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Lake Mary Little League World Series 2024 vs Texas: Florida advances to LLWS championship

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Lake Mary Little League World Series 2024 vs Texas: Florida advances to LLWS championship

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Lake Mary Little League defeated Boerne, Texas 10-7 on Saturday to win the U.S. championship game of the 2024 Little League World Series. Florida advances to Sunday’s LLWS championship game to face Chinese Taipei.

Florida and Texas met earlier in the tournament when Julian Hurst pitched a three-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts. But after a shaky start by ace JJ Feliciano, Lake Mary clawed back into the game and turned it into an instant classic. Florida scored nine runs in the final two innings, with Teraj Alexander’s steal of home giving Lake Mary their first lead in the fifth inning.

Texas got the lead back in the bottom half of the inning, but Feliciano, Garrett Rohozen and Landon Bono immediately loaded the bases, and a Jacob Bibaud single and Liam Morrisey sacrifice fly tied it again in the sixth. Luis Calo pounded a two-run double to put Florida ahead for good.

Watch Lake Mary in the 2024 LLWS live on Fubo (free trial)

Lake Mary is the sixth Florida team to make the LLWS championship game and hopes to be the first from the Sunshine State to win it all. Keep scrolling for highlights from Saturday at Lamade Stadium.

Florida vs Texas in 2024 LLWS championship game: Score updates, highlights

Caden Guffey struck out swinging, then third baseman Hunter Alexander sailed a throw to first base. But Luis Calo got Aidan Muñoz to ground into a game-ending double play. Lake Mary wins 10-7 and plays Chinese Taipei on Sunday afternoon for the LLWS championship.

Little League baseball games don’t go nine innings like MLB and college baseball games do. Little League games are only six innings long. If the score is tied after six, the game will still go to extra innings until there is a winner.

Kaleb Christ took over at pitcher to start the 6th inning. He walked JJ Feliciano on his first four pitches, then Garrett Rohozen blasted a double that bounced off the glove of the Texas center fielder. Landon Bono walked to load the bases with no outs.

DJ Mieses popped up to first base in what was nearly a double play. Jacob Bibaud stroked a single into center field to score a run. Liam Morrisey hit a sacrifice fly to deep right field to tie the score, then Luis Calo crushed a double to right-center to put Lake Mary back in the lead.

Liam Morrisey came in as a pinch runner, then stole third after a Teraj Alexander walk, forcing a wild throw. He scored, and Alexander was thrown out trying to advance to third base. It’s 10-7 Florida heading to the bottom of the 6th.

Gage Steubing led off the bottom of the 5th with a single past the third baseman. Landon Bono got a strikeout, but then Dylan Burke hit a single just past JJ Feliciano at shortstop. That brought out a pitching change to Luis Calo.

A pop-out to the catcher brought up Julian Hurst, who walked to load the bases with two outs. Gray Collins tied the game with a RBI single, then a Calo wild pitch brought in Burke with the go-ahead run. Calo got Cooper Hastings to strike out, but the ball got away from the catcher, letting the inning continue and another run to score.

The next batter grounded out, but Texas leads 7-5 heading to the 6th inning. Florida has one more chance.

Kole Newson took over at pitcher. After he struck out Hunter Alexander, big Teraj Alexander came running home while Newson’s back was turned. The run gave Lake Mary a 5-4 lead.

Chase Anderson struck out to end the inning, but Florida scored four and now lead heading to the bottom of the 5th inning.

Julian Hurst moved to first base as Doc Mogford took over at pitcher. Kole Newson went from first to third base, and Dylan Burke moved from third to center field for Mogford.

Teraj Alexander hit an RBI single to deep right-center field, then advanced to second on the throw to third base. Then Chris Chikodroff hit a comebacker to Mogford, who couldn’t field the play and let Jacob Bibaud score the tying run. Mogford lay on the ground holding his leg after the play as trainers came to check on him. He was helped off the field as Boerne made another pitching change.

There’s still one out in the top of the 5th, and the score is tied 4-4.

