LLWS roundup \ Sunday’s games

Iowa 5, Mercer Island, Wash., 3

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Urbandale, Iowa, rallied from an early deficit with a five-run fifth inning highlighted by Jake Quirk’s three-run homer at the Little League World Series. Leading 3-0, Washington starter Keegan Ogard allowed just one hit until the fifth, when Iowa started making solid contact. Ross Kramer doubled, moved to third on Spencer Sturges’ single and scored on Robert Vanderlinden’s two-base hit. That set up Quirk’s dramatic homer over the right-field wall. Giddy teammates greeted him with high-fives at home plate. The winner of Iowa’s next game, tonight against Staten Island, N.Y., advances to the next round. Aidan Plummer tripled and scored twice to lead winless Washington.

San Antonio, Texas, 12, Russellville, Ky., 0, 4 inns.

Nicholas Smisek hit a grand slam and Steven Cardone added a three-run homer to help San Antonio, Texas, score 12 runs in the third inning. Drew Brooks doubled to start the outburst and advanced to third on an error. John Shull followed with an RBI single for a 1-0 lead. Later, Smisek greeted reliever Zach Denney with a grand slam just inside the left-field foul pole for an 8-0 lead. Smisek was questionable for the game after getting sick Friday night Kentucky tried to rally in the first when Barrett Croslin and Caleb Brunner each singled and an error loaded the bases. Shull got a groundout to end the threat. The game ended after four innings because of the 10-run rule.

Taoyuan, Taiwan 8, Vancouver, British Columbia 0

Wen Hua Sung and Hung Yuan Lin each homered and three pitchers combined on a two-hitter to lead Taoyuan, Taiwan. Hao Yu Lin added two hits and two RBIs for unbeaten Taiwan. Canada starter Matteo Vincelli escaped jams in the first and second innings before Taiwan broke through in the third. Yuan Ting Tai led off with a walk before Sung’s homer to left-center gave Taiwan a 2-0 lead. Hung Yuan Lin came on in relief in the first to pitch four-plus innings, allowing one hit and striking out five for the victory. Winless Canada’s only hits came on a double by Vincelli and a triple by Ian Creamore.

Chula Vista, Calif. 14, Peabody, Mass. 0

Luke Ramirez struck out 11 and Andy Rios hit two two-run homers in a 12-run sixth inning that led Chula Vista, Calif., past Peabody, Mass. The win clinched a berth in the next round for California. Sunday’s game was tight early after California’s potent bats couldn’t get going against Massachusetts starter Matt Hosman, who struck out 10 in four-plus innings. Things changed in the sixth, when California sent 17 hitters to the plate against two relievers. Twelve straight batters reached base and 11 runs scored with two outs. Rios homered to center and left, respectively, both coming with two outs, while Oscar Castro and Daniel Porras, Jr., each had two hits in the sixth.

Associated Press