LLWS: On TV this weekend

[regaleagle]

Lufkin, Texas is the representative of the Southwest Region this year at the LLWS. They won their opening game today 5-1 vs the Great Lakes region winner from Michigan. Texas hit 4 homers.......3 of them back to back to back. I believe Texas allowed 2 hits......one was a homer. They get a day off before playing again. The loser's bracket plays again the next day. American winner vs International winner for the LLWS Championship is the way they have been setting up this tournament for years......maybe for the entire history of the LLWS. These are two separate divisions. None of the American teams play International teams until the Championship game. I think I'm correct here......unless they play a game after being officially knocked out of the tournament. I think all teams are guaranteed 3 games, but after 2 losses you are knocked out of competing for the Championship.

[regaleagle]

Watching Lufkin, Tx. vs Connecticut in the early winner's bracket game today......it's 3-3 after 3 innings. Looks like Lufkin will have its hands full in the LLWS against some very good teams. They don't and won't play against them all.....thank goodness. They need to take it one game at a time and see where the chips fall in this Double Elimination Tournament.

[regaleagle]

Now it's 5-3 after 4 innings......Lufkin hitting the ball well, but some hard shots right to a fielder. Not striking out much, though.

[regaleagle]

Tonight for the first time ever......a Major League baseball game will be played in Williamsport. It will be the Cardinals vs the Pirates tonight on ESPN. Right now their players are on the grounds and in the stands watching the games and taking part in the festivities.

[regaleagle]

Now 6-3 Lufkin after 5 innings......Connecticut has only 3 outs left. Lufkin is the home team in this one and gets a final bat if needed.

[regaleagle]

Game Over......Lufkin wins 6-3 and goes 2-0 in LLWS. Collin Ross was on the mound throwing heat and went the distance with only 73 pitches total. Pitchers are held to 85 total pitches in LLWS, but can finish the at bat when they throw their 85th pitch. Texas has some good pitchers and some power. Mumphery hit 2 homers today. Ditsworth will most likely be on the mound in the next game. Overall, this is a good group that defeated a very good San Antonio McAllister Park team to get here as the Southwest Regional Champion.
Now Lufkin, Texas is one win away from the American Championship game.

[regaleagle]

Team Canada defeated a very good Venezuela team today to go 2-0 in the International winners bracket. They look pretty strong for that division.

[regaleagle]

Mid-Atlantic New Jersey defeated West California tonite to knock them out. Northeast Connecticut defeated Northwest Washington to knock them out. Now it's New Jersey vs Connecticut in an elimination game in the losers bracket(each has one loss). Southwest Lufkin, Texas will play Southeast North Carolina on ESPN Wed.@7:30pm in the winners bracket(both are 2-0). The winner of this game goes to the American Division Championship game, and the loser will play the winner of the New Jersey/Connecticut game. The winner of that game will win the losers bracket and play in the American Division Championship game. Looks like Lufkin has a very good chance here. North Carolina has thrown 2 shut out no hitters. Methinks the Texas team will not be shut out, will get their hits and defeat this powerful North Carolina team.

[regaleagle]

In the International Division, both Canada and Japan are 2-0 and will also play the early game on ESPN on Wednesday. Venezuela knocked out Dominican Republic and Mexico defeated S. Korea tonite in elimination games in the losers bracket. Mexico should defeat Venezuela tomorrow, but you just never know. The winner will play the loser of the Canada/Japan game for the losers bracket winner. The losers bracket winner will then play the winner of the Canada/Japan game for the International Division Championship on Saturday.

[regaleagle]

Saturday will be the championship title games for both divisions, and then Sunday will be two games also. The Consolation game will be pit the losers of the divisional championship games against each other, and then the big game.......for all the marbles.......The LLWS Championship Game. So that's how it works folks......Lufkin, Texas is in a good spot right now.

