Keep your eye out for Japanese major leaguers in 10 years. You may recognize some of these little leaguers.
Japan won the Little League World Series Sunday, taking the championship for the third time in five years. The little leaguers from Japan beat the United States champions from Boynton Beach, Fla. 10-1 on the wings of an outstanding pitching performance by Yuutaro Tanaka and a grand slam by Hokuto Nakahara.
The game began as a great pitching duel, with Florida’s Michael Broad shutting out the Japanese team through the first three innings. Japan broke the game wide open in the fourth inning, chasing Broad and scoring eight runs, capped by Nakahara’s slam.
Japan added two more runs in the top of the fifth, going up 10-0. To avoid a “mercy rule” loss, Florida scrambled to score a run in the bottom of the fifth. Tanaka remained dominant, though, striking out 14 and only giving up three hits.
Japan remained perfect throughout the tournament, winning all six games, including all three in pool play. They beat the Canadian representatives from Nova Scotia 7-0, defeated the team from Netherland Antilles 4-1, and blew out the little leaguers from Saudi Arabia 17-0. In the international semifinals, they won 7-1 over Mexico, and beat Netherland Antilles 14-6 in a rematch of pool play.
Florida placed second in their pool, and played Chandler, Ariz. in the U.S. semifinals. Arizona fell 4-1, and Florida went on to play the winner of the most exciting game at the Little League World Series.
Saugus, Mass. and Richmond, Texas locked horns in the other U.S. semifinal. After five innings of twists and turns, Texas found themselves down 10-4. The team never gave up, and mounted a six-run final-inning comeback to tie the game at 10. Massachusetts failed to score in the bottom of the sixth, and the game went on to extra innings. Texas scored three runs in the top of the seventh and looked to close out the game, but the scrappy kids from Massachusetts scrounged together three runs, and with runners on second and third, Saugus’ David Ferriera rolled a slow grounder to the third baseman and beat out the throw to win the game and advance.
Florida and Massachusetts met again in the U.S. finals, and Florida slugged their way into the world championship.
Critics of the Little League World Series say that the tournament puts too much pressure on 12 year-olds. Others believe, though, that it’s a chance for kids all over the world to get together and play baseball. The competitors in the championship showed that it was all fun for them. After the finals, when the Japanese team ran out to centerfield to bow to the crowd, the team from Florida ran out to join them. The victory lap for both teams turned into a spirited footrace, reminding all that the championship game was just that: a game.
