LLWS RECAP: Tenn. to face Japan in Little League World Series title game
Goodlettsville, Tenn. scored nine runs in the top of the seventh on the way to a wild 24-16 Little League World Series semifinal victory over Petaluma (Calif.) National on Saturday.
The Tennessee team, representing the Southeast Region, won the World Series United States bracket and faces Japan in Sunday's championship game.
Goodlettsville, which beat Petaluma 9-6 earlier in the week, improved to 4-0 as it prepares to face fellow unbeaten Kitasuna at 3 p.m. (Eastern) on Sunday.
The Southeast squad led 8-5 after three innings, 12-5 after four and 15-5 entering the bottom of the sixth. But Petaluma, representing the West Region, erupted for 10 runs in the bottom of the frame to tie and send the game into extra innings in front of 24,175 fans at Lamade Stadium.
But in the top of the seventh, Goodlettsville sent 12 batters to the plate and Brock Myers' double to left with none out scored two runs -- including what proved to be the game-winner when Jake Rucker crossed the plate.
Jayson Brown added a two-run homer later in the inning to provide insurance runs.
Petaluma (4-2) scored one run on an error in the bottom of the seventh. The West squad used seven pitchers on the day. Goodlettsville right-hander Luke Brown, the last of three pitchers, worked the final two innings for the victory.
Earlier Saturday, Tokyo's Kitasuna team scored in every inning but the sixth on the way to a 10-2 semifinal victory over Aguadulce Caberzera for its World Series championship game berth.
Kitasuna clinched the International division championship in front of an overflow crowd of 19,850 at Lamade Stadium in Williamsport, Pa.
The Japanese scored the game-winning runs in the second inning as Danji Takahashi scored on a passed ball and Hajime Motegi came home with an unearned run for a 4-2 lead.
Cleanup batter Kotaro Kiyomiya went 2-for-3 with two solo home runs. Satoro Aoyama was also 2-for-3 with a home run. Right handed pitcher Yuta Ishida worked four innings for the victory. He allowed four hits while striking out six. Both runs were earned.
Aguadulce (3-2) faces the Petaluma in Sunday's 11 a.m. (Eastern) consolation game.
