Pabao (Curaçao) Little League has claimed the Little League Baseball® World Series International Championship following a 5-4 victory against Chofu Little League of Japan.
Curaçao, the Caribbean Region Champions got started early, tallying one run in the first inning and two more in the third, for a 3-0 lead. Japan answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the third, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
Curaçao plated two more runs in the fifth inning, but Japan continued to fight back. Down 5-2, Chofu Little League pushed across two runs in the sixth inning to close the margin to one run, but Curaçao made plays on defense to secure the victory.
Both the Caribbean team and Japan had five hits apiece. Curley Martha hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning for Curacao, while Shendrion Martinus went 2-for-3 with a double. Daiki Kobari led the charge for Japan, lacing a double that knocked in two runs.
Pabao Little League used two pitchers, starting with Martinus and ending with Martha. The duo combined to strike out six batters and walked five. Japan split their time between two pitchers as well, relying on Taishi Kawaguchi and Yuto Misaki. The two pitchers struck out nine and walked three.
Japan will play in the consolation game on Sunday at 10 a.m. in Lamade Stadium against the West Region Champions from Wailuku, Hawaii’s Central East Maui Little League.
Curacao, the 2019 International Region champs, will play for the Little League Baseball World Series Championship on Sunday at 3 p.m. in Lamade Stadium against the the United States Champions from the Southwest Region, Eastbank Little League of River Ridge, La.
Watch Post Game Press Conference
“Powered by Narrative Science and GameChanger Media. Copyright 2019. All rights reserved.” Any reuse or republication of this story must include the preceding attribution.