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Televised Little League Softball World Series in semifinals today in Portland, Ore.

With the Little League Baseball World Series making its initial pitch Thursday at South Williamsport, Pa. The young ladies feature undefeated Texas against once-beaten Delaware, and unbeaten Southeast from North Carolina versus once-beaten Central from Indiana

Arnie Leshin

By ARNIE LESHIN, Santa Fe Today

The Little League knows how to play the game. Ladies first.

While the boys are awaiting Thursday’s first pitch of the 69th annual International Baseball World Series at South Williamsport, Pa.., the girls play their softball semifinals today in Portland, Ore.

Four to play and two to advance to the championship. In the 3:30 p.m. game one, its undefeated Texas West Lake Air LL out of Waco against once-beaten East from Delaware’s Canal American LL in Bear. Texas is 5-0, Delaware 4-1, with its lone loss, 4-1, to unbeaten Southeast.

In game two scheduled for 8 p.m., Southeast comes in at 5-0 and is represented by the Rowan LL from Salisbury, N.C. It takes on Central, whose only setback was 6-4 to Texas, and is 4-1. Central hails from Indiana’s Floyd Knobs Community Club LL in Floyd Knobs.

For the two once-beaten teams, it’s a chance to spoil a championship contest between two undefeated teams. But it won’t be a shot at avenging their only defeats, for Delaware meets up with Texas West and Indiana with North Carolina.

No matter, the goal for all four is to reach the finals, and both games can be viewed on ESPN.

The Southwest champions from Texas have scored 43 runs and have allowed 8. The Southeast champions from North Carolina have crossed the plate 58 times and have yielded 10. Central has tallied 35 runs and has given up 12. East has 37 runs and has been scored on a dozen times.

In the Monday quarterfinals, Texas eliminated the West team from Utah, 10-1, East rolled over the Northwest’s Oregon team, 11-2, Central shut down Europe-Africa, 8-0, and Southeast ousted the Philippines, 11-1.

As for the boys, there will be a new champion, which makes the Asia-Pacific South Korea team the favorite. The New York team from Maine-Endwell isn’t back, and in last year’s final, it nipped Seoul LL, 2-1, and Seoul is back.

But you can’t overlook Japan. It has won the World Series 10 times. (Chinese Taipei has won the most, 16). There’s also Venezuela, the Latin-American champion, and Mexico of the Guadalupe Trevino Kelly LL. Both are undefeated, as are most of the teams that won their region.

Of the International teams, only the Dominican Republic (4-1) lost a game at its Regional. Of the United States teams, only the Northwest champion (4-1) from Washington has a setback.

All of the USA Regional semifinal and finals were shown on the ESPN network, and all the champions appear ready to challenge. It’s a strong field that includes past World Series winners from Texas East, Southern California, Mid-Atlantic, and New England. New Jersey represents the Mid-Atlantic and Connecticut wears the colors of New England.

The sleeper here could be first-timer South Dakota, the Midwest champion. It’s an All-Star lineup from Sioux Falls LL and it has displayed quality pitching, a balanced lineup, and the long ball. It lacks one thing, experience at the World Series.

The schedule for the first two days at South Williamsport:

Thursday, Aug. 17:

2 p.m. Japan vs. Australia; 4 p.m. Northwest vs. West; 6 p.m.; 8 p.m. Midwest vs. Southeast.

Friday, Aug. 18:

1 p.m. Latin-America vs. Mexico; 3 p.m. Mid-Atlantic vs. Northeast; 5 p.m. Canada vs. Europe-America; 7 p.m. Southwest vs. Great Lakes.

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