| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E | |
| Canada | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 0 |
| Australia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
WP: Hoyano LP: Kaneko
It’s a tale as old as time. Promise the kids ice cream if they accomplish a goal. And it worked for Canada.
Manager Brad Dorwart elaborated, “If you get this many hits or this many runs, I’ll get you ice cream. So I need to get my wallet out, I guess. The threshold was to get four runs. They made it. I love how passionate they get when they start talking about ‘oh dude, if we only get two more hits, we get ice cream!’” And a late bomb would get Canada to the four run mark and give insurance against a scrappy Australia squad.
Canada kicked off the first elimination game of the day by getting the bats going. Jason Mezzarobba put one in the right center gap to reach first from the leadoff spot. With two outs, Sha Hassko rocketed one into right field for a long single. The ball was mishandled on the throw back in, allowing Mezzarobba to come home. Kian Sandhu got a ball by diving centerfielder Daniel Warwick for a double. With two in scoring position, Leo McTaggart popped out, holding the Canadian lead to 1-0.
Warwick led off the bottom of the first for Australia with an infield hit. Cruz Kroan charged in from short but had no play from the grass. Warwick reached third on a wild pitch and flyout into right field by Aaron Dare, but Felix Hoyano got the next two looking to strand Warwick 60 feet from tying the game.
Canada made significant noise in the second, loading the bases with nobody out. Daniel Huang started things with a walk and Lucas Izen laid a beautiful bunt down the first base line to load them up two batters later. Edin Becirevic charged in and tried to make a throw, but it went over the fielder’s head for a charged error on what would’ve been a close play. But the bottom of the order couldn’t capitalize. Australia got out of the mess on three balls that didn’t leave the infield, including a pop to Nick Robson at second hit by Connor Ross.
Coach described from his perspective how the inning unfolded, “I felt like it as at that point the guys were squeezing he bats a little too tight Sometimes at bat, you’re trying too hard.
Vancouver’s defense shined in the bottom of the second. On a ball hit near the right center gap by Jayden Lee, McTaggart raced to his left to track it down. Jacob Massel got over, coming together with his second baseman and made a nice grab on a popup from Becirevic. After two, Canada held it’s 1-0 lead. Kaneko and Hoyano both worked through uneventful third innings, retiring the opposition in order.
Hikaru Kaniko exited in the fourth inning, reaching the 50-pitch mark. Warwick took over, trying to keep Kaniko’s streak of seven retired in a row. Kaniko allowed four hits, walked one and struck out two. Mac Dillon made a nice grab on the run, a ball that nearly took out Warwick as it came through. Dillon threw on to first for the final out of the fourth.
But the real emerging story was the performance by Felix Hoyano and his streak of retiring the entire Australia lineup, 13 in a row since the leadoff hit from Warwick. After three innings, he used only 34 pitches, and in the fourth he used 17 more to get through three more batters, striking out Warwick to end the fourth. After four complete, Canada held their 1-0 lead.
Canada threatened for more in the fifth. Jacob Massel gave one a ride to deep center, but Freddie Loats tracked it down, going back on it and hauling it in for a long out. Lucas Izen put one through the middle. Jean Ramos shot one to third, knocked down by Aaron Dare. Connor Matsuads was not able to drive either in, though, as Nick Robson gathered the ball at second and flipped to first for the final out.
Sydnet again went in order in the fifth, as Hoyano added two more to his strikeout total of eight and kept his one-hitter going through five on 62 pitches.
Vancouver nearly got the all import insurance run they needed in the sixth before really breaking the game open. Connor Ross reached on a ball off the glove of shortstop Mac Dillon, who appeared to lose the ball in the sun. Mezzarobba bunted him over and Krpan lined one to center. The ball was thrown in Riley Fury, who was up the line and behind Ross. However, he chased him down for the tag and second out. After Hoyano lined one through the middle to put two in scoring position, Sha Hassko stepped in to the box. He turned an 0-2 ball around to deep center, depositing it over the fence for a 3-run home run and 4-0 Canada lead.
“It felt really good off the bat and I just was comfortable there and I just focused on being myself and doing what I do,” Hassko spoke on his home run. He became the first Canadian to go over the fence since 2017.
