Kanta Iwashita hit a two-run home run and Sho Tanaka had two hits and two runs as Japan earned an 11-0 victory over Puerto Rico in four innings to open their Little League World Series on Thursday in Williamsport, Pa.
Iwashita also pitched four strong innings for Japan, giving up just one hit and striking out eight with one walk.
Japan finished the game with just six hits, capitalizing on four Puerto Rico errors to run up the score. The team from Tokyo rang up five runs in the first inning and six more in the third.
Jonyel Cordero had the only hit for the team from Guayama, Puerto Rico, which drops into the consolation bracket to face Canada on Saturday. Japan will face Friday’s winner between Mexico and Venezuela.
Nevada 9, New York 1
Wyatt Erickson tossed a complete game and the team from Henderson, Nevada, scored three runs in the third inning and five runs in the fifth to defeat New York.
On top of his stellar pitching, Erickson was also responsible for a two-run hit during the third inning after teammate Russell McGee drove in the first run of the game.
The only run for the team from Staten Island, N.Y., scored came on Stephen Grippo’s single in the fourth inning.
Texas 9, Pennsylvania 0
Julian Hurst struck out 10 and Kole Newson hit a grand slam as Texas rolled past Pennsylvania.
Newson’s slam in the fifth inning pushed Texas’ lead to 9-0, sealing the opening-round victory. Cayden Guffey hit the first homer of the Little League World Series — a solo shot in the fourth inning.
Pennsylvania had its best scoring opportunity in the first inning, putting runners on first and second with one out. But Guffey escaped the jam, striking out the final batter of the inning to keep the game scoreless.
Cuba 4, Czech Republic 1
Marloon Herrera drove in two runs in the fifth inning to help Cuba rally past the Czech Republic.
Yans Espinosa struck out Mario Masia for the final out as Cuba will play the winner of the Australia-Chinese Taipei matchup.
Illia Kolomoiets threw four perfect innings for the Czech Republic but gave up Herrera’s clutch hit in the fifth.
–Field Level Media
