SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Warner Robins, Ga., scored the tying and go-ahead runs Monday on a passed ball and a wild pitch to stay unbeaten and edge Mercer Island, Wash., 3-2 at the Little League World Series.
With his team trailing 2-1, Kyle King reached base to start the top of the sixth after getting hit by reliever Brandon Lawler's pitch. He moved to third on two wild pitches.
One out later, Jake Farrell walked and stole second. The passed ball then scored King and moved Farrell to third, and another wild pitch by Lawler allowed Farrell to score the go-ahead run.
Cortez Broughton got the save after striking out Lawler with the potential tying run on third. Georgia has already clinched a spot in the U.S. semifinals.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y., 8, URBANDALE, IOWA, 3
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Michael Rapaglia struck out seven over four-plus innings and Vincent Quinn hit a three-run home run as Staten Island, N.Y., beat Urbandale, Iowa, and advanced to the semifinals.
Rapaglia limited Iowa hitters until the fourth, when he struggled with his control and loaded the bases. But the 12-year-old got pinch hitter Robert Vanderlinden to strike out to end the jam.
New York added four runs in the sixth, including Quinn's home run to straightaway center.
Iowa scored its three runs in the bottom of the sixth, including a two-run single by Spencer Sturges, before reliever James Morisano held on for the final two outs.
REYNOSA, MEXICO, 13, RAMSTEIN AFB, GERMANY, 0
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Raul Rojas hit three doubles and scored three runs, and Reynosa, Mexico, took advantage of seven errors by Ramstein Air Force Base, Germany.
Starting pitcher Oscar Noguera allowed one hit and had two hits for undefeated Mexico, which clinched a berth in the semifinals. The game ended after four innings because of the 10-run rule.
Mexico scored six runs in the first two innings, including one run following a single and two errors.
Rojas had the second of his three doubles in the second inning, driving in Brando Flores to give Mexico a 4-0 lead.
Cody Prince's single was the only hit for Germany, a team made up of children of U.S. soldiers or employees at Ramstein.
CHIBA CITY, JAPAN, 5, MARACAIBO, VENEZUELA, 4
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Two errors allowed Toshinori Wakai to race home from first base with the winning run as Chiba City, Japan, beat Maracaibo, Venezuela, and clinched a spot in the semifinals.
Wakai reached after getting hit by a pitch. Naoto Ogura then hit a hard shot toward second base with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The ball was misplayed and as Wakai went to third, the throw from center fielder Oberto Munoz glanced off Wakai's helmet and bounced into foul territory, allowing him to score.
Venezuela had rallied to tie the game after falling behind 4-0.
Jose Medina's home run and an RBI single by Munoz cut the Japan lead to 4-2 in the fourth, and a tworun single by Mikey Edie tied the game in the fifth.
WILLEMSTAD, CURACAO, 5, DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA, 3
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Junters Dossett's two-run home run lifted unbeaten Willemstad, Curacao, past Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, to clinch a berth in the semifinals.
Jardel Martina struck out 11 over five innings for the victory, and Jayson Libert pitched a scoreless sixth for the save.
Winless Saudi Arabia fell behind in the first inning when Curacao scored two runs on an error.
Saudi Arabia surged ahead in the fourth in part because of a Curacao error. Two runs scored on the error and Deji Ogunsola gave Saudi Arabia a 3-2 lead with an RBI bunt.
Curacao tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on a wild pitch. Dossett followed with his home run in the fifth.
LLWS at a glance At Williamsport, Pa.
MONDAY'S GAMES Reynosa, Mexico 13, Ramstein AFB, Germany, 0, 4 innings Chiba City, Japan 5, Maracaibo, Venezuela, 4 Warner Robins, Ga. 3, Mercer Island, Wash,. 2 Willemstad, Curacao 5, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, 3 Staten Island, N.Y., 8, Urbandale, Iowa, 3 TODAY'S GAMES All times Central Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, vs. Maracaibo, Venezuela, 11 a.m.
Ramstein AFB, Germany, vs. Vancouver, British Columbia, 1 p.m.
Russellville, Ky., vs. Peabody, Mass., 3 p.m.
Reynosa, Mexico, vs. Taoyuan, Taiwan, 5 p.m.
San Antonio vs. Chula Vista, Calif., 7 p.m.
Sports, Pages 19 on 08/25/2009