The Backyard Batting Cage

By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.

2012 Little League Softball World Series Results/Statistics

The 2012 Little League Softball World Series, featuring 10 teams from around the world, begins Thursday with a game at 10:30 a.m. The World Series is played in Portland, Ore.

The teams are split into two pools, both pools a mixture of U.S. and International teams. The top two teams in each pool advance to the semifinals on Aug. 14.

Teams in the Little League Softball World Series field include:

Pool A

Eastdale Little League/Albuquerque, N.M. (Southwest Region champion)

New Hyde Park LL/New Hyde Park, N.Y. (East Region champion)

Turtle Club LL/Windsor, Ontario (Canada Region champion)

ILLAM Central LL/Makati City, Philippines (Asia-Pacific Region champion)

Makakilo Kapolei Honokai Hale LL/Kapolei, Hawaii (West Region champion)

Pool B

Raleigh Hills LL/Beaverton, Ore. (Oregon District 4)

Riverfield LL/Anderson, Ind. (Central Region champion)

Softbol Femenil Mexicali LL/ Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico (Latin America Region Champion)

Windemere Softball LL/Windemere, Fla. (Southeast Region champion)

Midden-Nederland LL/Utrecht, Netherlands (EMEA Region Champion)

All of the real-time scoring for each game of the 39th Senior League Softball World Series is available here. Follow all eight of the 2012 World Series Tournaments here. A listing of dates and televised games is available here: TV Schedule.

The Little League Softball World Series for players, ages 11 and 12, will be played Aug. 9-15. On Tuesday, Aug. 14, the Little League Softball World Series semifinal games will be televised live on ESPN2 at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time. The Championship game will be televised live the following evening at 10 p.m. on ESPN2.

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.

Mary Joy Floranza belted a two-out, two-run home run over the right-center field fence at Bud Vanderberg Park in Kalamazoo, Mich., to earn Philippines District 1 a 14-2, five-inning victory over California District 37, and become the first team from the International Region to be crowned Big League Softball World Series Champion.

Leading 9-0 entering the fifth inning, Floranza’s homer started a five-run rally to close out the game.

Hanging three runs in the first inning and four more in the second inning, pushed the Asia-Pacific champs out to a quick 7-0 lead. Winning pitcher Rizza Bernardino keyed the offense with a long two-run home run in the second inning.

Bernardino, allowed two runs on five hits. She threw 42 strikes in a 53-pitch, complete-game victory.

Krisna Paguican was 2-for-2 with four runs scored and two runs batted in, while Michelle Lentija and Queeny Sabobo were both 2-for-3 for the winners.

The Philippines team from Manilla, which lost in the title game each of the past two seasons, opened the World Series with consecutive losses, before putting together a seven-game win streak en route to the championship.

Manager Anna Santiago guided the Philippines to its third consecutive Big League Softball World Series.

The West Champions, the first team from California to reach the title game since 2005, entered the game outscoring its opponents, 71-37, with three 10-run rule wins. In the title game, U.S. Champions managed just two runs after falling behind 14-0.

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.

2012 World Series Media Credentials
2012 World Series Schedule
2012 Southwest Tournament

McAllister Park National Little League from San Antonio, Texas, was strong in all phases in earning the first U.S. berth in the Little League Baseball World Series winning all five of its games in the Southwestern Region Tournament held at the George W. Bush Little League Leadership Training Center in Waco, Texas. The Texas West champion defeated the Texas East champion, Lufkin (Texas) Little League, in the championship game, 9-0, its fourth victory by shutout.

McAllister Park National Little League, the winner of Pool B with a 3-0 record, came into the championship game hitting .431 as a team, with nine players hitting over .300, and a team ERA of 0.60 while only committing one error in its first four games.

The championship game proved to be more of the same as McAllister Park National Little League scored four runs in the second inning to break on top. Catcher Jordan Cardenas had the key hit in the inning, a three-run home run with two outs. Cardenas came back the following inning to stroke an RBI double in another four-run inning that gave McAllister Park National Little League an 8-0 lead. Cardenas finished the game with two hits and four RBI.

