The Backyard Batting Cage

By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.

Rockledge (Fla.) Little League scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to defeat Aruba North Little League, 12-10, on Saturday to capture the 32nd Junior League Baseball World Series in Taylor, Michigan.

It was Rockledge’s first championship, the second straight for Florida and the fourth overall for the Sunshine State. Aruba North Little League from Oranjestad, Aruba was seeking its first title.

Trevor Payne of Rockledge Little League (Southeast Champions) opened the eighth inning with a walk and later scored on a balk for the deciding margin of victory. Rockledge Little League would later add an insurance run.

Rockledge Little League’s Mason Studstill provided the power in the game, hitting two home runs and driving in four runs, while teammate Andrew Parrish went 3-for-4 with one RBI. Jeandrick Odubar led Aruba’s Latin American team, going 2-for-4 with three RBI.

In the World Series, Studstill shared the top spot in the World Series, hitting .571 with six round trippers and 14 RBI. Meanwhile, Edmar Tromp of Aruba North Little League, who collected two RBI in the championship game, hit .560 in the Series, going 14-for-25 with eight RBI and four stolen bases.

Rockledge Little League broke open a 2-2 tie in the fourth inning on Studstill’s three-run home run and then added two more the following inning to take a 7-2 lead. However, Aruba North Little League continued to fight as the score went back-and-forth until Latin America scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to send the game into extra innings. The game lasted 3hours, 26 minutes.

Rockledge Little League won all six games it played in the World Series, capturing five of six by two runs or less. Aruba North Little League finished 4-2, scoring 12 or more runs in three games.

Both teams advanced to the World Series championship game after winning semifinal contests. Rockledge Little League knocked off Oil Belt Little League (Southwest Champions) from Corpus Christi, Texas, 11-5, and Aruba North Little League defeated Las Puentes Little League from San Nicholas de Los Garza, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, 5-2.

  

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