DJ Mieses led off the 5th inning with a double off the right-centerfield wall. The Texas manager came out and asked pitcher Julian Hurst if his shoulder hurt, and after a short discussion, the ace said he could still go. Jacob Bibaud sent the very next pitch into left field for a single, then moved to second on a passed ball.

Liam Morrisey hit an RBI groundout to shortstop before Luis Calo walked. After Hurst touched his shoulder again, Boerne made a pitching change with one out in the 5th inning. Texas still leads 4-2, and Hurst’s pitching day ended with seven strikeouts.

JJ Feliciano moved to shortstop with Landon Bono taking over on the mound. Bono set Texas down quickly with a groundout to Feliciano at short, a flyout to Jacob Bibaud in left and a fly to Luis Calo in right. He threw just eight pitches. Florida trails 4-1 through 4 innings.

Chris Chikodroff legged out an infield single for lead off the 4th inning. Texas challenged, but the call was confirmed, giving Lake Mary its first hit of the game. Chikodroff then moved to second on a wild pitch. Julian Hurst struck out Hunter Alexander, then gave up a single through the middle to leadoff hitter Chase Anderson.

JJ Feliciano then made up for his rough day pitching, delivering an RBI single to center field. Garrett Rohozen and Landon Bono struck out to end the inning, though catcher Caden Guffey had to complete the out to Bono. Hurst has seven strikeouts through 4 innings, and Boerne leads 4-1 heading to the bottom of the 4th.

To start the bottom of the 3rd inning, Landon Bono moved from catcher to third base, Garrett Rohozen went from second base to catcher, and Hunter Alexander stepped from third to second. The move likely means Bono will relieve JJ Feliciano down the line.

Feliciano started the third with a strikeout, but then Julian Hurst sent a single into left field. Gray Collins followed with a walk. After a pop-up, Boerne center fielder Doc Mogford (yes, that is his given name) smoked a two-run double just out of the reach of a diving Jacob Bibaud. Feliciano got his sixth strikeout to end the inning, but he’s at 84 pitches, meaning his day is most assuredly done. Texas leads 4-0 after 3 innings.

Texas ace Julian Hurst dominated Florida’s lineup during their first meeting, and he’s at it again. Hurst struck out Liam Morrisey, Luis Calo and Teraj Alexander to give him four straight strikeouts.

Lake Mary is hitless through the top of the 3rd inning. Texas leads 2-0.

The tough start for Lake Mary ace JJ Feliciano continued in the second inning. After getting a quick first out, he allowed a single and two walks before uncorking a wild pitch that let Jett Matthews score the game’s first run.

Kaleb Christ then hit an RBI groundout before Feliciano finally got a strikeout to end the inning. He’s at 57 pitches. Boerne leads 2-0 after the 2nd inning.

Lake Mary catcher Landon Bono won the Hone Run Derby at the LLWS with 20 home runs on Friday, but he grounded out to lead off the second inning. DJ Mieses and Jacob Bibaud also went down quickly, and Texas pitcher Julian Hurst has thrown just 21 pitches through 2 innings.

Lake Mary’s ace JJ Feliciano threw 30 pitches in the first inning. He gave up a leadoff single to Julian Hurst and walked Cooper Hastings, but he got three strikeouts to keep the game 0-0 after the 1st inning.

Feliciano’s pitch count will be worth monitoring: After 85 pitches, he will have to be switched out.

Lake Mary batted first. After a leadoff walk by Chase Anderson, JJ Feliciano grounded back to Boerne pitcher Julian Hurst, who started a double play. Garrett Rohozen flew out for the third out.

Heading to the bottom of the 1st inning, score is 0-0.