Right-hander Tyler Vitt took it from there striking out eight in the first four innings on his way to the two-hit shutout and his third win in the regional. Vitt, who finished with 10 strikeouts in the championship game, did not allow a run in 11.1 innings of work in the regional.

Lufkin Little League, which upset the No. 1-seed in Pool A, South Lake Charles (La.) Little League, 6-0 in the semifinals, was looking for its first berth in the World Series. McAllister Park National Little League beat Petroglyph Little League from Albuquerque, N.M., 4-0 to earn its way into the championship game.

McAllister Park American Little League won the Southwestern Region title in 2009 to earn a berth in the World Series. McAllister Park National Little League is the 19th team from Texas to earn a spot in in the World Series with two of those teams claiming the championship, and five times the World Series runner-up has been from Texas.

McAllister Park 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; and KMC American Little League from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, the Europe Champion, in the 16-team Little League Baseball World Series field.

The new Southwestern Region champions will play its first game in the World Series, Aug. 17, against the Mid-Atlantic Region Champions.

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

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.

Because of impending inclement weather, Little League International has announced a change in the schedule for today's semifinal games in the Mid-Atlantic Region Tournament in Bristol, Conn.

The 11 a.m. game between the state champions from New Jersey and Pennsylvania remains as scheduled, and is being played now on ESPN. However, the Delaware vs. Maryland game (originally scheduled for 3 p.m. on ESPN) is now scheduled to start 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. It can be seen on ESPNU.

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.

2012 Junior League Softball World Series Results/Statistics

2012 Junior League Baseball World Series Results/Statistics

2012 Senior League Baseball World Series Results/Statistics

Three more Little League World Series begin Sunday. The Junior League Softball World Series in Kirkland, Washington, the Junior League Baseball World Series in Taylor, Mich., and the Senior League Baseball World Series in Bangor, Maine, all get underway with games on Sunday.

Junior League Softball World Series

The nine-team field from around the world is split into two pools, with both pools a mixture of U.S. and International teams. The top two teams in each pool advance to the semifinals on Aug. 17.

Teams in the Junior League Softball World Series field include:

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.

2012 World Series Media Credentials
2012 World Series Schedule
2012 Great Lakes Tournament

New Castle (Ind.) Little League earned its first berth in the Little League Baseball World Series this afternoon as they came back from a four-run deficit to score a run in the bottom of the sixth inning to earn a 6-5 victory over Warren County Southern Little League from Bowling Green, Ky. The victory gave New Castle (Ind.) the title of the Great Lakes Region Tournament, which was played at the Reuben F. Glick Little League Center in Indianapolis, Ind.

New Castle Little League opened the scoring with a single tally in the first inning with the run scoring on a wild pitch. The Kentucky State Champion then scored all of its runs in the top of the second inning as Matthew Mitchell had an RBI single to start the scoring and Adam Smiley stroked a two-out, two-run single to center field to close out the scoring in the inning. In between the RBI hits, Warren County Little League scored on a fielder’s choice and a walk that forced in a run.

The Indiana State Champions then closed to within one run with three tallies in the third inning on an RBI double by Mason Gillis and an RBI single by Jarred Porter that were sandwiched around a run that scored on a ground out. They pulled even two innings later as Hunter McCubbins led off the fifth inning with a home run.

That set the stage for the bottom of the sixth inning when New Castle Little League loaded the bases on a single, walk and hit batter with two outs before Gillis delivered the game-winner, a sharp single to left field. Gillis had three hits in the game as New Castle Little League ouhit Warren County Southern Little League, 13-6.

Bryce Pinkard earned the win in relief going the last four innings allowing only two hits and striking out seven.

New Castle Little League, the 15th team from Indiana to earn a World Series berth, defeated top-seed Eau Claire National (Wis.) Little League in the semifinals, 2-1, while Warren County Southern Little League earned its spot in the championship game with a 4-3 victory over Streator (Ill.) Little League.

