Little League World Series 2011 Scores: Daily Updates and Predictions
The 2011 Little League World Series is teeing off with 16 teams looking to bring the LLWS Championship back to their hometowns.
The tournament features eight teams from the United States and eight international teams. The format has been modified this year as there are only two pools now. Prior to this year, the tournament divided the 16 teams into four pools, now there is one pool for the American teams and one pool for the International teams.
The tournament is still double-elimination until the United States and International Championship games when the tournament changes to single-elimination.
The tournament is set to be jam-packed with tons of action and excitement en route to crowning the best Little League team in the world.
Here is the list of teams participating in this year's event:
| La Grange, Kentucky Great Lakes Region North Oldham | Kaohsiung City, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) Asia-Pacific Region Ching-Tang |
| Beech Creek, Pennsylvania Mid-Atlantic Region Keystone | Langley, British Columbia Canada Region Langley |
| Rapid City, South Dakota Midwest Region Harney | Oranjestad, Aruba Caribbean Region Aruba North |
| Cumberland, Rhode Island New England Region Cumberland American | Rotterdam, Netherlands Europe Region Rotterdam |
| Billings, Montana Northwest Region Big Sky | Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka, Japan Japan Region Hamamatsu Minami |
| Warner Robins, Georgia Southeast Region Warner Robins American | Maracay, Venezuela Latin America Region Gran Maracay |
| Lafayette, Louisiana Southwest Region Lafayette | Mexicali, Baja California Mexico Region Seguro Social |
| Huntington Beach, California West Region Ocean View | Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Middle East-Africa Region Arabian American |
For daily scores and previews click through the slides.
California Dreamin'
1 of 11California defeated Japan 2-1 in dramatic walk off fashion to wrestle the trophy back from Japan. Japan defeated California last year in the finals game. That win snapped a streak of five straight for America.
America has now won six of the last seven LLWS titles. And that is a streak no one saw coming. The US claimed just nine titles from 1967-2004. That nine victories does not include the 1975 title claimed by Lakewood, New Jersey. International teams were not involved in that tournament.
The win is California's seventh title in LLWS history. That pulls them into a tie with Japan in second place for most all-time victories.
Chinese Taipei leads the pack with a dominant 17 all-time victories.
California won this title in thrilling fashion. Nick Pratto delivered a walk off single in the bottom of the sixth. His hit broke a 1-1 tie. It was Pratto's third hit in a great game. Pratto was all smiles after the game.
In an interview right after the game, Pratto was asked about his great LLWS run and what memory will stick out the most. He let it be quickly known that it was his last moment, and that clutch hit. Pratto said it felt good coming off of the bat and he knew he had just ended the game.
Pratto was certainly not the only hero. Braydon Salzmen pitched the complete game and shut the door on Japan after allowing a run in the third.
California's Hagen Danner then pulled this game even with a solo home run. For Danner, it was just another highlight in a dominant tournament. He hit over .500 for the tournament. He also started two games on the mound and did not surrender a run.
This was a well played game, with few errors and many great plays. Japan played well enough to win, but they came up just short.
The Story of the Hurricane
2 of 11A devastating storm has taken center stage at the Little League classic. On a day where Montana should have faced Mexico in the runner up game, storms hitting the East Coast have washed the game away, and it's threatening to postpone the Little League Final.
Hurricane Irene has come down on the upper East Coast leaving travelers displaced and putting the LLWS in jeopardy. The outcome of a game pales in comparison to the damage and destruction of a hurricane, but officials will do everything they can to try and get the game played today.
The game, if played, should be a good one. Japan has taken their high powered offense and ripped right through the LLWS. California, beyond a blemish from US runner up Montana, has been equally as potent. If these two teams meet it could make for one of the best battles in Little League World Series history.
Let's hope the skies clear and baseball can be played. Not just for the kids on the field, but for everyone affected by these dangerous storms.
US and International Championships Are Set
3 of 11One game ended after a slugfest, the other ended after a pitchers duel. However, at the end of the day, the teams from California and Japan advanced out of the loser's bracket to advance to the regional championship games.
California will face off against undefeated Montana in the US Championship, while Japan will meet Mexico in the International Championship.
These teams have already met before as Montana topped California in seven innings with a walk-off home run, and Mexico defeated Japan in nine innings with a homer of their own.
The tournament now switches from double elimination to single elimination. The winner of each Championship game will meet in the final to determine the LLWS Champion. The International Championship will take place on Saturday, August 27th at 12 PM ET. The US Championship will follow that at 3PM ET.
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Montana, Mexico Continue Stunning Runs
4 of 11Who would have thought that Montana and Mexico would have been the first two teams to clinch a berth in the US and International Championship games?
Definitely not me. Montana knocked off powerhouse California, while Mexico knocked off powerhouse Japan and Chinese Taipei en rouse to their 3-0 record.
Now these two teams are just two games away from winning the 2011 LLWS and will be the favorites in the US and International Championship games.
Montana won a pitchers duel against California, winning the game 1-0, while Mexico held onto a 2-1 victory. Neither game was able to avoid extra innings as Montana hit a walk off home run in the bottom of the seventh, while Mexico won on a ninth inning home run.
Venezuela will now face Japan on Thursday, August 25th at 4 PM ET, while California will meet Pennsylvania on August 25th at 8 PM ET.
