LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL

About 100 fans in the stands, about half of that on the grass hills beyond the outfield, some rainy days have caused delays, all of the players have switched from jerseys with United States locations and names on the back to Little League on their jerseys, and finally, no International teams playing in this one.

No, the annual Junior Little League World Series played in South Williamsport, Pa., has not taken a fall, has not struck out, has not shooed away spectators, has not done anything to differ with what has been played since 1947.

No, it has been the opposite. It has been a very entertaining, well played, well attended by the few but cheerful fans, all the concessions were open, and it has been quite a show that the 16 teams of 10-and-under boys have put on display, and ever contest has been played at Howard A. Lamarde Stadium.

Let’s get right to Saturday’s four elimination games, the winners survive, the losers either hang around or head on home.

And so on the day after South Dakota’s super right-hander Gavin Weir combined with last-inning reliever Johnny Webb for a 2-0 no-hitter over Louisiana. Weir was masterful, striking out 13, and cheering for Webb from the mound to the dugout.

Because he had came to the 85-pitch limit, Weir had to come out, and in stepped 4-11 Webb with one on via Weir’s lone base on balls and two out, and with the count at 3-2, Webb got a called third strike and jumped high before racing over to the thankful Webb and his other teammates.

That was in the first day openers, with South Dakota, the Midwest champions, sending Louisiana-Lafayette’s Southwest winners into the loser’s bracket, where right now the last one to win the International World Series — Louisiana — can not lose again as it plays survival with Upper Providence, same with the Pennsylvania team located 16 miles outside of Philadelphia.

But it’s back to the Philly superb for Upper Providence after Louisiana turned a 4-0 lead into a 4-3 final as it shut down a sixth inning threat.

Saturday brought another no-hitter when 5-3 righty Eli Jones hurled a complete game to get Washington, the Northwest winner, oust Florida,

1-0, with Jones coming up with the game’s only run in the fourth inning. He led off with a line drive single to left, sped to second on a passed ball, moved up a base on a ground out to second, and scored on a fly ball caught in the right field corner.

Jones was composed, mixed in a variety of dandy stuff, fanned 11, walked one, and did not allow a runner past second. His final pitch was his 85th.

Taylor Michigan also got stellar pitching in blanking Hamilton Ohio, 8-0, Friday, and in Saturday’s morning opener, it was New Hampshire, the New England champion, sending Tennessee packing with a 4-1 loss.

New Hampshire now faces Toms River New Jersey, which came from behind Saturday to romp past New England runner-up Connecticut, 13-5, powered by the grand slam home run by Jersey’s Joey DeMaio, the first since 1990 when recently retired major league player Todd Frazier did the same as Toms River carried off the championship trophy.

Can’t forget 13-year-old Ella Brunning, who stands 5-3 and weighs 100, and is the starter catcher who also pitches for Texas West, the Texas B runner-up. She has been remarkable behind the plate. She has a strong arm, gets the ball away quickly, and has thrown out two runners at second base plus picked  off a base runner at first.

She was the spark in the 1-0 victory over Tennessee. She get a no-out single to left in the top of the fourth in a scoreless game, swiped second, took third on a force out and scored by being alert on a passed ball. She also got another safety in the game to become the seventh of her gender to get two hits in the same World Series contest.

She is a player, knows the game, is quick and alert behind the mask, runs well and smart, and contradicts those who think she’s a good hitter.

“I’m not a very good hitter,” she later said, “but I just was happy to do my part today. Before this, I may have had a hit in another game, and when someone tells me that, I smile and say it was only a blooper.”

Four winner’s bracket games will be contested today. It will be Ohio against  Southern California, South Dakota versus Oregon, Hawaii facing Nebraska, and Michigan meeting Texas West.

So if you’re disappointed with this Little League World Series having to make some changes due to COVID-19, don’t be, it’s instead been some excellent pitching, key hitting, some dandy play in the field, and some loud and proud fans able to show their delight by being there through rain delays and just chanting away for their side.

B teams, those that placed second in its regional, have done well. In the Tom Seaver Bracket first round, B won five games and A won two in what was the elimination bracket. In the winner’s Hank Aaron Bracket, A won five times and B won three times.

If you would like to see this on the tubes Sunday, it will be on ESPN from morning to late afternoon. Play will continue Monday, with Tennessee, Connecticut, Florida, Pennsylvania already eliminated after two setbacks.