New Castle 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; and McAllister Park National Little League from San Antonio, Texas, in the 16-team Little League Baseball World Series field.

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

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

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.

Legendary Los Angeles Dodger pitcher, and the Dodgers’ Spanish-language broadcaster Fernando Valenzuela will throw the ceremonial first pitch tomorrow prior to the Little League Baseball Northwest Region championship game.

The game will be played at the Little League Western Region Headquarters Complex in San Bernardino, Calif. The ceremonial first pitch will take place at Al Houghton Stadium at 3:50 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time, just before the scheduled 4 p.m. start of the championship game. The game will be televised live by ESPN.

The game will feature Gresham (Ore.) National Little League against Post Falls (Idaho) Little League. The winner advances to the Little League Baseball World Series in South Williamsport, Pa.

Last August, Mr. Valenzuela hosted the Mexican Little League team at Dodger Stadium prior to its trip to Williamsport to play in the Little League Baseball World Series. The team got to watch Dodgers’ batting practice and attended a game. Later that month, Valenzuela made a surprise phone call to Little League International Headquarters where the Mexican team was gathered before the Little League Baseball World Series International Championship game. Valenzuela gave the youngsters a pep talk and fielded questions from the entire group.

Last season, the Dodgers also welcomed the 2011 Little League Baseball World Series champions, Ocean View Little League from Huntington Beach, Calif., at Dodger Stadium prior to the final home game of the regular season. The Little League Baseball World Series champions watched batting practice, met the Dodgers, took infield practice on their first Major League field and stood alongside the Dodgers in front of the dugout during the national anthem.

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.

2012 World Series Media Credentials
2012 World Series Schedule
2012 Southeast Tournament

Goodlettsville (Tenn.) Baseball Little League earned its first berth in the Little League Baseball World Series tonight by winning the championship game of the Southeast Region Tournament over Warner Robins (Ga.) American Little League by a 1-0 score. It is the first time since 1987 the state of Tennessee will be represented in the World Series.

The Tennessee State Champions scored the only run of the game in the second inning when leading hitting Phillip Carter, who came into the title game hitting .500 in the tournament, led off with a single. Lorenzo Butler then reached on an error and both runners moved up one base on a passed ball. After Stephen Snyder was hit by a pitch to load the bases, a passed ball with two outs plated the only run of the game.

Goodlettsville Baseball Little League starter Brock Myers went the first five innings, did not allow a hit, and struck out nine. He reached his pitch limit to get the final batter of the fifth inning. Jacob Rucker worked the sixth inning allowing a leadoff single to Kody Winner, the first hit of the game for Warner Robins American Little League. But, that threat was erased when the next batter popped out to Rucker, and Winner was doubled off first base. Rucker struck out the next batter to put a team from Tennessee in the World Series for only the fifth time.

The pitching of Goodlettsville Baseball Little League allowed only one base runner in the game to reach third base, which was in the first inning, and only one other runner to reach second base, that coming in the fourth inning.

Goodlettsville Baseball Little League advanced to the title game, played at Southeast Park at Little League’s Southeastern Region Headquarters in Warner Robins, by beating Tar Heel Little League from Greenville, N.C., in one semifinal, 9-3. Warner Robins American Little League reached the championship game with a 5-1 win over Great Falls (Va.) Little League. Warner Robins American Little League was looking for its fourth trip to the World Series having earned a berth in 2007, 2009 and 2011. They won the 2007 World Series.

Goodlettsville Baseball 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; and Great Lakes Region Champion, New Castle (Ind.) Little League, in the 16-team Little League Baseball World Series field.

The new Southeast Region champion will play its first game in the World Series, Aug. 16, against the Midwest Region Champions.

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

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
April 12, 2012

Jill Starishevsky knows the horrors of child abuse better than most

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Gary Carter attended the 2010 Little League Baseball World Series, representing Subway.

