts in the regionals.
It should advance past Florida in the 3 p.m. game.
Louisiana produced the World Series champion in 2019. River Ridge Little League routed Curacao 8-0 in the final. Now a group of young men from Lafayette will attempt to bring another championship to the Bayou State.
Lousiana gave up three total runs in four games on its way to Williamsport. That pitching and defense should be enough to get it to the second round with a win over South Dakota.