Inside scoop: Scouting experiences and enjoyable information about all 16 groups
The 73rd Little League World Sequence begins on Thursday in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The 16-team area, which consists of eight U.S. and eight worldwide groups, will face off in a modified double-elimination event culminating with the Little League World Sequence championship recreation on Aug. 25.
On ESPN/ESPN+ (all occasions ET):
Australia vs. Curacao, 1 p.m.
Rhode Island vs. Virginia, Three p.m.
South Korea vs. Venezuela, 5 p.m.
Minnesota vs. Kentucky, 7 p.m.
LLWS dwelling web page | Full schedule
A U.S. crew has received two of the previous three Little League World Sequence titles, and U.S. entrants can be searching for to win consecutive championships for the primary time since a run of 5 in a row from 2005 to ’09. U.S. groups are 17-35 all time in opposition to worldwide groups in LLWS championship video games.
This 12 months’s World Sequence is not going to function any youngsters. Little League introduced in 2015 that the date by which eligibility is set was being switched from Dec. 31 to Aug. 31, efficient in 2018, thus eliminating the potential of 13-year-olds taking part in within the sequence. Final 12 months, 39.9% (85 of 213) of the gamers have been 13.
Listed below are scouting experiences and enjoyable information for every crew:
U.S. groups
Courtesy of Little League
Nice Lakes: Bowling Inexperienced Japanese Little League
Location: Bowling Inexperienced, Kentucky
Scouting report: Kentucky is making its 10th Little League World Sequence look and first since 2016. Kentucky groups are 14-18 all time within the LLWS. … Bowling Inexperienced Japanese Little League is making its third journey to Williamsport, all of them prior to now 5 years. Rick Kelley has managed all three groups. His groups received two video games in each 2015 and 2016. … Bowling Inexperienced Japanese Little League is an ideal 14-Zero this summer time. It went Three-Zero at Regionals and averaged 11.7 runs per recreation. … Kentucky’s solely Little League World Sequence title got here in 2002, when Valley Sports activities American Little League from Louisville defeated Japan 1-Zero within the championship recreation. … Kentucky opens LLWS play in opposition to Minnesota at 7 p.m. ET Thursday. This would be the first LLWS matchup between the 2 states.
Enjoyable truth: Devin Obee, a star for the Bowling Inexperienced Little League crew that reached the 2016 LLWS, has dedicated to Duke to play baseball (class of 2021) and made the 16U U.S. Nationwide Group Growth Program.
Courtesy of Little League
Mid-Atlantic: Elmora Youth Little League
Location: Elizabeth, New Jersey
Scouting report: Elmora Youth Little League is making its first Little League World Sequence look. … New Jersey went 5-1 within the regional event. It misplaced its second recreation of the event on a walk-off, three-run dwelling run however outscored its remaining 4 opponents 32-5, throwing two shutouts within the course of. … Elmora nearly did not make it out of the New Jersey state event. It trailed Four-Three within the championship recreation with one out and nobody on within the sixth inning earlier than rallying to win. … New Jersey is considered one of 4 U.S. states to win not less than 4 LLWS titles, with its final coming in 1998 (Tom’s River). … New Jersey will open LLWS play in opposition to Oregon at Eight p.m. ET Friday. The 2 states have performed one another as soon as: New Jersey beat Oregon in 2012.
Enjoyable truth: Elmora supervisor Jairo Labrador instructed The New York Publish that Mets third baseman Todd Frazier’s exploits again in 1998 — when he led Toms River (New Jersey) to the Little League World Sequence title — impressed Elizabeth to kind Elmora, which was chartered the following 12 months.