Kian Sandu replaced Felix Hoyano on the bump after Hoyano recorded two more outs to close his day at the 65-pitch threshold. His one-hitter over 5.2 innings included nine strikeouts and no walks. Sandu gave up a single to Becirevic on an 0-2 pitch, but got Loats to groundout and advance Canada with a 4-0 victory.
Coach talked about Felix’s outing in great detail, “Felix definitely is a guy who can shut down an offense. I mean, these guys saw how it in house how annoying it was to face him because he’s usually very accurate with his fastballs and his curve and slider…can really keep you off balance.
Australian manager Paul Jones talked about the difficulties of being the Australian representative at the tournament, but the bright future that Australia has when it comes to baseball:
“I’m so proud of these kids. A couple of those plays we made out there were really good. You know it’s hard for us. Our club season goes from September. We’re going to go back and we’re going to go back into baseball, starting club baseball a week and a half after we get back.” Asked about the nature of the game itself and it changing on the 3-run home run in the sixth: “I told the boys. Baseball is a cruel game. It can be such a good game, but it can be a cruel game as well. It can turn on its head, that one hit. Ome hit goes over the wall and three runs and the game’s different.”
But the future looks bright for Australia through his eyes, “We’re building something special at Ryde. I’m going to make it public right now. Ryde have the best system for junior baseballers in Sydnet, if not Australia. Just very well supported by our head coach, our board, everybody there. All of our coaches, we all get behind it and that’s why we’re so successful.”
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | R | H | E | |
| Sweetwater Valley(CA) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | X | X | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Phenix City(AL) | 0 | 3 | 4 | 5 | X | X | 12 | 8 | 1 |
WP: Berklite LP: Ramirez Aguirre
Many had Alabama and California playing this weekend, but most figured it would be on Sunday in a winners bracket matchup. On Saturday night primetime, it was, instead, a battle to stay alive in South Williamsport. Alabama took that battle to California in stunning fashion, taking advantage of miscues and snowballing srings of baserunners into enough success to secure a mercy rule victory on Saturday night at Lamade Stadium.
Alabama’s Urijah Berklite got the start on the bump, having not allowed an earned run or a walk all postseason long. He was as advertised early. Leog Gonzales did get a hit off of him, flying one into the left center gap for a two-out double, but nothing further in the first.
Berklite’s counterpart on the mound was Isaac Ramirez Aguirre. He faced some early adversity, but worked through and out of it. After striking out Easton Allen, Kinley Rasmus flew a single into left field. She was erased when Berklite hit one to Tempe Tran at third, who started a near double play. The throw to first from Mateo Ruiz at second was too late, so it went as a fielders choice. Casen Smith singled into shallow right, beyond the dive of Ruiz. Cam Lee had a violent swing on a 2-strike pitch, but came up empty to end the first and strand two.
With one out in the top of the second, Easton Allen made a diving grab on a ball hit by Tempe Tran. He recovered and threw quickly to first, but it bounced in the dirt and skipped away to get Tran to second. Sebastian Pino got California on the board with an RBI hit to left that hugged near the line, scoring Tran. Asher Giglio also made contact and a diving try by right fielder Layton Burt came up short, as the ball bounced away from him. Things were moving fast and it looked like the floodgates might open for Sweetwater Valley. But Phenix City found their way out of trouble, despite a wild pitch moving both runners into scoring position. Easton Allen got a ball hit by Julian Sevilla, held the runner and fired across the diamond for the second out. Mateo Ruiz flew out to center to end the threat and keep it a 1-0 game going to the bottom of the second.
Alabama broke through in a big way, but didn’t record a hit in their half of the inning. Cedric Harrison Jr. and Brooks Cameron both walked to open the frame, the latter on a full count pitch just outside and low. Ryker Rasmus sailed one into right field, off the glove of Grant Mielkefor an E9. Lorenzo Quintero flew one to deep right for a sac fly RBI. Then, Jerry Taylor laid down a nice bunt, forcing Aguirre off the mound to field it. He threw wide at third base and the ball rolled down into the corner, bringing home another to put Phenix City ahead 2-1. Layton Burt also bunted; this time, Aguirre fielded it and threw to first, but another run came in to make it 3-1. Cooper Champions struck out to finally get Sweetwater Valley back into the dugout, but California now trailed 3-1.
