Account
Little League World Series 2021: Wednesday Schedule, TV Info, Bracket Prediction
August 25, 2021
Eight teams remain in the hunt for the Little League World Series championship, with the winning side set to be crowned Sunday in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Two of the remaining unbeaten teams in the bracket will do battle Wednesday in the marquee game of the day as Michigan battles Hawaii, with each looking to continue its momentous run while dealing a blow to one of the greatest threats to its championship aspirations.
That game headlines four scheduled for Wednesday.
TV Schedule
Ohio vs. New Hampshire, 1 p.m., ESPN
Nebraska vs. Texas, 3 p.m., ESPN
California vs. South Dakota, 5 p.m., ESPN
Michigan vs. Hawaii, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Predictions
Ohio vs. New Hampshire
New Hampshire fended off elimination Tuesday, turning in one of its finest offensive performances of the tournament to date as it sent Oregon packing. It exploded with 16 hits, four of which were home runs, while Jacoby Acevedo impressed on the mound with 3.5 scoreless innings.
It was the first time since 2017 (South Korea) that a team had blasted four homers in a single game in LLWS competition.
Ohio vanquished Louisiana on the strength of its own superb pitching while knocking in eight runs. Pitcher Noah Davidson started shakily, allowing two runs in back-to-back innings, but he settled down to complete three solid innings of work.
He won't be able to afford shaky innings Wednesday because New Hampshire will make him pay and pour on the runs.
Prediction: New Hampshire
Nebraska vs. Texas
Nebraska has advanced further in this year's LLWS than any other team the state had produced before. The team staved off elimination Monday, narrowly defeating Washington to send that team home. Now, it faces one of the better teams in the bracket in Texas.
It will need star Hunter Nepple, who knocked in two RBI against Washington while also recording the win on the mound, to perform at his highest level to secure the win.
Texas defeated a solid New Jersey team Tuesday 2-1, with both runs coming from Cason Parrish.
Catcher Ella Bruning uncharacteristically mishandled a pitch, allowing New Jersey to score its only run of the game.
Texas has been one of the better teams in the tournament, but Nebraska has been gritty and tough to this point. With solid pitching on both sides, the game will come down to which team can summon enough offensive firepower to score one more run than the other. Texas should be able to do just that in a close one.
Prediction: Texas
California vs. South Dakota
California has been the most dominant team in the tournament, defeating New Hampshire 10-2 before blanking Ohio 9-0. It has been seemingly infallible, roughing up opponents by a large margin.
It faces a South Dakota team Wednesday that has proved less prolific offensively but has yet to allow a run in the tournament.
Something has to give when the two teams clash at 5 p.m. on ESPN.
The old saying that defense wins championships may be accurate, but in this regard, California's offense is so potent that even the best pitching will struggle to keep the team from advancing.
Prediction: California
Hawaii vs. Michigan
Like California, Hawaii has been an offensive juggernaut through the tournament, scoring 20 runs in two games while allowing only four. Hawaii is unbeaten, but it will come up against a Michigan team that has yet to lose in this tournament.
Michigan narrowly defeated Texas Monday, outlasting that squad 6-5. It has faced adversity, conquered it, and will look to knock off one of the tournament favorites.
The gritty team, which put up eight runs and allowed none in the first game of its LLWS, will find it difficult to keep up run for run if that is the direction things head.
Expect a close game early, but Hawaii should pull ahead and stay there, cashing its ticket to the next round.
Prediction: Hawaii