Courtesy of Little League
Midwest: Minnesota Coon Rapids Andover American Little League
Location: Coon Rapids, Minnesota
Scouting report: Coon Rapids Andover American Little League can be making its first Little League World Sequence look. It opens play on Thursday in opposition to Nice Lakes Area champion Kentucky. Will probably be the primary assembly between Minnesota and Kentucky within the Little League World Sequence. … Coon Rapids would be the seventh crew to characterize the state of Minnesota within the LLWS and the primary since 2010, when Plymouth/New Hope Little League went Zero-Three. Minnesota is 6-12 all time within the LLWS and has by no means made it to a U.S. Championship Recreation. … Coon Rapids superior to Williamsport with an Eight-6 win over Johnston Little League from Iowa in Saturday’s Midwest Championship Recreation. Coon Rapids trailed by 4 runs coming into the highest of the fifth inning — and by one coming into the highest of the sixth — earlier than rallying to avenge its solely loss at Regionals. Jameson Kuznia performed the hero, crushing a three-run dwelling run with two outs within the prime of the sixth inning to interrupt a 5-5 tie. It was Kuznia’s sixth dwelling run of the summer time.
Enjoyable truth: Maddy Freking of Minnesota would be the first lady to play within the Little League World Sequence since Mo’ne Davis and Emma March in 2014. She would be the 19th lady to play within the LLWS. The newest lady from Minnesota to play within the event was Krissy Wendell in 1994. Wendell went on to star for the College of Minnesota girls’s hockey crew and later served as a crew captain for the U.S. nationwide crew.
Courtesy of Little League
New England: Barrington Little League
Location: Barrington, Rhode Island
Scouting report: That is the primary crew from Barrington to characterize Rhode Island within the Little League World Sequence. … Barrington went Three-1 in regional play, avenging an earlier loss by defeating New Hampshire within the championship recreation. … Barrington misplaced its first recreation in Districts earlier than rebounding to win seven consecutive elimination video games in district play. The drama did not cease there. Within the Rhode Island state title recreation, Barrington trailed by 5 runs with one out within the prime of the sixth inning with nobody on earlier than placing up eight runs to stun Cranston Western 10-7. … Rhode Island will open the Little League World Sequence at Three p.m. ET Thursday in opposition to Virginia. This would be the first time that groups from the 2 states face one another within the LLWS.
Enjoyable truth: Rhode Island is in Williamsport for the 11th time. This may also be its fifth look prior to now six years. Rhode Island groups have posted a file of 5-7 within the LLWS since 2014.
Courtesy of Little League
Northwest: Sprague Little League
Location: Salem, Oregon
Scouting report: That is the primary crew from Salem to characterize Oregon within the LLWS. … Sprague LL went Three-Zero in regional play, defeating Idaho within the championship recreation in its second consecutive matchup in regional play. … Oregon is in Williamsport for the seventh time. This can be its first look within the event since 2016. Oregon groups are 6-13 all time within the Little League World Sequence and 1-Eight of their previous three event appearances (since 2012). The state’s greatest end got here again in 2006, when Murrayhill Little League from Beaverton made all of it the best way to the U.S. title recreation earlier than falling to eventual champs Georgia. … Oregon groups are Zero-6 in opening video games within the LLWS. They’ve scored a couple of run in two of their six opening video games. … Oregon will open Little League World Sequence play at Eight p.m. ET Friday in opposition to New Jersey. The 2 states have met as soon as, a recreation New Jersey received within the 2012 LLWS.
Enjoyable truth: Carson McNally didn’t make the Sprague Little League district crew final 12 months. He labored arduous to enhance throughout the offseason and made the crew this 12 months. He got here on to pitch in aid within the state championship and obtained the ultimate out.
Courtesy of Little League
Southeast: Loudoun South LL
Location: South Using, Virginia
Scouting report: Virginia is making its ninth LLWS look and its first since 1994. Solely eight states had an extended hole between LLWS appearances. … Loudoun South is making its first LLWS look. It went Four-Zero in regionals. … Loudoun South reached final 12 months’s regional remaining however misplaced to Peachtree Metropolis American Little League of Georgia. Groups from Virginia had misplaced their earlier six regional title video games. … Loudoun South went 6-Zero and outscored opponents 68-7 en path to successful the state event. The crew posted a shutout in every of its first 4 video games within the event. … That is the primary time a crew from South Using has reached the LLWS. … Virginia begins LLWS play on Thursday in opposition to Rhode Island (Three p.m. ET). The 2 states have by no means met within the LLWS.
