This story was originally published by Dead Spin
Beiker Zarraga and Luis Yepez hit back-to-back RBI triples and Venezuela held off Japan 3-2 on Thursday to reach the International championship game at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
After Japan defeated Venezuela 2-1 on Monday, the teams met again in the elimination bracket, where Venezuela got its revenge. Representing the Latin America region, Venezuela will face Taiwan in the International final Saturday for the right to play in Sunday’s LLWS final.
Zarraga’s triple to the warning track in left field ignited Venezuela’s three-run top of the fourth, which also featured Jesus Diaz driving in a run.
Japan came back with two runs in the bottom half, driven in by Taiyo Honryo and Kanata Furuyama, but it wasn’t enough. Honryo also pitched a complete game with three runs (one earned), four hits, six strikeouts and no walks.
Venezuela’s two pitchers, Diego Biarreta and Jhonson Freitez, combined for eight walks but held Japan to three hits.
Florida 6, Nevada 3
JJ Feliciano and Garrett Rohozen hit solo home runs after Lake Mary, Fla., capitalized on a four-run first inning as they defeated Henderson, Nev., to reach the United States championship game.
Florida will face the team from Boerne, Texas, in Saturday’s game, which will determine which team will represent the U.S. in Sunday’s final.
Florida drew three straight walks off Nevada starting pitcher Liam Sparks to open the game. Sparks was replaced by Russell McGee, and Landon Bono, DeMarcos Mieses (two RBIs) and Jacob Bibaud hit back-to-back-to-back singles to hand Florida a big lead.
Nevada jumped on Florida starter Lathan Norton in the bottom of the inning, with Oliver Johnson, Noah Letalu and Parker Soranaka driving in runs. Florida shut down Nevada’s offense from there. Florida’s Teraj Alexander pitched 3 2/3 innings of relief, scattering three hits and fanning five.
–Field Level Media