By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
February 17, 2012

Little League International mourns the passing today of not only one of the greatest baseball players of all time, but one of the finest gentlemen.

Gary Carter, elected in 2003 to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, was known for his exuberant play. Upon Mr. Carter's election to the Hall of Fame, Little League President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen D. Keener said:

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
February 15, 2012

As of 8 a.m. Eastern U.S. Time on Feb. 14, 2012, background checks conducted through LexisNexis once again meet Little League International’s background check regulation (Regulation I

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Mr. Calvo

By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
February 7, 2012

Little League International mourns the passing of former Guam District Administrator Gregorio

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
May 9, 2012

Clearwater, (Fla.) Little League was the host for the third annual Florida Challenger Jamboree.

Welcoming Little Leaguers with physical and/or mental disabilities, the state-wide event had 350 players and countless

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© 2012 Peanuts Worldwide LLC

By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
July 5, 2012

he James V. Brown Library and the Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum are teaming up to offer an exhibition about one of the most lackluster baseball teams known to the sport and managed by Charlie Brown.

His team is comprised of a motley group of uninspired ball players with a dog

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
June 14, 2012

One of the key components in the Little League experience enjoyed by the 16 teams who earn their way to the Little League Baseball World Series is the role played by the team hosts or

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
July 11, 2012

Little League International and Pointstreak Sports Technologies are pleased to announce they have reached a service agreement which will have Pointstreak provide real-time scoring, official statistics and administration services for the 2012 Little League International Tournaments. This will be the third consecutive year in which Little League has utilized Pointstreak’s in-game baseball scoring system for tournament play at the World Series level and in selected regional tournaments.

In 2010, Little League used the system on a trial basis for the U.S. Little League Division baseball regionals. The system was then utilized on a

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Baseball and Softball and to celebrate the achievements of Little League coaches across the U.S., Hilton HHonors launched the HHonors Outstanding Coach Contest.

Over the last month parents, coaches and fans nominated a coach they feel exemplifies the Little League Baseball and Softball mission of promoting discipline, fair play, character and teamwork both on and off the field and Hilton HHonors just named the five finalists.

Now we need your help deciding who will win.

Show your support for one of the five coaches by posting a comment telling us why the coach deserves to win the HHonors Outstanding Coach Contest.

The winning coach will receive a trip to the Little League Baseball

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
July 13, 2012

The Little League Baseball and Softball International Tournament will feature 81 televised games throughout the month of August. ESPN and its family of networks, ABC, and the New England Sports Network (NESN) will provide the live coverage.

See Day-By-Day Schedule Below.

ESPN, which will televise 70 Little League International Tournament games next month, expanded its coverage in 2011 adding the semifinals of seven U.S. Little League region tournaments. As it has every year since 1997, each of the eight U.S. region finals will be televised by ESPN or ESPN2.

This year, the Longhorn Network, part of the ESPN family, will televise live all 12 pool play games of the Little League Baseball Southwestern Region Tournament for the first time. The Longhorn Network debuted in August 2011.

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
July 16, 2012

2012 World Series Media Credentials
2012 World Series Schedule
2012 MEA Tournament

For the first time in the 66-year history of the Little League Baseball World Series, a team from Africa will be in the field. Lugazi Little League from Lugazi, Uganda, won the Middle East and Africa (MEA) Region Tournament today with a 5-2 victory over Kuwait Little League from Kuwait City, Kuwait.

The five-team, four-day tournament was played at the Little League Baseball European Leadership Training Center in Kutno, Poland.

Little League in Uganda is relatively new with the first local leagues chartering in 2005.

Lugazi is located in the southeastern area of the landlocked country, about 31 miles east of the capital city of Kampala. The Lugazi Little League is one of five chartered Little Leagues in Uganda, with four Little League (Majors) Baseball Division teams, and four Junior League Baseball Division teams. There are more than 700 boys and girls currently playing Little League Baseball and Softball in Uganda.

