When you watch a game at the Little League World Series, you never know what you're going to see. Some games, you will see a pitcher's duel that isn't settled until the final inning, while other games are like Wednesday's Great Lakes - Mid-Atlantic game where the final score was 13-10 in favor of the Mid-Atlantic, with each team having double-digit hits on the game.
Great Lakes strikes immediately
It all started with the first batter of the top of the first inning for Great Lakes, which was Devin Obee, who doubled to left field. He advanced to third when Spencer Newman singled to right field, and they both scored when Carson Myers hit a home run to left-center field to put them up 3-0 before Mid-Atlantic even stepped up to the plate.
When the Mid-Atlantic team finally did get to the plate, they responded with two runs of their own. It started when Jude Abbadessa hit a one-out single to center field. He advanced to second on a passed ball, which occurred while Ryan Harlost was batting. Harlost drew a walk, and both moved up a base when Conner Rush singled to left field. Abbadessa scored when Jack Hopko drew a walk, while Harlost scored on a passed ball to make it a 3-2 game.
After the Great Lakes was unable to score in the second inning, Mid-Atlantic struck for three more runs in their half of the inning. Michael Mancini started by reaching on an error by the shortstop and scored when Abbadessa hit a home run to left field. A few batters later, Rush drew a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on another wild pitch, and scored when Hopko singled to left field to make it 5-3 in favor of Mid-Atlantic.
Runs are exchanged in the third
Great Lakes picked up one run in the third when Turner Nottmeier hit a one-out double to left-center field. He scored when Myers doubled to left-center field to cut the lead to just one run. Mid-Atlantic responded in their half of the inning when James Fellows doubled to start the inning. He advanced to third when Mancini singled and scored when Abbadessa ripped a double to left field that advanced Mancini to third. After Harlost drew a walk, Rush hit a single that scored Mancini and Abbadessa to make it 8-4.
Drew Wolfram led off the fourth inning with a single, advanced to third when Tate Hanks doubled. After Obee drew a walk, Newman ripped a bases-clearing triple to left field to make it 8-7.
Mid-Atlantic picked up two more runs in their half of the inning when Fellows led off with a single, advanced to second when Jayden Fanara drew a walk, advanced to third on a fielder's choice that saw Fanara retired, and finally scored when Abbadessa doubled to left field, which also scored Jordan Owens.
Great Lakes picked up two more runs in the fifth when Kyle Snyder drew a leadoff walk. He advanced to second when Davis Moran hit a sacrifice bunt, advanced to third on a single by Hanks and scored on an error that allowed Hanks to come all the way around to score.
Mid-Atlantic finishes the job
Not to be outdone, Mid-Atlantic responded with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, starting when Hopko led off with a single, advanced to second when Fellows drew a walk, advanced to third on a fielder's choice hit by Fanara that saw Fellows retired, and finally scored when Owens singled to the shortstop. Fanara scored when Mancini doubled, and Owens scored when Abbadessa singled to make it a 13-10 game.
That is where the score would end up, as Great Lakes was unable to score any more runs in the top of the sixth, and just like that the Mid-Atlantic region secured a spot in the US Championship game. Great Lakes, meanwhile, has to play on Thursday night against the team from the Southeast region in a game that will see the loser eliminated, while the winner will advance to the US Championship game, scheduled to be played on Saturday afternoon.