Canada got all the offense it needed in the second inning, hanging 12 runs on Puerto Rico in the frame en route to a 12-5 victory Saturday at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
Playing on the international side of the elimination bracket following Wednesday’s 8-0 loss to Taiwan of the Asia-Pacific Region, Canada responded to Puerto Rico’s three-run first inning with vengeance.
Joshua Hernstedt started the onslaught with a two-run single, and Eric Popovich and Blake Anderson also had two RBIs apiece in the inning. Sixteen Canadians came to the plate during the second.
Leugim Beltran went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs for Puerto Rico. Canada did a lot of its damage against reliever Jeiluis Torres, who did not record an out while giving up seven runs (four earned) on three hits and two walks.
New York 6, South Dakota 3
Jake Romero logged five-plus strong innings as New York doubled up South Dakota in the United States’ elimination bracket.
Romero yielded three runs (two earned) and two hits. He walked four and struck out six. Six players drove in a run for Staten Island, N.Y., which got two hits from leadoff hitter Vincent Ruggiero.
Ruggiero also notched a save, taking over for Romero after the latter walked Tait Ready to open the sixth. Sioux Falls, S.D., was held to just three hits, and starter Griff Sommer was roughed up for six runs on 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Aruba 8, Czech Republic 3
Henry Kransen allowed just one run across 3 1/3 innings and Aruba eliminated the Czech Republic from the Little League World Series in international action.
Kransen surrendered two hits, walked one and struck out six. Keon Croes had two RBIs and Izaak Martina and Naivmar Angela each had two hits and two runs for Aruba, which represents the Caribbean Region.
The Czech Republic, out of the Europe-Africa Region, got two hits and a run from Dennis Dasek. Stepan Svec got the start for the Czech Republic. He lasted one inning, permitting two runs and three hits.
Pennsylvania 5, New Hampshire 0
Tyler Neeld and Brayden Peiffer combined on a two-hitter, leading Pennsylvania past New Hampshire in a U.S. elimination game.
Neeld went 5 1/3 innings, allowing the two hits while walking one. He struck out eight. Peiffer got the final two outs to record a save. Gavin Caudill smacked a two-run double as part of a four-run fourth for Pennsylvania.
Jackson Lemire and Colton Johnson each had a single for New Hampshire. Starter Nolan Dupuis was tagged for five runs (four earned) and three hits in 3 1/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
