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Home / Sports News / They’re trying to make their way to the big show in Williamsport, Pa., as the eight United States Little League regions play in quest of getting there, with New Mexico and Oklahoma in a survival game tonight in the Southwest Region

They’re trying to make their way to the big show in Williamsport, Pa., as the eight United States Little League regions play in quest of getting there, with New Mexico and Oklahoma in a survival game tonight in the Southwest Region

By Arnie Leshin 
Arnie Leshin

They all want to get to Williamsport, Pa., but only the winners of each eight United States Little League Regions can advance to the annual International World Series played there.

 

That will run from August 15 to the 25th, but right now the regional winners are still in doubt as the double-elimination winds down.

 

In the Southwest played in Waco, Tx., (Carlsbad) New Mexico (2-1) and  (Tulsa) Oklahoma (2-1) play tonight, with the winner surviving to play in the semifinals Tuesday versus the loser of tonight’s clash matching undefeated Texas West (2-0) with undefeated Louisiana (2-0).

 

The loser heads home and the winner will then play Wednesday Texas West or Louisiana in the region final. The winner moves on to the big show in Williamsport.

 

New Mexico stayed around by scoring three times in the bottom of the fifth to break a 3-3 tie and carry off a 6-3 triumph over Biloxi, Miss. The team from Carlsbad had opened by topping Colorado, 6-3, then bowing to Texas West, 6-3, before storming back to triumph over Mississippi, by the same score.

 

Oklahoma, which has had dismal showing in the region and had won only once in 10 starts there, played a stellar game to eliminate defending SW champion Texas East, 5-0, after losing 11-3 to Texas West, and then defeating Colorado, 9-0.  

 

In the Southeast Region played in Warner Robins, Ga., it’s down to Virginia and Georgia, both 2-0, in tonight’s semis. In a game of survival, West Virginia and South Carolina, both 1-1, the winner will hang around to meet up with the Virginia-Georgia loser, with the winner taking the field against the Virginia-Georgia winner.

 

In the New England Region in Bristol, Conn., that has just begun, Massachusetts opened with a 6-0 win over Maine.

 

Also in Bristol is the Mid-Atlantic Region that also started on Sunday. New Jersey edged Pennsylvania, 1-0, and New York topped Maryland, 9-2, on day one.

 

In the Midwest Region in Westfield, Ind., that first took the field Saturday, Minnesota has a 15-7 rout over Nebraska, Iowa nipped Missouri, 2-1, North Dakota shut down Kansas, 8-0, Minnesota then moved to 2-0 by turning back South Dakota, 8-4, and Iowa prevailed again by blanking North Dakota, 3-0. Aug. 10 is the title game there.

 

Great Lakes Region, also in Westfield, has early wins by Indiana over Ohio, 4-3, and Illinois over Wisconsin, 7-3, and this too continues until Aug. 10

 

There were also early games in the Northwest Region in San Bernardino, Calif., as Washington rolled over Wyoming, 14-2, and Montana squeaked past Alaska, 1-0, with Aug. 10 the finale.

 

Then there was the West Region also contested in San Bernardino, with Northern California opening with a 3-0 victory over Nevada, and play continuing until Aug. 10.

 

. . . The International field is also vying to get to Williamsport. From the Australia Region will come 6-0 Cranulla, which turned back Ryde Red, 5-2. From the strong Asia-Pacific Region, South Korea clinched by winning 7-2 over Chinese Teipei. South Korea won all its seven starts, outscored its opponents 71-8, and this included a pair of shutouts.

 

Curaco A Team went 7-1 in the Caribbean Region, defeating Curaco B, 8-3, in the final. It scored 54 runs and allowed only eight, as well as turning in three shutouts. Italy won its four games in the Europe-Africa Region and finished on top by edging the Netherlands, 1-0, in the title game.

 

The Japan Region winner was Chaufu from Chaufu City, and it will pack its gear after winning 8-0 over Ushikuo, and going 4-0 by yielding only one run and scoring 37 that included four shutouts. In the Latin-American Region, Venezuela shut out Panama A, 2-0, to wind up at 5-1 after previously losing 4-1 to Panama A.

 

In the Mexico Region, the winner was Mala-Torres in a 3-1 triumph over Matamoros, and winning six of seven and outscoring its opponents 53-14.

 

In the Canada Region that is still playing, Quebec is 4-0 and British Columbia is 3-0, and they meet up Wednesday. Ontario is at 3-0.

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