2019 Little League World Series

The 2019 Little League World Series was held from August 15 to August 25 at the Little League headquarters complex in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Eight teams from the United States and eight teams from around the world competed in the 73rd edition of the Little League World Series.[1] Eastbank Little League of River Ridge, Louisiana defeated Pabao Little League of Willemstad, Curaçao in the championship by a 8–0 score.[2] It was the first championship for a team from Louisiana, and in doing so, they became the first team to win the championship after losing its first game since the tournament expanded to 16 teams in 2001.[2] Also, with Honolulu Little League of Honolulu, Hawaii winning the title in 2018, U.S. teams have now won back-to-back titles for the first time since 2009, when Park View Little League from Chula Vista, California, ended the streak of five straight championships for the United States.[2]

2019 Little League World Series
Dates	August 15–August 25
Teams participating	16
Champion	Eastbank Little League, River Ridge, Louisiana
Runner-up	Pabao Little League, Willemstad, Curaçao
Little League World Series

Tournament changes

Among the changes made by the Little League International Board of Directors to the rules, regulations, and policies of Little League was introduction of a rule concerning tied games. Should a game complete seven innings with the score still tied, the offensive team in each subsequent half-inning will start with a runner placed on second base. The runner is the player in the team's batting order who is scheduled to bat last in the half-inning.[3]

Teams

Regional qualifying tournaments were held from June to August 2019.

United States	International
Bowling Green, Kentucky Great Lakes Region Bowling Green Eastern Little League	Chungcheong, South Korea Asia-Pacific and Middle East Region Chung Nam (B) Little League
Elizabeth, New Jersey Mid-Atlantic Region Elmora Youth Little League	Sydney, New South Wales Australia Region Cronulla Little League
Coon Rapids, Minnesota Midwest Region Coon Rapids Andover American Little League	Coquitlam, British Columbia Canada Region Coquitlam Little League
Barrington, Rhode Island New England Region Barrington Little League	Willemstad, Curaçao Caribbean Region Pabao Little League
Salem, Oregon Northwest Region Sprague Little League	Bologna, Italy Europe and Africa Region Emilia Romagna Little League
South Riding, Virginia Southeast Region Loudoun South Little League	Tokyo Japan Region Chofu Little League
River Ridge, Louisiana Southwest Region Eastbank Little League	Maracaibo, Venezuela Latin America Region Cacique Mara Little League
Wailuku, Hawaii West Region Central East Maui Little League	Guadalupe, Nuevo León Mexico Region Epitacio Mala Torres Little League

Results

The draw to determine the opening round pairings took place on June 13, 2019.[4]

United States bracket

	August 16 – Game 2
	Rhode Island	0
					August 18 – Game 14 (F/4)
	Virginia	3
					Virginia	11
	August 16 – Game 4
					Minnesota	0
	Minnesota	2
									August 21 – Game 24
	Kentucky	1
									Virginia	9
	August 16 – Game 6
									Hawaii	12
	Hawaii	5
					August 18/19 – Game 16
	Louisiana	2
					Hawaii	6
	August 16 – Game 8
					New Jersey	0
	Oregon	2
	New Jersey	6
																	August 24 – U.S. championship
																	Hawaii	5
	August 17 – Game 10
																	Louisiana	9
	Rhode Island	6
					August 20 – Game 18
	Kentucky	1
					Rhode Island	0
					New Jersey	2
									August 21 – Game 22
									Louisiana	4
	August 17 – Game 12
									New Jersey	1
	Louisiana	3
					August 19 – Game 20 (F/4)
	Oregon	2
					Minnesota	0
					Louisiana	10
													August 22 – Game 26 (F/5)
													Louisiana	10
													Virginia	0

International bracket

	August 15 – Game 1 (F/4)
	Curaçao	11
					August 18 – Game 13
	Australia	0
					Curaçao	0
	August 16 – Game 3
					South Korea	4
	South Korea	10
									August 21 – Game 23
	Venezuela	3
									South Korea	2
	August 16 – Game 5 (F/5)
									Japan	7
	Japan	20
					August 18 – Game 15
	Italy	0
					Japan	5
	August 16 – Game 7
					Mexico	0
	Mexico	5
	Canada	0
																	August 24 – International championship
																	Japan	4
	August 17 – Game 9
																	Curaçao	5
	Australia	0
					August 19 – Game 17
	Venezuela	2
					Mexico	7
					Venezuela	8
									August 20 – Game 21
									Venezuela	2
	August 17 – Game 11 (F/4)
									Curaçao	9
	Italy	0
					August 19 – Game 19
	Canada	10
					Curaçao	8
					Canada	1
													August 22 – Game 25
													Curaçao	5
													South Korea	3

Consolation games

Teams that lose their first two games get to play a consolation game against a team from the other side of the bracket that also lost its first two games. These games are labeled Game A and Game B.

	Game A
	August 19 – Volunteer Stadium
	Kentucky	4
	Australia	1

	Game B
	August 20 – Lamade Stadium
	Italy	3
	Oregon	4

Third place game

This consolation game is played between the runner-up of the United States championship and the runner-up of the International championship.

	Third place game
	August 25 – Lamade Stadium
	Hawaii	0
	Japan	5

World Championship

	Little League World Championship
	August 25 – Lamade Stadium
	Louisiana	8
	Curaçao	0

2019 Little League World Series Champions
Eastbank Little League River Ridge, Louisiana

Champions path

The Eastbank LL reached the LLWS with an undefeated record in nine games.[5] In total, their record was 15-1.

Round	Opposition	Result
Louisiana State Tournament
Winner's Bracket Semifinals	Lafayette LL	16-0
Winner's Bracket Final	South Lake Charles LL	14-0
Finals	South Lake Charles LL	16–0 (F/3)
Southwest Regional Tournament
Opening Round	White Hall LL	11-0 (F/4)
Winner's Bracket Semifinal	Post Oak LL	4-1
Winner's Bracket Final	Midland Northern LL	6-5
Finals	Midland Northern LL	6-2

MLB Little League Classic

On August 19, 2018, it was announced that the third MLB Little League Classic would be played on August 18, 2019, at BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field, featuring the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates made their second appearance in the annual game, having won the inaugural Classic in 2017.[6] The game was won by the Cubs, 7–1.[7]

References

1. "Dates and Logos for the 2019 Little League World Series Tournaments Announced". LittleLeague.com. August 19, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
2. "Louisiana Wins First Little League Title, Beating Curacao 8-0". Sports Illustrated. August 25, 2019. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
3. "New Tournament Tiebreaker Structure and Roster Guidelines Highlight 2019 Little League Rule Changes". LittleLeague.com. December 13, 2018. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
4. "First-Round Pairings Highlight Announcements at 2019 Little League Baseball World Series Luncheon". littleleague.org. Little League International. June 13, 2019. Retrieved June 13, 2019.
5. "Southwestern Region Tournament Results". Unpage.com. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
6. Randhawa, Manny (August 19, 2018). "Bucs, Cubs to match up in 2019 LL Classic". Major League Baseball. MLB.com. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
7. "Cubs vs. Pirates - Box Score". ESPN. August 18, 2019. Retrieved August 18, 2019.