In 2011, a team from a different Ugandan local league, located in the capital city of Kampala, defeated a team from Saudi Arabia in the final game of the MEA Region Tournament. However, irregularities in the team’s birth and residence documents led to the U.S. State Department denying entry visas for the team. As a result, the Saudi Arabia team was awarded the regional title and competed in the 2011 World Series instead.

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
July 15, 2012

 2012 World Series Media Credentials
2012 World Series Schedule
2012 Latin America Tournament

Aguadulce Cabezera Little League from Aguadulce, Panama, earned the fourth berth in the 2012 Little League Baseball World Series today with a 6-5 victory in the championship game of the Latin America Region Tournament. The eight-day, eight-team tournament was played in Aguadulce.

The first-time Latin America Region Champions defeated Cardenales Little League from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, in the title game. Cardenales Little League, which earned a spot in the championship game by defeating Chitre Little League from Chitre, Panama, the #1-seed in Pool B, in one Saturday semifinal by a score of 7-4. Cardenales Little League was looking for its second World Series berth having won the Latin America Region title in 2006. Chitre Little League was a 2010 Latin America Region Champion.

Playing in its hometown, Aguadulce Little League earned its berth in the final with a 3-0 victory over Falcon Little League from Cartegena, Colombia, in the other semifinal game yesterday. The victory in the championship game was the third in its five games of the region tournament by one run.

Aguadulce Little League was the #1-seed in Pool A with a perfect 3-0 record while Cardenales Little League was the #2-seed in Pool A with its only loss a 3-2 setback to Aguadulce Little League. The region champion won its first game of the tournament by a 2-1 score over 14 de September Little League from Managua, Nicaragua.

Aguadulce Cabezera Little League will be joining Kitasuna Little League from Tokyo, Japan, the Japan Region Tournament Champion; Asia-Pacific Region Champion, Kuei-Shan Little League from Taoyuan County, Chinese Taipei; and Pariba Little League from Willemstad, Curacao, the Caribbean Region Champion, in the 16-team Little League Baseball World Series field.

Aguadulce Cabezera Little League will play its first game of World Series, Aug. 17, against the Middle East & Africa 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

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
July 15, 2012

2012 World Series Media Credentials
2012 World Series Schedule
2012 Japan Tournament


Kitasuna Little League from Tokyo, Japan, earned one of the 16 spots in the 2012 Little League Baseball World Series Saturday after capturing the Japan Region Tournament. The single-elimination tournament was played in Tokyo over the last three weekends.

Kitasuna Little League earned its berth in the World Series with an 11-0 victory over Matsusaka Little League from Matsusaka City, Japan, in the championship game. The Japan Region Champions scored 10 runs in the first inning on its way to the four-inning victory.

Kitasuna Little League also raced out to an early lead in its semifinal victory over Funabashi Little League from Funabashi City, Japan, on Saturday, scoring 12 runs in the first inning on its way to a 14-4 victory in four innings. Matsusaka Little League posted a 20-10 victory over Sendai Higashi Little League from Sendai City, Japan, the 2002 World Series runner-up, to earn its berth in the championship game.

The new region champion had its closest game in the tournament in its first game, an 8-2 victory over Ueda Minami Little League from Ueda City, Japan. Kitasuna Little League won its other game in the tournament by a 10-0 score.

This will be Kitasuna Little League’s third trip to the World Series where they have a history of success. In the league’s first trip to Williamsport in 2001, it won the World Championship with a 2-1 win over National Little League from Apopka, Fla. In its return trip in 2007, Kitasuna Little League lost to Warner Robins (Ga.) American Little League in the championship game, 3-2.

Teams from Japan have won the Little League Baseball World Series seven times. In seven of the last 10 years, a team from Japan has been in the World Championship game.

Kitasuna Little League joins Asia-Pacific Region Champion, Kuei-Shan Little League from Taoyuan County, Chinese Taipei, and Pariba Little League from Willemstad, Curacao, the Caribbean Region Champion, in the Little League Baseball World Series field.

