The Mid-Atlantic team from Endwell, N.Y., relied on the pitching of Ryan Harlost and several timely hits to secure a 2-1 victory over South Korea in the Little League World Series championship game on Sunday before more than 22,000 fans at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport, Pa.
Advertisement
South Korea 7, Panama 2: Youbin Choi struck out 14 as the Asia-Pacific Region champ won the worldwide bracket.
The two teams facing off for a Little League World Series Championship will be United States victor Endwell, New York versus global victor Seoul, South Korea. He also singled during the decisive fourth inning, in which Maine-Endwell scored both runs to break a scoreless tie.
Junho Jeong (1-2) gave up two runs on four hits and struck out nine for South Korea (4-2).
Connor Rush hit an RBI-single that fell in shallow left field and plated the first run in the fourth inning.
The last win for a NY team was 1964 when the Mid-Island Little League of Staten Island defeated Obispado Little League of Monterrey, Mexico.
South Korea got five runs in the second to take charge, starting when Minho Choi doubled and scored on a single by Junhyeok Lee.
James Fellows turned in the defensive play of the day, denying Sangheon Park a home run in the second inning.
“I went out to the bullpen with Michael when he was warming up”, Rush said.
Players say they’ve learned a lot from watching the little league team.
Jon Luke Simmons broke up Mancinis no-hit bid in the top of the fifth.
When asked how he felt, Harlost said winning was “the best”. Harlost pitched the complete game, striking out the final batter with an outside pitch before the team threw up gloves in celebration on the first-base side. McWilliams’ blast halved New York’s lead, but Abbadessa struck out Carson Rucker to end the game. Several of the players from that team gathered to watch the 2016 championship game together.
Advertisement
Midfielder Gyasi Zardes will miss the United States’ World Cup qualifiers after he was injured in a Major League Soccer game.
