Sweetwater Valley Little League in action against Kentucky

The game-winner was Isaac Garcia’s fourth-inning home run … “They just care about getting on the baseball field and playing”.

Chalk, Young and Alex Farotto, teammates at Northwood and later on those championship teams at Riverside, were all drafted by the pros. Several of their teammates played major college baseball or football.

In order to stay on track, Little League officials made the call to play both Thursday’s and Friday’s games on Friday.

“It didn’t pan out and they sent me an email today, you know, that two-week notice and that’s it”, said Ramirez, who serves as the team’s dugout coach.

Little League World Series festivities began Wednesday night with the Grand Slam parade in downtown Williamsport, with former manager Jim Leyland serving as grand marshal. Walker Lannom has hit 12 home runs in 17 games, including seven in the past five. The 12-and 13-year-olds haven’t been home since they won the regional tournament in Bristol, Conn., but they’re excited to take their talents to the world’s stage tomorrow.

Sixteen teams will play in the global tournament between now and August 30th.

“The first practice we had after the state championship, we all got together and the message to the kids was ‘Hey, why not us be the one to go to Williamsport, ‘” Peifer said.

Bowling Green and the 15 other teams that will participate in the 2015 Little League World Series faced grueling competitions to qualify. Ben Gottfried, who allowed three hits and three runs and struck out seven in 3 1/3 inning in his Regional start.

Saturday’s result was a far cry from what happened Friday as Oregon dropped a one-run heart-breaker to Pearland, Texas, while Kentucky was blown out 14-2 by dominant Bonita, California.