The final six United States Little League Region Baseball champions should be known by late Saturday night, with Southwest winner Louisiana and Southeast winner Virginia already in the field

By Arnie Leshin 

Six of the eight United States Little League Baseball Regions are still looking to send their respective champions to join Louisiana and Virginia at the 72nd LL World Series in Williamsport, Pa., but by late Saturday night, the entire field will be revealed.

 

Southwest Region champion Louisiana was the first to get to the big show, and Georgia, the Southeast Region winner, followed.

 

The other regions are in the semifinal round, with all of the championships to be played Saturday if the weather cooperates. Thursday afternoon’s Kentucky-Michigan semis in the Great Lakes Region played in Westfield, Ind., was called off because of the all-day driving rain.

 

Hopefully, the sun will come out Friday and this game will be played. Awaiting the loser will be Illinois (2-1) to play Friday, with the survivor taking on the Michigan-Kentucky winner in the Saturday scheduled final. Kentucky and Michigan are both 1-1.

 

But they played the other regions.

 

In the Northwest Region in San Bernardino, Calif., Oregon (2-0) came from behind to dispose of Idaho (1-1), 8-5, Thursday. The loser, Idaho, now faces Washington (3-1) Friday, with the winner meeting Oregon in the Saturday final.

 

Idaho got off to a 3-0 lead after three innings, but Oregon scored four times in the top of the fourth to lead 4-3. In the fifth, Oregon added two more runs, and in the sixth scored once more. Idaho didn’t score again until its last at-bat in the bottom of the sixth, cutting the deficit to the final score by scoring twice.

 

Oregon was led by a 4-for-4 game from Sullivan Puckett, while Idaho picked up four hits in four at-bats from Jason Roth. Idaho had a dozen hits and played errorless ball. Oregon had one miscue and 11 hits.

 

In the Mid-Atlantic Region at Bristol, Conn. New York (3-0) rolled over Washington D.C. (1-1) and New Jersey (2-1) blanked Pennsylvania (1-2), 4-0, Thursday. Rival neighbors New York and New Jersey meet up in Friday’s semifinals.

 

Also at Bristol is the New England Region, with New Hampshire (3-0) edging Rhode Island (2-1), by a 2-1 score Thursday. Rhode Island returns to face host Connecticut (2-1) Friday and the winner goes against New Hampshire in the Saturday final.

 

Also in Westfield, Ind., is the Midwest Region where Iowa (3-0) got past Minnesota, (2-1) by 3-1, Thursday, and will play in the Saturday final versus the survivor of Friday’s Minnosota-Missouri (1-1) semis.  

 

Last but not least is the West Region in San Bernardino, Calif., and in a Thursday clash between 2-0 teams Northern California and Hawaii, the Hawaiian team romped 13-3. In the other semis Thursday, Arizona (2-0) turned back Southern California (1-2) by an 8-6 score, and Arizona and Hawaii will meet Saturday in the final.

 

The World Series will begin August 15th. All of the International Regions have decided their representatives.