Enjoyable truth: Washington Nationals gamers Matt Adams, Ryan Zimmerman and Howie Kendrick have all supplied recommendation to the Loudoun crew. South Using is about 30 miles from Washington, D.C.
Courtesy of Little League
Southwest: Eastbank Little League
Location: River Ridge, Louisiana
Scouting report: Louisiana is making its eighth LLWS look and its first since 2011, when Lafayette went 1-2. Eastbank Little League is making its first LLWS look. … Eastbank is undefeated this summer time. It went Four-Zero in regionals, beating each Texas groups en path to successful the title. Louisiana beat Texas West within the regional remaining, snapping a streak of seven straight appearances for Texas within the LLWS. … In districts and states mixed, Eastbank outscored its opponents 79-Zero. … Eastbank threw three shutouts in three state event video games, outscoring its opponents 46-Zero. … That is the primary time a crew from the town of River Ridge is showing within the LLWS. It is the fourth metropolis from Louisiana to provide a LLWS crew, becoming a member of Alexandria, Lake Charles and Lafayette. … River Ridge, a suburb of New Orleans, is situated 11 miles west of the town. … Louisiana begins LLWS play in opposition to Hawaii at Four p.m. ET Friday.
Enjoyable truth: Louisiana has a 9-14 file within the LLWS however has received not less than one recreation in six of its seven earlier appearances.
Courtesy of Little League
West: Central East Maui Little League
Location: Wailuku, Hawaii
Scouting report: Current historical past says that when Hawaii makes it to Williamsport, be careful. Every of the previous 4 Hawaiian groups to seem within the Little League World Sequence went on to win the U.S. Championship — and three of them received the entire thing, together with final 12 months, when Honolulu Little League defeated South Korea within the title recreation. This 12 months, Central East Maui Little League represents the state, and it’s the first crew from Maui to make it to Williamsport.. … Hawaii defeated Arizona Four-1 within the West Area title recreation, capping an ideal Four-Zero run at Regionals. Logan Kuloloia picked up the win within the championship, permitting only one run and two hits whereas going the space. He additionally helped himself by going 2-for-2 on the plate with a house run. Jaren Pascual additionally got here up large, smacking a three-run dwelling run. He completed Regionals with seven RBIs in 4 video games and reached base in 11 of his 15 plate appearances. … Hawaii will open the Little League World Sequence at Four p.m. ET Friday in opposition to Louisiana. The states have met two occasions earlier than, with Hawaii popping out on prime each occasions.
Enjoyable truth: Former MLB participant (and Hawaii native) Shane Victorino drove from Las Vegas to observe the Central East Maui All-Stars play in San Bernardino. His father and Maui’s mayor, Michael Victorino, was additionally in attendance.
Worldwide Groups
Courtesy of Little League
Asia-Pacific: Chung Nam (B) Little League
Location: South Chungcheong, South Korea
Scouting Report: South Korea is representing the Asia-Pacific area for the fourth consecutive 12 months and the fifth time prior to now six years. That is its total Little League World Sequence look. It has reached the LLWS championship in 5 of its earlier six journeys to Williamsport. Final 12 months’s consultant misplaced within the title recreation to Hawaii. … To get right here, South Korea went 7-Zero in regional play, defeating Chinese language Taipei within the Asia-Pacific remaining. South Korea outscored its opponents 78-Eight in regionals play. … South Korea is 20-5 all time within the Little League World Sequence — and 6-Zero all time in opening video games of the LLWS. South Korea opens LLWS play in opposition to Venezuela at 5 p.m. ET Thursday. South Korea is 1-Zero all time vs. Venezuela, with that victory coming in 1985.
Enjoyable Reality: South Korea can have gone 47 days between the regional title recreation and its LLWS opener. Solely Australia has an extended layoff.
