Aruba of the Caribbean Region eliminated Australia in emphatic fashion Monday, cruising to an 11-0 mercy-rule victory in four innings at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
The game had been suspended in the top of the second inning on Sunday due to inclement weather, with Aruba leading 3-0 at the time.
The contest ended on Arnold Martha’s two-RBI double to left-center field. Martha also started the game for Aruba, striking out five in 2 2/3 innings. Nishant Toledo went 2-for-2 with a home run and four RBIs.
Aruba will face Venezuela on Tuesday. Australia was eliminated with its second loss of the tournament.
Japan 2, Venezuela 1
Kanta Iwashita struck out 11 batters in 5 1/3 innings and scored the go-ahead run as the team from Tokyo marched on to the LLWS International semifinal by beating Venezuela.
Iwashita came home on a wild pitch in the top of the fifth inning to put his team in front before finishing his pitching stint, in which he allowed one run on five hits and a walk. Yuzuki Ozawa drove in Taiyo Honryo for Japan’s other run.
Simon Vicheria knocked in Jose Perez to let Venezuela tie the game in the third inning.
Nevada 3, Hawaii 2
Noah Letalu drew a bases-loaded walk in the top of the sixth inning to hand the team from Henderson, Nevada the victory over Hawaii to reach the U.S. semifinal.
Luke Lentz and Liam Sparks also had RBIs for Nevada, which needed just five hits to beat Hawaii despite allowing nine. Gunnar Gaudin went the distance and allowed two runs on nine hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
Brextyn Kamaha’o Hong and Kellen Takamura drove in Hawaii’s runs. Hawaii will meet Pennsylvania in the elimination bracket Tuesday.
Taiwan 10, Cuba 2
Chiu Wei-Che hit a grand slam among his two hits and helped Taiwan overtake Cuba to advance to the International semifinal round to face Japan.
Wei-Che was also Taiwan’s starting pitcher and gave up two unearned runs in the first inning before the Taiwan team rallied with one run in the fourth, four in the fifth and five in the sixth. Yu Teng-Hao had a double, two RBIs and two runs for Taiwan, which collected 11 walks off six Cuba pitchers.
Leonardo Junco and Marloon Herrera drove in the runs for Cuba, which will meet Mexico in the elimination bracket next.
Texas 4, Florida 1
The team from Boerne, Texas, capitalized on two straight wild pitches to take the lead for good and defeat Florida to reach the U.S. semifinal against Nevada.
Florida pitcher Luis Calo was on the mound with the bases loaded in the third inning and threw two straight wild pitches, letting Texas move in front 3-1. The team from Lake Mary, Florida, switched pitchers after Calo threw just seven pitches, and Doc Mogford followed with an RBI single.
Texas needed only three hits and two walks to win the game. DeMarcos Mieses drove in Florida’s only run. Florida will face New York in the consolation bracket.
–Field Level Media