[regaleagle]

Actually.......tonite's game with Lufkin and North Carolina airs @ 6:30 pm Central on ESPN. Connecticut from the Northwest defeated New Jersey from the Mid-Atlantic earlier today. New Jersey is knocked out. Texas has already defeated Connecticut earlier in Game 2 for them. The loser will face Connecticut for the winner of the loser's bracket. :1popcorn:

[regaleagle]

Mexico defeated Venezuela yesterday and knocked them out. They will be playing the loser of today's Canada/Japan game in the International Division. That game will air at 2 pm Central on ESPN.

[regaleagle]

Japan blanked Canada 10-0 and sent them into the loser's bracket to play Mexico at 2 pm on Thurs. on ESPN......it wasn't close. I think Mexico is gonna win the losers bracket to play Japan for the International title.

[regaleagle]

North Carolina(Southeast) defeated Texas(Southwest) 2-1 in a pitching duel in extra innings. Texas will now play Connecticut (New England) again at 6:30 Thurs. on ESPN. The winner will face North Carolina in the American title game on Saturday.

Texas defeated Connecticut earlier 6-3 to give them their only loss. This will be a rematch.

[regaleagle]

Mexico eliminated Canada today 6-2 to advance to the Championship game Saturday against Japan in the International Division. Texas run-ruled Connecticut 14-4 in 5 innings to advance for the rematch against North Carolina for the American Championship game on Saturday. I still think this Lufkin team can win it all.....but must find a way to beat this North Carolina squad. They just need to take their swings......the pitching is good on both clubs. And so is the hitting, but I think Texas has better hitting. North Carolina has a couple of dominant pitchers, but so does Texas. It comes down to who gets the breaks and putting the ball in play offensively. In Little League, sometimes pass balls can make the difference......but runners in scoring position has to happen first.

[regaleagle]

Lufkin just went ahead with a two-run shot in the top of the 6th.....6-5. Now North Carolina comes to bat in the bottom of the 6th to tie it up or win it. Texas has a relief pitcher in since last inning after one out. Not sure if the reliever has enough heat to keep this North Carolina club at bay.......we'll see right now.

[regaleagle]

Yeah.....he's got enough heat and also a very good curve ball. Grounder to 3rd is thrown out. One out and two to go now. He strikes out the 2nd batter. One out left now for Texas to win the American Title.

[regaleagle]

Grounder to shortstop and he's thrown out at first......Texas wins it! Texas wins it! What a comeback and what a game by this fiesty Texas team. North Carolina just was not able to get their hits when they needed them.....they depended too much on their pitching. I firmly believed this Lufkin team was better coached and overall had the better players. In the end, they showed up and won it to advance to tomorrow's Championship game against Japan. Lufkin is now the United States World Champions of Little League in 2017. Congratulations Boyz......you earned it the old fashioned way!

[regaleagle]

They call themselves "The Thundering Thirteen".......thirteen boys that will play every game as a team. In Little League, the rule is that every player must get at least one at bat......everybody plays in every game.

[FB-fanatic]

They call themselves "The Thundering Thirteen".......thirteen boys that will play every game as a team. In Little League, the rule is that every player must get at least one at bat......everybody plays in every game.

All Texas sweep! Baseball and Softball!

[Rocket Man]

I'm ashamed to say that I quit watching when they were down 0-5; what a surprise when I turned back on at the bottom of the 5th; 4-5.

Great pep talk by Texas Coach at the start of the 6th and so cool when that kid hit a 2 run homer!!

[Roughneck93]

:2thumbsup

[Scoop27]

Was as church in Hungeford so caught the final out of the game in the 6th-

[FB-fanatic]

I'm ashamed to say that I quit watching when they were down 0-5; what a surprise when I turned back on at the bottom of the 5th; 4-5.

Great pep talk by Texas Coach at the start of the 6th and so cool when that kid hit a 2 run homer!!

We were driving back from College Station and missed it. I went to watch highlights, but they didn't show the winning homerun...will have to find a full replay leter.

[regaleagle]

First pitch of the Championship game Texas lead-off batter smacks a homer. 3rd batter another homer.

End of 1st
Texas 2
Japan 0

[regaleagle]

Texas top 3 starters are not eligible to pitch today. Japan has their full arsenal. Texas will have to beat them with their offense and good defensive plays......swing the bats Boyz.

