The Backyard Batting Cage

By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.

2012 World Series Media Credentials
2012 World Series Schedule
2012 Northwest Tournament

Gresham (Ore.) National Little League earned its first berth in the Little League Baseball World Series today by scoring multiple runs in the each of the first three innings of the championship game of the Northwest Region Tournament before going on to an 8-4 victory over Post Falls (Idaho) Little League. The tournament was played at the Little League Western Region Headquarters Complex in San Bernardino, Calif.

The Oregon State Champions scored all the runs they would need in the first two innings, starting the game with three runs in both frames. They scored on a fielder’s choice, passed ball and ground out in the first inning, and in the second inning, two runs crossed the plate on an error and the other run scored on a sacrifice fly. Brett Falkner had a two-run double in third inning to give Gresham National Little League an 8-1 lead at that point.

Post Falls Little League, looking to become only the second team from Idaho to earn a World Series berth, scored three runs in the fifth inning to cut into the deficit, but Falkner relieved starter and winner Hunter Hemenway in the fifth and recorded the last two outs before retiring the side in the sixth on a pair of strike outs and a ground ball.

Gresham National Little League earned its spot in the championship game with a 6-2 win over top-seed Mercer Island (Wash.) Little League in one semifinal game. The Idaho State Champions earned the other spot in the final game after posting a 3-2 win over Boulder Arrowhead Little League from Billings, Mont.

Gresham National Little League joins Aguadulce Cabezera Little League from Aguadulce, Panama, the Latin America Region Champion; Kitasuna Little League from Tokyo, Japan, the Japan Region Tournament Champion; Asia-Pacific Region Champion, Kuei-Shan Little League from Taoyuan County, Chinese Taipei; Pariba Little League from Willemstad, Curacao, the Caribbean Region Champion; Middle East & Africa Champion, Lugazi Little League from Lugazi, Uganda; Mexico Region Champion, Oriente Little League from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico; KMC American Little League from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, the Europe Champion; McAllister Park National Little League from San Antonio, Texas, the Southwest Region Champion; Great Lakes Region Champion, New Castle (Ind.) Little League; Kearney (Neb.) Little League, the Midwest Region Champion; and Hastings Community Little League from Vancouver, British Columbia, the Canada Region Champions, in the 16-team Little League Baseball World Series field.

The new Northwest Region champion will play its first game in the World Series, Aug. 17, against the Great Lakes Region Champion.

The 66th Little League Baseball World Series, for 11-12-year-olds, will be played in South Williamsport, Pa., Aug. 16-26. Sixteen teams from around the world will vie for the coveted title of World Champion.

The World Series will use the same format as last year with the teams split into two eight-team brackets

View the Original article