SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — Garrett Gallegos homered and pitched five innings to help Nevada beat Connecticut 8-2 in their Little League World Series semifinal on Saturday, setting up a title game against Taiwan.
The Las Vegas team is looking for Nevada’s first title, and Taiwan is going for its first since 1996 and No. 18 overall. It lost the title game last year to Florida.
The teams play Sunday for the championship.
“Really haven't taken a moment to data dump right now on Taiwan,” Nevada manager T.J. Fescher said. “They're a great, standout group of kids.”
When Garrett crossed home plate after hitting the first pitch of the fourth inning over the fence in right field, teammate Jayden Lee lifted Garrett’s helmet off him and they walked back into the dugout. The crowd chanted his name.
Grayson Miranda had a key at-bat in Nevada’s three-run first. With the bases loaded, he battled through an 0-2 count, fouling off several pitches. After a wild pitch scored Nevada’s first run, Grayson — on the at-bat’s 12th pitch — drove in two more with a dribbling single into right field.
Connecticut cut into the lead with its aggressive baserunning. With runners on second and third on the move, Jimmy Taxiltaridis hit a bouncer to third base. Infielder Cache Malan was indecisive and S.J. Taxiltardis crossed home.
Down 4-2 in the fifth, the Fairfield, Connecticut, team put runners on first and second with one out. But Ben Herbst, rounding third, got caught in a rundown. Garrett then recorded his eighth strikeout, ending the inning.
Nevada added four more runs in the sixth, highlighted by a two-run single for Cutter Ricafort.
In the international semifinal at Lamade Stadium, Liu Wei-Heng pitched 5 1/3 innings to help Taiwan to a 1-0 win over Aruba.
The game’s only run came after Chen Shi-Hong opened the third inning with a full-count walk. He advanced on a passed ball and a single, then scored on an errant throw from third baseman Liam Peña Caraballo.
Facing runners on second and third with nobody out, Aruba pitcher Jayderick Wederfoor limited the damage by escaping the jam.
Liu allowed four hits and struck out seven, leading his team from Taipei to its third shutout in four games at the tournament.
Aruba threatened in its last at-bat when Emerson Mercado hit a leadoff single and advanced on a passed ball. Liam drew a one-out walk, and the runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt. But Chen Qi-Sheng struck out Prinze Kingsale, ending the game.
Taiwan plans to start Lin Chin-Tse, who can throw 80 mph, in the final.
“We have leveraged our pitching staff according to my plan,” manager Lai Min-Nan said.
Pushing youth sports participation
Leaders of the Aspen Institute and Little League said their organizations are working with ESPN’s Take Back Sports initiative to increase participation in youth sports throughout the country.
Following the public health metrics set by the federal government, the goal is to reach 63% youth participation by 2030, a bump up from 55%. An executive from the Aspen Institute, which studies and advocates for youth sports, and Little League CEO Patrick Wilson promoted the initiative Saturday at a news conference.
The ultimate goal is "creating a sports system that is anchored in the rights of children that recognizes that every child has a right to play,” said Tom Farrey, executive director of the Aspen Institute Sports and Society program.
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Alexandra Wenskoski and Amanda Vogt are students in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.
Alexandra Wenskoski And Amanda Vogt, The Associated Press
