For those who watch the Little League World Series, seeing Japan amongst the final teams has been about as common as the New England Patriots finishing the season in first place in the AFC East. Well, in 2016, those regular watchers of the annual Little League World Series, they will have to adjust their eyes to not seeing Japan in the final rounds. After a stunning loss to Canada in the first game, Japan was unceremoniously and suddenly ousted from the tournament with a 2-1 loss to the Caribbean.
Donovan Antonia homered in the fourth inning to tie the game for the Caribbean squad, and Nair Jamanika drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in the winning run. So Hirao jacked a solo shot for Japan, representing their only run in a disappointing offensive performance. They have scored five runs in two games, after averaging 14.25 runs per game in the Japan regional tournament.
Pitching dominates the early going
In what would turn out to be a classic pitcher's duel, the boys on the hill for each squad were dominant in the first three innings, as the game remained scoreless halfway through the contest. Both teams wasted scoring chances in the first inning. Japan put their first two runners on in the opening minutes of the ballgame. A single, wild pitch, bunt, and defensive indifference put two runners in scoring position with no outs having been made in the inning. However, Caribbean hurler Jadon Gosepa struck out the next two batters and induced an inning-ending shallow fly-out to his shortstop to end the threat. He retired the side in order in the second and third innngs.
For Japan's Sosuke Igawa, it was much of the same. His first inning wasn't quite as scary as Gosepa's frame, but, after securing two quick outs, an error and a walk put runners on the corners for the home team. However, Igawa rebounded to whiff the next batter on four pitches and subdue the Caribbean offense. He proceeded to hurl flawless baseball for the next two innings as well.
Caribbean edges Japan in late-game offensive burst
Having retired nine straight batters, Gosepa looked like he was on cruise control, as he retired the first two batters of the fourth inning. However, in a sudden offensive strike, Hirao drove a solo shot to deep center field to give Japan a 1-0 lead, their first of the tournament. Slightly rattled, Gosepa gave up an ensuing single, but he escaped further damage with a strikeout.
Trying to avoid wasting an excellent pitching performance from Gosepa, the Carribean team wasted no time in knotting up the score at a run apiece, as Antonia yanked a solo blast into the left field bleachers. They didn't get another baserunner in the inning, but the damage had been done.
Gosepa rebounded for a dominant fifth inning, speeding through the Japanese 8-9-1 hitters in order, whiffing two batters and inducing a lineout. He finished his outing with five innings of one-run ball on three hits, striking out seven. His sparkling performance would earn a win, which was ensured by a solo tally by the Caribbean's offense in the fifth inning. After a leadoff groundout, back to back singles put two runners on base. Igawa hit a batter to load the bases with one out. Choosing to stick with the suddenly wild Igawa, Japan's hopes sunk as the move didn't pay off, with Jamanika drawing the walk on four pitches for the critical second run. Japan then made the pitcher's change, but it was too late. They got a double play as Antonia flew out and a runner was cut down trying to score on the would-be sacrifice fly.
However, Japan couldn't turn the double play into momentum, as Gedionne Martin worked around a one-out single, utilizing a strikeout and two groundouts to preserve the victory and earn the save.
The Caribbean will play the loser of the game between Latin America and Australia. Japan will attempt to salvage a win in Williamsport with a consolation game against the Southwest from the American side of the bracket.