Here are the Lake Mary Little League players:

  • No. 7 Chase Anderson: shortstop/second base/center field
  • No. 8 Chris Chikodroff: pitcher/outfield
  • No. 9 Lathan Norton: outfield/pitcher/third base
  • No. 10 Hunter Alexander: second base/third base
  • No. 12 Jacob Bibaud: outfield/pitcher
  • No. 14 JJ Feliciano: shortstop/third base/pitcher
  • No. 15 Liam Morrisey: center field/pitcher
  • No. 18 Luis Calo: pitcher/outfield
  • No. 19 Landon Bono: catcher/pitcher/third base
  • No. 22 Garrett Rohozen: utility
  • No. 25 DJ Mieses: first base
  • No. 26 Teraj Alexander: first base/catcher/pitcher

Little League International has limits on how many pitches players are allowed to throw over a period of time. For the 11- to 12-year-olds in the Little League World Series, players are limited to 85 pitches in a game.

There are also requirements for how much time a player must rest between pitching appearances. Here are the rest requirements for pitchers 14 and younger:

  • 66 pitches or more in a game: 4 days’ rest before next pitching appearance
  • 51-65 pitches: 3 days
  • 36-50 pitches: 2 days
  • 21-35 pitches: 1 day
  • 1-20 pitches: No rest needed

The national anthem has been sung, and the game is about to get underway. Lake Mary fans are clearly out in force in Williamsport.

Little League teams are made of kids between 10 and 12 years old. All players must be between 10 and 12 before August 31.

Lake Mary, Florida and Boerne, Texas are being introduced at Lamade Stadium before the U.S. championship game.

Lake Mary is making its first trip to the Little League World Series. They are the 24th Florida team to make the trip to Williamsport, and while eight teams from the Sunshine State have been runners-up, no Florida team has won the championship.

Florida vs Texas lineups: JJ Feliciano and Julian Hurst will be starting pitchers

Lake Mary and Boerne will start the same pitchers from their first matchup on Monday: JJ Feliciano for Florida and Julian Hurst for Texas.

Here’s the Lake Mary batting order:

  1. Chase Anderson, SS
  2. JJ Feliciano, P
  3. Garrett Rohozen, 2B
  4. Landon Bono, C
  5. DJ Mieses, 1B
  6. Jacob Bibaud, LF
  7. Liam Morrisey, CF
  8. Luis Calo, RF
  9. Teraj Alexander
  10. Chris Chikodroff
  11. Hunter Alexander, 3B

Lake Mary, Florida knows who its opponent will be if it makes the Little League World Series championship game. Taoyuan City, Chinese Taipei beat Barquisimeto, Venezuela 4-1 in the international final to improve to 5-0 in the tournament.

Pitcher Lai Cheng-Xi was electric, allowing just three hits over 5⅓ innings with 12 strikeouts. He has 31 strikeouts over the tournament while allowing only one run, which scored after he left today’s game.

Lake Mary is a suburban city in Central Florida’s Seminole County, about 20 miles north of Orlando.

  • August 14: Lake Mary, Florida (Southeast) beats Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Midwest) 2-1
  • August 16: Lake Mary, Florida (Southeast) beats Puyallup, Washington (Northwest) 6-1
  • August 19: Boerne, Texas (Southwest) beats Lake Mary, Florida (Southeast) 4-1
  • August 20: Lake Mary, Florida (Southeast) beats Staten Island, New York (Metro) 6-1
  • August 21: Lake Mary, Florida (Southeast) beats Wailuku, Hawaii (West) 4-3
  • August 22: Lake Mary, Florida (Southeast) beats Henderson, Nevada (Mountain) 6-3
  • U.S. championship: Boerne, Texas (Southwest) vs. Lake Mary, Florida (Southeast), 3:30 p.m. Saturday, August 24 on ABC
  • Third-place game: International runner-up vs. U.S. runner-up, 10 a.m. Sunday, August 25 on ESPN2
  • LLWS championship: International champion vs. U.S. champion, 3 p.m. Sunday, August 25 on ABC
  • 12:30 p.m.: Taoyuan City, Chinese Taipei (Asia-Pacific) vs. Barquisimeto, Venezuela (Latin America) on ABC
  • 3:30 p.m.: Boerne, Texas (Southwest) vs. Lake Mary, Florida (Southeast) on ABC
  • When: 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, August 24
  • Where: Lamade Stadium in Williamsport, Pennsylvania

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