Undefeated Teams Prepared to Face off on August 24th
5 of 11The winner's bracket continues today with the two 2-0 team from each bracket prepared to square off in a game that determines a spot in the US and International Championship game.
The winner of each game will have three days rest, while the loser will in the US bracket will face Pennsylvania tomorrow, and the loser in the International bracket will face Japan.
Today is certainly a big day of action in Williamsport, where underdogs Montana and Mexico look to continue their stunning runs through the LLWS.
Here is the schedule of action in WIlliamsport for August 24th:
Japan Looks Like Favorites Again
6 of 11Japan is rolling through the loser's bracket and they are now poised to take the momentum all the way to the championship. And that is a place many thought they'd wind up all along.
They entered the 2011 Little League World Series as one of the big favorites, but early results knocked them from their perch. Mexico defeated Japan, 3-2, in extra innings in round-two.
That bounced Japan to the loser's bracket. As a testament to their resiliency they came out determined in their first game in the loser's bracket as they rolled Saudi Arabia 13-4.
That set them up for Tuesday's big showdown with Canada. Canada was just coming off of an impressive win against Chinese Taipei.
In a pitching duel, Japan ousted Canada from the Little League World Series with a 4-0 victory. Canada was not without their chances. They left two men on base in three separate innings.
Japan did most of their damage in this game in the third inning. Japan got a lead off walk and followed it up with a two doubles and a triple to plate three runs.
Japan added an insurance run in the fourth as they showcased the skills that make them so unique and tough to handle. They received a bunt single. Then a bunt moved him to second. A fake bunt then advanced him to third. Then all the small ball was for naught as they hit a triple to drive the runner home.
Japan now awaits the loser of the Venezuela-Mexico game for the right to go to the International Championship game.
Montana Continues to Captivate
7 of 11There's an old saying that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. The little league team from Montana, playing in their first ever Little League World Series, got that message loud and clear.
The guys from Billings rolled to their sixth straight win on Sunday and continued to impress along the way. They got strong pitching from Patrick Zimmer who tossed five shutout innings and continued their timely hitting. It's not that Montana keeps winning, it's that they keep rolling.
While Montana is riding high right now they are staring down their toughest opponent in Huntington Beach, California, who also has gone 6-0 in early action. These two powerhouses meet on Wednesday night in what is sure to be the most intriguing matchup in the Little League World Series thus far.
What the world will be watching is the very best teams in the country and the very best chance to bring the LLWS title back to America.
Perhaps the pressure isn't on Montana. After all, this team didn't expect to qualify and no one expected them to win. They are playing with house money right now and you and with a hot streak going anything is possible.
Recapping the Third Day of Action in Williamsport
8 of 11The elimination games began on Saturday, August 20th as the Netherlands and Aruba were eliminated from the International bracket, while Rhode Island and South Dakota were eliminated from the US bracket.
The eliminated teams will play each other in consolation games on August 22nd and 23rd.
Pennsylvania, Georgia, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), and Saudi Arabia all kept their Championship hopes alive with victories.
Chinese Taipei destroyed Aruba in a 20-3 outing for the most uneventful outing of the day, while Pennsylvania provided another heart wrenching game that saw them win 2-0 after losing 2-0 the night before.
The teams in the winner's bracket will play today, so the quality of play should be even better today. The highlight game of the day today is Mexico and Japan, which will be the final game of the day.
Here is the schedule for Sunday, August 21st:
Recapping Second Day of Action in Williamsport
9 of 11The second day of action did not disappoint and it was even more thrilling than the first day. The Kentucky vs. Pennsylvania match may have been one of the best games in Little League history. The game ended 1-0 after Pennsylvania had chance after chance but kept getting thrown out at the plate.
Griffin McLarty, the Kentucky pitcher, single-handedly knocked off Pennsylvania. He hit the solo home run in the first inning that registered the only run in the game, and pitched a complete game shutout.
The Canada vs. Saudi Arabia match also didn't disappoint as Canada needed a sixth inning rally to come away with a victory.
Venezuela comfortable knocked off the Netherlands 6-1, while California pummeled Rhode Island by a score of 11-0.
Here is the schedule of games for Saturday, August 20:
Recappping First Day of Action in Williamsport
10 of 11The first day provided plenty of excitement and even an upset or two. The first upset came in the form of Mexico, they knocked off one of the tournament favorites in Taiwan.
The day also featured a heavyweight matchup that included Georgia and Louisiana, two of the favorites to advance from the United States bracket. The Georgia team has been here three times in the past five years and were the considered slight favorites but they lost the game 2-0.
The team from Montana also showed up to play as they took down another small state team from South Dakota.
Japan proved they are the favorite in this tournament as they destroyed Aruba by a score of 12-1.
Here is the schedule for the second day of action in Williamsport:
Previewing First Day of Tournament
11 of 11The 2011 Little League World Series kicks off on August 18th at 1 PM EST when Asia-Pacific takes on Mexico.
There is set to be plenty of excitement today with the events being capped by Southeast vs. Southwest at 8 PM EST.
The Southeast team is represented by Warner Robins, Georgia, a team that has advanced to the World Series in three of the previous five seasons. The Southwest team is from Lafayette, Louisiana and are considered one of the favorites in this year's event.
Tournament favorites, Japan, also kick off their quest for the Little League World Series today as they take on the Caribbean Region team from Aruba.
Here is the full schedule of events for August 18th:
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