Kitasuna Little League will play its first World Series game, Aug. 16, against Pariba Little League, the Caribbean champion, at 1p.m. in the first game of the World Series.

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

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
July 14, 2012

2012 World Series Media Credentials
2012 World Series Schedule
2012 Caribbean Tournament


Pariba Little League from Willemstad, Curacao, won all six of its games in the Caribbean Region Tournament by at least seven runs to earn the region’s berth in the 2012 Little League Baseball World Series. The eight-day, 10-team tournament concluded today and was played in Guayana, Puerto Rico.

Pariba Little League, which earned a spot in the World Series in 2001 and 2002 as the Caribbean Champion, defeated a team from the host city, Radames Lopez Little League, by a 10-1 score in the championship game. Pariba Little League was the #1-seed in Pool A after posting a 4-0 record in pool play while Radames Lopez Little League was the top seed in Pool B after winning three of its four games in pool play.

The Caribbean Region Champion earned its berth in the championship game with a 14-5 victory over Elrod Hendricks West Little League from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, the #2-seed in Pool B. Radames Lopez Little League was a 7-1 winner over Jose M. Rodriguez Little League from Manati, Puerto Rico, last year’s Caribbean Champion, in the other semifinal Friday.

The closest game in tournament for Pariba Little League was an 8-1 victory over Jose M. Rodriguez Little League in its second pool-play game. The region champions allowed just seven runs in its six regional games.

Pariba Little League joins Asia-Pacific Champion, Kuei-Shan Little League from Taoyuan County, Chinese Taipei, in the 16-team Little League Baseball World Series field. Pariba Little League advanced to the International Championship game in each of its first two trips to the World Series, losing to the Asia Region Champion, a team from Japan, both times.

Pariba Little League will play its first game of World Series, Aug. 16, against the Japan Region Champion in a 1 p.m. contest that will open the tournament.

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

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Braeden Swilley

By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
July 16, 2012

It is not often that a 10-year-old provides an example for kids and adults. On an evening earlier this spring, Braeden Swilley, a catcher for the White Sox in the East Marietta (Ga.) Little League, showed everyone at the game what sportsmanship and compassion are.

For his exhibition of the core values of Little League, Braeden has been selected as the recipient of the 2012 Little League Good Sport of the Year. Braeden, along with his family, will be recognized at a breakfast and during an on-field ceremony at the 2012 Little League Baseball World Series in South Williamsport, Pa.  The 66th World Series will be played Aug. 16-26.

The Good Sport Award, part of the Little League Baseball and Softball awards program sponsored by Chartis, annually recognizes a Little League player who has demonstrated superior qualities of sportsmanship, leadership, a commitment to teamwork and a desire to excel. The criteria for selecting the recipient does not consider the child’s playing ability or statistics. Hundreds of players worldwide are nominated for the award each year.

The award was established in 1989 to amplify the importance of Little League Baseball and Softball as a leadership training program, utilizing baseball and softball as a vehicle for instilling principles that can be used the rest of their lives.

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
April 30, 2012

Since the Little League Urban Initiative Jamboree concept transitioned from one national tournament to numerous state/regional tournaments in 2010, the initiative for boys and girls in urban neighborhoods has prospered. This year is no different with the addition of one jamboree and new venues.

The next jamborees will be a baseball and softball event held at the same complex. Both the Florida State Jamboree, for Major Division (9-12-year-olds) baseball players, and the Florida State Softball Jamboree, for Major Division (9-12-year-olds) softball players, will take place in Clearwater, Fla. on May 4-6.  It is the first time one venue has hosted both a baseball and softball Urban Initiative Jamboree at the same time.

The Little League Urban Initiative was established in 1999 to provide opportunities for communities in metropolitan areas to reap the benefits of having Little League in their neighborhoods.

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
April 27, 2012

The 2012 edition of the Little League Magazine, published by Major League Baseball, is currently being distributed to all local Little League chartered in the United States.

You can download and view/save the magazine here.

Adrian Gonzalez, All-Star first baseman for the Boston Red Sox, is featured on the cover.

