El Segundo wins rain-shortened Little League World Series opener against Ohio

After a slow start in which its pitcher walked five, El Segundo turned loose its power hitters, Brody Brooks and Louis Lappe, in the third inning to overcome a two-run deficit and rally for a 4-3 win over the Great Lakes champion, New Albany, Ohio, in a weather-shortened opening game of the Little League World Series on Thursday night in Williamsport, Pa.

The game was halted after four innings. The teams had waited more than two hours to see if conditions would allow the game to resume. El Segundo advances to play on Monday.

El Segundo was down 3-1 in the bottom of the third when Brooks sent the ball over the center-field fence for a two-run home run. Lappe followed with a home run to right for El Segundo's first lead.

Ollie Parks walked four in the first inning to help Ohio open a 1-0 lead. El Segundo tied it in the bottom of the first. After. Parks walked the leadoff batter in the second, he was replaced by Declan McRoberts. Ohio players reached twice on bunts to load the bases and ended up scoring two runs.

El Segundo manager Danny Boehle decided not to start his No. 1 pitcher, Lappe, hoping to keep him for a save situation. Lappe would have entered in the fifth but the game was halted while a tarp covered the field.

Read more: El Segundo is gearing up for its first Little League World Series game

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.