Kearney (Neb.) Little League will be the first team to represent the state of Nebraska in the Little League Baseball World Series after capturing the Midwest Region Tournament in Indianapolis, Ind., today. They beat Canyon Lake Little League from Rapid City, S.D., 10-4 in the championship game played at the Reuben F. Glick Little League Center.
The Nebraska State Champions jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first inning on a Cole Staab RBI single and a Blake Quintana two-run single. The other run scored on an error.
Canyon Lake Little League, which earned a berth in the 2008 World Series, came back to tie the game scoring three runs in the second inning, Cooper Bowman had a two-run single to key the rally, and a single run in the third inning on a Noah Johnson run-scoring single.
Quintana then gave Kearney Little League the lead for good with a two-run home run to start the third inning. The home run gave him four RBI for the game. Kearney Little League added some insurance runs in the fifth inning scoring four runs on four hits to secure the victory.
Kearney Little League right-hander Thad Huber came on in relief of starter and winner Matt Masker, who had three hits in the game, and shut down Canyon Lake Little League. Huber went the final three innings allowing only one hit while striking out three and not allowing a run.
Kearney Little League earned a spot in the region championship game with a 5-3 win over De Soto (Mo.) Little League in one of the semifinal games. Canyon Lake Little League defeated Robbinsdale (Minn.) Little League, 6-1, in the other semifinal.
Kearney 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; Great Lakes Region Champion, New Castle (Ind.) Little League; and Goodlettsville (Tenn.) Baseball Little League, the Southeast Region Champion, in the 16-team Little League Baseball World Series field.
The new Midwest Region champion will play its first game in the World Series, Aug. 16, against the Southeast 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 – a U.S. bracket and an International bracket.