California now had to try and cut into the deficit and needed help from the bottom of their order. Teagen Cochran hit one down to third base with one out and was able to beat out the throw from Easton Allen. Noah Kirk then took one t o right center and it fell off the glove of Cam Lee, but right over to Layton Burt who threw to second to get Cochran out, who had to hold up to see if the ball would initially be caught. Jesus Cuadra tried to fly one into the right center gap and despite a near collision by fielders, Burt secured the baseball for the third out.
Alabama then exploded in the third. Easton Allen singled to left on a grounder. Kinley Rasmus drove one to left nearly out of the stadium. She cruised in at third base with an RBI and extended Phenix City’s lead to 4-1. Two batters later, Casen Smith knocked one into left to score Rasmus and bring the lead to 5-1. Cam Lee then went oppo, bashing one out to deep right on an 0-2 count. The inning wasn’t done yet, as the next two batters reached when Harrison’s ball went through Tempe Tran at third and Brooke Cameron was plunked. Fortunately for California, the inning did come to a close on a double play as Cameron was tagged out trying to get back in at first. With three innings down and three left, Alabama had a commanding 7-1 lead. Kinley’s hit made her the fourth female in LLWS history to get a multi-hit game.
Cam commented on his long shot, just the second of the all-star season for Phenix City, “It felt great, like the best home run feeling I ever had. It just feels so good and I never felt that feeling before.”
Coach Rasmus broke in, “I’ll take responsibility for Cam. We told him yesterday: take hacks and his hacks today were spectacular. He’s going to eat the rest of the trip, that’s for sure.”
Kinley spoke on her accomplishments, which also included tying Mo’Ne Davis for the most strikeouts by a female in Williamsport: “I can’t even put it into words. I’m hopeful that I can pitch some of these next games and beat that strikeout record. I I just want to keep inspiring these little girls who want to be on the big stage one day. I just want to keep inspring them.”
Manager and uncle to Kinley, Case Rasmus, talked about Kinley’s success, “She’s an incredible baseball player, regardless of gender, and so she’s so fun to watch. It’s one thing, the line that she’s one of the best girls to play here kind of deal, but she’s one of the best players to ever play here in general. She gets after it. She’s a dog. She’s tough as nails.”
And Urijah Berklite wasn’t slowing down. He painted his spots and got Leo Gonzales on a full count pitch and then got ahead of Grant Meilke before getting him swinging on an 0-2 throw. Ramirez Aguirre then sent one back up the middle for a two out single before Tempe Tran ripped an RBI double into the right field corner, sending Burt to chase it down. Pino walked and Gialio was hit, suddenly loading the bases for the trailing team. But with two outs, Berklite recovered and struck out Julian Sevilla swinging to get out of trouble and maintain a 7-2 Alabama stranglehold on the ballgame.
Phenix City kept the pedal to the mtal. Quintero led the fourth off with a walk and was bunted over by Taylor. Burt singled over the outstretched glove of Ruiz at second into shallow right to put runners on the corners. Cooper Champion flew one deep to right, caught by Mielke, who threw an absolute strike to Pino at the plate. However, as confirmed by review, Quintero’s foot beat the tag and the run scored. As the lineup turned over, it was Easton Allen’s turn. He put one into left, past a diving Kirk at short, scoring Burt. Allen went to third and Kinley Rasmus was intentionally walked. Berklite was drilled by a pitch to load the bases. An error down at third and two walks ended this one in the mercy rule, as Harrison’s base on balls brought home Berklite.
When asked about how his team capitalized on errors, walks, and snowballed success over the last few innings, he credited his brother, former MLB pitcher Cory Rasmus at third base: “He gets after it. He’s incredibly beneficial to what we do here. and honestly, we did the same thing as we did in regionals–just manufacture runs. That was our first home run over the fence–we need to be able to manufacture runs.”
California manager Steve Winnick talked about addressing his team following elimination from the tournament. “Obviously, it’s not the result we wanted. I told them it wasn’t our best baseball playing out here. It was actually probably our worst baseball the entire all-star season. But the overarching theme I told them was…how proud I am of them. I’m super proud of them to accomplish this, to be in the top 20 in the world, to go on this run. I told them there’s so many kids in your city, in your state, in the United States and in the world who want to be in your position and you guys should be super proud of that. Coaching them was, by far, the highlight of the season.”
LSV Sports 
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