Courtesy of Little League
Australia: Cronulla Little League
Location: Sydney, Australia
Scouting report: This can be Cronulla Little League’s second journey to the Little League World Sequence. It additionally received the Australian Area title in 2015. … Cronulla is the fourth crew prior to now 5 years from the state of New South Wales to characterize Australia in Williamsport. … This would be the seventh time Australia has been represented within the Little League World Sequence (all because the nation obtained its regional designation in 2013). The very best end for an Australian crew was in 2016, when Hills Little League (Sydney) went 2-2, beating Italy and Curacao earlier than being eradicated by Mexico. … Cronulla went an ideal 6-Zero within the Australian Regional Event. After going Three-Zero in pool play, it beat Manly within the quarterfinals, Hills Purple within the semifinals and Ryde Purple within the title recreation. … Australia will face Curacao within the opening recreation of the event at 1 p.m. ET Thursday. Australia is 1-Zero all time in opposition to Curacao. That victory got here in 2016.
Enjoyable Reality: Cronulla can have gone 65 days between the regional title recreation and its LLWS opener, the longest layoff for any crew this 12 months.
Courtesy of Little League
Canada: Coquitlam Little League
Location: Coquitlam, British Columbia
Scouting report: Coquitlam Little League can be making its second Little League World Sequence look and first since 1984, when it posted a 1-2 file in Williamsport. … Coquitlam went 7-1 within the Canada Regional event, capping issues with a 6-Three victory over Mirabel, Quebec, within the championship recreation. Simply three days earlier, Coquitlam misplaced to Quebec 12-2. … When Little League expanded the World Sequence from 4 to seven groups in 1958, the Canadian Area was established. A Canadian crew has appeared in Williamsport yearly since besides 1975. … Canada opens the Little League World Sequence in opposition to Mexico at 6 p.m. ET Friday. Canada is 6-9 all time in opposition to Mexico. Final 12 months, Whalley Little League from Canada defeated Matamoros Little League from Mexico 6-Four in an elimination recreation.
Enjoyable truth: That is Canada’s 63rd look within the Little League World Sequence, essentially the most by a world crew.
Courtesy of Little League
Caribbean: Pabao Little League
Location: Willemstad, Curacao
1 Associated
Scouting report: Pabao Little League from Curacao can be showing within the Little League World Sequence for the primary time since 2009 and the ninth time total. Solely Arabian American LL from Saudi Arabia (18) and Coquivacoa LL from Venezuela (10) have extra LLWS appearances. … Pabao Little League went 6-Zero in regional play and beat Pariba Little League, additionally from Curacao, within the regional remaining. … This 12 months’s crew can have a well-known title: Jurdrick Profar, who would be the third Profar brother to play within the LLWS. Jurickson Profar, now an infielder for the Oakland A’s, received a Little League World Sequence title taking part in for Pabao Little League again in 2004 (and was on the runner-up crew in 2005). Juremi, a minor leaguer within the Texas Rangers group, performed within the LLWS in 2007 and 2008. … Curacao kicks off the LLWS with a matchup in opposition to Australia at 1 p.m. ET Thursday. These two international locations have met simply as soon as within the LLWS: Australia beat Curacao in 2016.
Enjoyable truth: The Profars are the second trio of brothers to play within the LLWS. (The Hill brothers from Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores LL in Michigan have been the primary).
Courtesy of Little League
Europe-Africa: Emilia Little League
Location: Emilia, Italy
Scouting report: Emilia Little League will characterize the Europe-Africa Area in Williamsport for the fourth time. It most just lately made it to the LLWS in 2017, when Italy went Zero-Three in event play. … Italy is 1-11 all time within the LLWS. Its solely win within the LLWS got here in its first recreation again in 1979 (when Italy defeated Canada). Aviano Air Pressure Base Little League represented Italy that 12 months, fielding a crew of kids of U.S. Air Pressure personnel. … Emilia outscored its 4 opponents in regionals 27-7. It shut out the Netherlands in a tightly contested regional remaining 1-Zero. … A European nation has by no means reached the LLWS Championship Recreation. In reality, solely two European international locations have reached the Worldwide Championship Recreation: Italy in 1979 and Germany in 1993. … Italy will open the LLWS in opposition to Japan on Friday. Will probably be the primary time the 2 will meet within the LLWS.
Enjoyable truth: Emilia is a area in northern Italy, south of Venice and Milan and north of Florence. The world’s most well-known sort of prosciutto (Prosciutto di Parma) is native to the area. The area is the house of a number of luxurious automotive manufacturers: Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Ducati all both have been based or are at present headquartered there.
