Calif. team edges Georgia at Little League World Series

ASSOCIATED PRESS

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Nick Conlin scampered home from third on a wild pitch to give Chula Vista, Calif., an 11-10 win over Warner Robins, Ga., on Thursday night to advance to the U.S. championship game of the Little League World Series.

California will face Texas on Saturday with a berth in the World Series title game at stake.

California rallied from a five-run deficit to tie the game at 10 in the fifth on Andy Rios’ two-run homer.

California loaded the bases in the sixth off reliever Connor Smith on two singles and an error to bring up Markus Melin with nobody out.

Smith’s 2-1 curve was in the dirt, allowing Conlin to score. Conlin’s teammates surrounded him at home and fell to the ground in joy.

Smith had a two-run homer for Georgia.

Taoyuan, Taiwan 5, Willemstad, Curacao 2

Starting pitcher Chin Ou felt tired during Taoyuan, Taiwan’s win over Willemstad, Curacao, so his manager let him snack on M&M’s in the dugout.

The sweet treats gave the 12-year old left-hander enough energy to limit Curacao’s potent bats and send his team to the international final at the Little League World Series.

Ou struck out eight and didn’t give up a hit until the fifth inning Thursday, while Tang Fu Cheng homered and scored twice in a 5-2 victory.

Taiwan will play Mexico on Saturday for the right to advance to the World Series title game, while Curacao was eliminated.

“I gave him a lot of M&M’s chocolates to make him happy,” skipper Cheng Ta Lee said through interpreter Ming Huang Yeh.

Lee said he was especially happy because Taiwan advanced to the tournament’s final weekend for the first time in 12 years.

Ou was a big reason why. Lee set up the rotation so that he could throw his good breaking pitches against Curacao, which was batting .349 as a team entering Thursday.

“He threw a lot of curveballs,” Curacao manager Vernon Isabella said through interpreter Alecto Nicholaas. “That was the difference.”

Leading 3-0, Ou held Curacao hitless until one out in the fifth, when Jayson Libert singled. Ou got Sedwin Reigina to bounce into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.

“I was very sad,” Ou said with a bright smile, when asked if he was aware of his near no-hitter.