Back came Taylor North Michigan

Michigan responded with a hit parade of its own after losing a tight 2-0 game to undefeated Hawaii.

The Midwest Region champions from Taylor North took it out on Texas West’s Southwest region runner-up in the winner’s bracket Major Little League Baseball World Series Thursday morning by scoring three times in the first inning, adding a huge 8-run third, and finishing with four runs in the bottom of the fifth in its 15-6 pouncing of the Texas.

It ended the Abilene team’s stay in South Williamsport, Pa., with its second loss in four starts and advanced Michigan to Saturday afternoon‘s return contest against Hawaii for the Hank Aaron Bracket title, with the winner moving on to Sunday’s championship game.

Michigan last won the World Series in 1959, seven years after the Houston team from Texas won its last championship.

In game two Thursday once-beaten Torrence Southern California and Hamilton Ohio meet in a rematch of the 9-0 zip by Southern California. That winner then goes against unbeaten Lake Oswego South Dakota for the Tom Seaver Bracket title.

In a real turnabout after Weir’s second no-hitter of the World Series (and seventh of the summer), Michigan pieced together 14 hits on a combination of five singles, a pair of doubles, and a bases-clearing triple to go with two walks, and with the assistance of four Texas errors.

Both teams went to the mound often, with Michigan employing four different pitchers and Texas calling on six. In a previous game between the two, Michigan won 6-5.

The Texans did not have a hit until the top of the fourth, and four of their five hits came then.

It began with back-to-back singles to left field followed by an RBI single to left. A walk then filled the bases and another RBI to left brought in the second run, then with two out, a soaring line drive shot down the right field line turned into a triple and two more runs.

On the next pitch, a passed ball sent the runner from third base across the plate. A solo home run by Dylan Regala, was the lone one of the World Series for Texas.

It was a good try, but too little and too late.

The Michigan home run came from Cameron Thorington, son of head coach Rick Thorington. The three-bagger by Texas was off the bat of starting pitcher Landry Pate.

Michigan, which won the Midwest Region over Ohio, also blanked Florida, 8-0, to join the one-run win over Texas before this one, and the 2-0 setback to Hawaii. Now it seeks revenge against the Hawaii team from Honolulu.