Little League World Series 2011:5 Things You Need To Know About Huntington Beach

In the 2011 Little League World Series, the boys from Huntington Beach, California put their best baseball on display. After winning the championship game 2-1 over Japan in thrilling fashion, it is important we understand just how this team got there.

Team west was bringing in runs and making pitches count, putting together quite the all-around performance in the Little League World Series championship.

Here are 5 things fans who missed out on the action have to to know about this Little League World Series championship team.

They Are Strong Hitters

Led by Hagen Danner with 11 hits for the tournament, team California was able to put up 47 runs in six games for an average of 7.83 runs a game.

Talk about run support.

Nick Pratto was also arguably as effective as Danner was in the tournament, putting up a total of seven RBI's in the Little League World Series for the team. The 47 total hits were second only to Japan, who ended up with 57 after the championship game.

Huntington Beach Has Never Won a LLWS

California has won a total of seven Little League World Series championships, but never has a team from Huntington Beach won the tournament.

Getting to the tournament, team California knew they would be a team to beat. In the Little League Baseball West tournament, they dominated the competition in the six games, as they evidently continued their success in the World Series.

Going 5-1 in the tournament and knocking off last year's champions in the championship was as solid a run as this team could have put together.

Top Pitching Quality Was on Display

Nick Pratto was a big force on the mound for team California, as they were able to make a big impact with their pitching throughout this year's Little League World Series.

Pratto, Hagen Danner and Braydon Salzman were a big reason the team was able to dominate the competition. The three combined for five wins, as Salzman got the job done on the biggest of stages in the World Series final against Japan. He allowed three hits, struck out nine batters and didn't walk a single batter.

Pratto allowed four hits and struck out 21 batters in just 12.1 innings pitched for the tournament.

Pratto Was Essential for the Team

Nick Pratto played with as much enthusiasm and passion as a coach and teammates could ask for, helping to lift the team with his solid hitting and clutch pitching throughout the Little League World Series.

In 21 at bats, Pratto put together nine hits and batted in an impressive seven runs. His seven RBI's ranked third for the tournament. In the championship game Pratto went 3-4, coming up big in a game that had a scarcity of hits.

Pratto also was big with his pitching, leading the team with 21 strikeouts in his 12.1 innings pitched.

Hagen Danner Was as Important as Anyone

Hagen Danner came up big for California throughout the tournament, and the numbers don't lie.

As a pitcher for the team, Danner recorded two wins in two starts, 17 strikeouts, and just five walks in the entire World Series. In his last outing, a win over the Mid-Atlantic team, Danner put up a whopping 12 strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched to help put together a 2-0 win.

From the plate Danner was crucial. Danner had a homerun in the championship game, his second of the tournament, that helped his team to win the title. Danner finished with a batting average of .500 in the six games.

Without Danner's dominance on the mound and big hits throughout this 2011 Little League World Series, it would have been a significantly more difficult task to bring a home a championship.

Follow Luis Batlle on twitter: @lbatll1