Courtesy of Little League
Japan: Chofu Little League
Location: Chofu Metropolis, Tokyo
Scouting report: Chofu is making its third Little League World Sequence look. In 2016, Chofu misplaced its first two video games to Canada and Curaçao earlier than successful a comfort recreation in opposition to Texas and ending with a 1-2 file within the event. It was the second time crew from Japan misplaced its first two video games of a Little League World Sequence. … Chofu Little League received all 4 of its video games within the Japan Area event whereas outscoring its opponents 37-1. … Japan has received 5 of the previous 9 Little League World Sequence titles, with its most up-to-date coming in 2017 (Tokyo Kitasuna Little League). … Koji Yamashita is in his 19th 12 months as a Little League coach. He has coached with Makoto Nagase for 18 years. … Chofu will open the LLWS at 2 p.m. ET Friday in opposition to Italy. Japan has by no means confronted Italy within the LLWS. … Japan has received 25 of its previous 26 LLWS openers. Its lone loss throughout that span was in 2016, when Chofu fell to Canada.
Enjoyable truth: In 1976, Chofu received the Little League World Sequence whereas outscoring its opponents 39-Three and permitting simply three hits in three video games. Makoto Nagase — who’s a coach for Japan this 12 months — was a catcher for that crew. Nagase was additionally a coach in 2016, which suggests he has been in Williamsport for all three of Chofu’s appearances.
Courtesy of Little League
Latin America: Cacique Mara Little League
Location: Cacique Mara Little League Maracaibo, Venezuela
Scouting report: Cacique Mara dropped its second recreation on the Latin American regional event earlier than rebounding to win 4 straight elimination video games. It went 5-1, outscoring opponents 39-10. … Cacique Mara is making its first Little League World Sequence look. That is the 15th time crew from the town of Maracaibo is heading to Williamsport. All different Venezuelan cities have accounted for six appearances in Williamsport: Barquisimeto (two), Valencia (two), Altagracia (one) and Maracay (one). … Venezuela is showing within the LLWS for the 21st time and the fourth time prior to now six years. Venezuela’s 21 appearances are essentially the most by a crew from the present Latin America area. … Venezuela and Panama are the one groups from the Latin America Area to succeed in the LLWS because the area expanded to 16 areas in 2001. This can be Venezuela’s 12th look in that span. Panama has made seven.
Enjoyable truth: Groups from Venezuela have received the Little League World Sequence twice: in 1994, when the crew featured present A’s pitcher Yusmeiro Petit, and in 2000, the final time a crew from the Latin America area received the title.
Courtesy of Little League
Mexico: Epitacio “Mala” Torres Little League
Location: Guadalupe, Mexico
Scouting report: Epitacio “Mala” Torres Little League will characterize the Mexico Area in Williamsport for the primary time. The league went 6-1 in regional play and beat final 12 months’s LLWS consultant, Matamoros Little League, twice over the course of the event, together with within the title recreation. … That is the fifth time a crew from Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon, has reached the LLWS. In 1997, Guadalupe Linda Vista Little League beat South Mission Viejo Little League from California within the title recreation. That was the final time a crew from Mexico received the LLWS. … Mexico has reached the worldwide championship 5 occasions since Matamoros LL reached the title recreation in 2008. All 5 of these groups misplaced. … Mexico has obtained an computerized berth within the Little League Baseball World Sequence because the event expanded to 16 groups in 2001. Previous to 2001, Mexico was a part of the Latin American Area. … Mexico opens LLWS play in opposition to Canada at 6 p.m. ET Friday. Mexico holds a 9-6 benefit in 15 earlier LLWS matchups.
Enjoyable truth: In 1957 and 1958, a crew from Monterey, the capital metropolis of Nuevo Leon, turned the primary non-U.S. crew to win a championship banner and the primary league within the historical past of the Little League Baseball World Sequence to win back-to-back championships. Angel Macias, who pitched with each his left and proper fingers, threw an ideal recreation to win the 1957 Little League World Sequence. It is nonetheless the one good recreation in LLWS title recreation historical past.