[regaleagle]

Too many strike outs so far by the Texas hitters. Japan has plenty of good pitchers at their disposal today. This will be a tough one for Texas to win.....just saying. 3 strike outs in the top of the 2nd. Japan coming to bat.

[regaleagle]

Two run triple with 2 outs by Japan's best hitter ties it up. Another run scores also.

End of 2nd
Texas 2
Japan 3

[regaleagle]

The Texas hitters need to put the ball in play......just hit the ball with the bat......put pressure on the Japan pitcher and fielders. Top of the order up for Texas this inning.

[regaleagle]

Strike out, now a fly out to center by Deason. Ditsworth up now.....he hit one of the homers in the first. He chases one outside for another strike out for Japan. Not looking good for the Texas hitters now. Japan quickly back up to bat now.

[regaleagle]

I think the mixture of chasing curve balls outside and the umps calling strikes outside is giving the Japan pitcher an advantage and forcing the Texas hitters to swing at outside pitches.

[regaleagle]

End of 3rd

Texas 2
Japan 3

Texas starter has thrown 60 pitches in 3 innings.....the limit is 85 per outing.

[regaleagle]

High fly ball (tall can of corn) to left by Ross for the first out. Requena up now.....he's the one that homered to win the game yesterday for Texas.

[regaleagle]

He swings at a breaking ball in the dirt for the 2nd out......not good discipline there. 6th batter in lineup grounds out to short. Another 3 up, 3 down for Japan......this will not get it done for Texas. They need more focus against this breaking ball pitcher. Next inning they have hitters 7, 8, and 9 coming to bat. Texas will be forced to substitute off the bench to get every player at least one at bat.

[regaleagle]

Homer by Japan on 1-2 pitch right down the center of the plate. The Japan pitcher has not done that yet. 4-2 Japan now with no outs in the bottom of the 4th.

[regaleagle]

Now their top hitter whacks one of over the left field wall....he had the triple last time up. He's the leader and probably best player on this Japanese team. They practice 5 hrs a day and sometimes 6 days a week in Japan. Here at the LLWS......they had a 4-hr practice before one of their games. How do you compete against a team from Tokyo that breathes baseball 24/7??? And look at the population of Tokyo vs little ol' Lufkin. It's not really fair. Now here goes another homer with Deason pitching. Texas just doesn't have their Top 3 pitchers eligible today. It's tough when you get so far down in the pitching pecking order to compete at this level. I don't like the rules.....I think it's not a level playing field and greatly favors the winners bracket teams.....especially when a team is coming out of the losers bracket for the Championship game. They need to let whoever the team chooses to pitch this last game be able to pitch, IMHO. I've been around baseball for 50+ years......quite frankly this rule sucks. And so do the umps calling strikes that far outside in a tournament like this.

[regaleagle]

Is it no wonder Japan has so many wins in the LLWS??? Some of these rules have to change.....Japan knows them very well and practices to take advantage of them. It's tough enough getting to this game just playing a team that has All-Stars from a population and city like Tokyo.

[regaleagle]

Tokyo 7 Lufkin 2

Population of Lufkin 35,000 Population of Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area 13,000,000......the largest metro city in the world.

Do you think this particular Little League in Tokyo can recruit some great players??? They have a legacy coming to the LLWS.

[regaleagle]

Let's all be honest and say what everybody else thinks.......Nobody......I mean nobody but people from Japan or with a Japanese heritage......wants to see Japan win. Everybody already knows the deck is stacked in their favor. It's a miracle they don't win every single year.

[regaleagle]

Looks like Texas is gonna get run ruled today because of these idiotic rules about the pitching and days rest. It's batting practice out there. It's over now.......12-2. I hope those that make the rules for this Championship here in the USA are happy with their lousy tournament now......just go take a look in the mirror and you will see the problem. I've said all that needs to be said.....it's not a level playing field with the current rules.

[regaleagle]

Now back to the golf tournament.....where your play is the result of your own skills and the only advantage is one that a player gains with skill. Spieth and Dustin Johnson are tied with 3 holes to play. They are playing together in the last twosome today.......head to head.