Florida enjoys rare ‘double play’

Coach’s daughter, ousted in her World Series, watched her dad and brother win.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — Joe McGuire’s children pulled off a rare “double play.”

The Tampa manager and his son, Michael, kicked off this year’s Little League World Series in fine fashion when Florida routed Rapid City, S.D., 10-0 in a four-inning no-hitter Friday.

His daughter, Morgan, was hundreds of miles away this week playing at the Big League Softball World Series in Kalamazoo, Mich. It was an unexpected but pleasant family dilemma.

Morgan’s team ended up getting eliminated, and a family friend drove her to South Williamsport late Thursday night, in time for her to watch Florida celebrate victory.

“She was in the stands watching,” McGuire said. “Perfect.”

In other games Friday, Maracaibo, Venezuela, beat White Rock, British Columbia, 8-1; and Waipahu, Hawaii beat Shelton, Conn., 3-1. Rain forced the postponement of the matchup between Jeffersonville, Ind., and Hagerstown, Md., to Saturday morning.

Florida’s combined no-hitter led off the day.

Starter Levi Gilcrease and relievers Darren Miller and Kevin Merrell held South Dakota in check in a game that ended after four innings due to Little League’s 10-run rule.

South Dakota loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the second after Logan Anderson walked. McGuire lifted Gilcrease and inserted Miller, who promptly struck out Matt Wilson and Carter Wevik to preserve the shutout.

“It was a little bit of pressure,” Miller said, smiling, “and my arm was feeling good.”

Florida’s hitters came through early and took advantage of early wildness by South Dakota starter Tanner Simons. Simons walked two hitters and hit another with a pitch to load the bases to lead off the game. Wyatt Reid followed by lining a fastball away to center for a three-run triple.

The first appearance by a team from South Dakota at the Little League World Series ended on a down note.

“The boys came out a little tight,” South Dakota coach Steve Nolan said. “A case of the nerves, both at the plate and on the mound.”

Reid said his teammates were anything but nervous. They played at the pool for much of Thursday, then skipped breakfast Friday morning to get an extra hour of sleep.

Before the game, they slid their hats on sideways and began talking “in their Mickey Mouse voices,” McGuire said.

Reid, Gilcrease and Merrell all laughed and looked at Miller, signaling he was the main culprit. Miller didn’t open his mouth.