Volunteers listed on the Little League Data Center as managers are the recipients of this year’s magazine delivery (20 per bundle) unless the League President opted to receive the league’s full allotment of 300 magazines.

The number of magazines delivered to each league is based on the total number of players listed on the Little League Data Center for each local league. Due to the size of the league the full allotment may exceed 300 magazines.

Accompanying each bundle is a request from Little League International asking the recipient to take an online survey for league officials and coaches. Please take time to complete this survey designed to supply Little League International with valuable information regarding the magazine and use of its online resources.

Please contact Chris Downs (cdowns

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
April 27, 2012

The Baseball Tomorrow Fund (BTF) awarded a grant in the amount of $95,686 to the Tobyhanna (PA) Little League for the installation of Musco Sports Lighting on fields at its home facility, Coolbaugh Township Municipal Park. The addition of lighting to Volunteer Field and Armed Forces Field will help increase player and parent participation by allowing evening practices and game times for approximately 300 players in the Pocono Mountain Region of Pennsylvania.

To celebrate the completion of the project, Tobyhanna will host a field lighting ceremony at Coolbaugh Township Municipal Park on Saturday, April 28th at 4:15 p.m. Pennsylvania State Senator John Blake, Pennsylvania State Representative Mario Scavello, Coolbaugh Township Supervisors Lynn Kelly, James Frutchey, Robert Zito, Robert Hutchins and John Adams, and Baseball Tomorrow Fund Executive Director Cathy Bradley will be on hand to take part in the festivities.

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
April 26, 2012

The umpires who will be working the eight Little League World Series have been selected after going through a lengthy and stringent selection process. Appointment as a member of the umpiring crew for a World Series is the highest honor Little League Baseball and Softball can bestow on an umpire.

The process for selection to work a World Series includes the umpire being nominated by a District Administrator to the regional office. The regional office, along with the region's Umpire-In-Chief, considers all umpires nominated before selecting those who most closely meet the criteria for selection.

 

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Photo Courtesy of: Derrick Tuskan/San Diego Padres

By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
April 25, 2012

It is common for Little Leaguers to emulate their Major League heroes. In the San Diego suburb of Chula Vista, such role playing has become a reality of sorts with the support of the Major League Baseball’s hometown Padres.

As part of its vigorous community outreach program, the Padres organization, Park View Little League and other leagues throughout California’s District 42 have entered into an agreement whereby all of the Little League teams, in divisions for players, league-age 11-and-under, will wear Padre Team jerseys.

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
April 25, 2012

Local Little Leagues wishing to provide players with a skills assessment program are encouraged to host a Major League Baseball’s 2012 Pitch, Hit and Run competition.

The Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit and Run (PHR) is a free one-day skills competition for boys and girls ages 7-14 that emphasizes the fun element in baseball and allows children to showcase their pitching, hitting and running abilities.

Pitch, Hit and Run is the official skills competition of Major League Baseball and can be hosted by any local Little League. An administrative kit is provided.

Competitors have the opportunity to advance through four levels of competition: Locals, Sectionals and Team Championships held in all 30 Major League ballparks, and the National Finals at the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Kansas City, Mo.

Children compete in four age groups: 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 and 13-14. July 17, 2009 is the competition’s age determination date.

To bring a MLB Pitch, Hit and Run competition to your Little League, community or neighborhood, log on to www.mlb.com/phr to submit an on-line registration with a date, time and competition location. The administrative kit includes a handbook,

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By Communications Division
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.
April 24, 2012

Tasked with expanding the conversation about Little League Softball, the Little League Softball Development Committee recently gathered at International headquarters for two days of meetings.

The 11-member panel, chaired by Sara Thompson, Little League International’s Director of Softball Development, spent two days discussing the direction of the program that was created in 1974.

Since the softball program’s first season nearly 40 years ago, it has undergone constant evolution. The mission of the Little League Softball Development Committee is to help define the program’s future priorities and direction.

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