2011 Little League World Series
Children's baseball tournament
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2011 Little League World Series took place in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, between August 18 and 28.[1] Eight teams from the United States and eight from elsewhere in the world competed in the 65th edition of the Little League World Series. Ocean View Little League of Huntington Beach, California, defeated Hamamatsu Minami Little League of Hamamatsu City, Japan, in the championship game. Nick Pratto hit an RBI single to clinch the title for Ocean View.
Huntington Beach, California
Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka, Japan | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | August 18–28, 2011 |
| Teams | 16 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Ocean View Little League Huntington Beach, California |
| Runners-up | Hamamatsu Minami Little League Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka, Japan |
Tournament changes
On June 16, 2011, Little League announced that it was modifying the double-elimination format that was first used in the previous year's tournament. The format of four pools consisting of four teams in each pool, a format that had been used since the tournament expanded to 16 teams in 2001, was eliminated. Instead, the eight teams from the United States were placed into one bracket, and the eight International teams into another bracket. The tournament remained double-elimination until the United States and International championship games, where it became single-elimination.[2]
Little League International renewed deals with uniform suppliers Russell Athletic and New Era Caps. As part of the deal, regions had new color schemes this year.[3][4]
Teams
- Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan, due to complicated relations with People's Republic of China, is recognized by the name Chinese Taipei by majority of international organizations including Little League Baseball (LLB). For more information, please see Cross-Strait relations.
- Of the 16 teams, 11 made their first LLWS appearance. Most notable among these was the Keystone Little League, based less than 30 miles (48 km) from Little League headquarters. The last LLWS to feature a team from the immediate Williamsport area was the 1969 edition.[5] Keystone's game on August 19 against the North Oldham Little League set an attendance record for Howard J. Lamade Stadium, at 41,848.[6] The record stood until it was broken during the 2015 event.
- The Big Sky Little League team from Billings was the first team from Montana to win a regional and advance to the Little League World Series. They compiled a 3–1 record at the tournament before falling to the eventual tournament champions from Huntington Beach, California. Montana was scheduled to play the team from Tijuana, Mexico in the third place game but it was canceled due to the threat of Hurricane Irene[7] in the latter stages of the tournament.
Results
United States bracket
| Upper round 1 | Upper round 2 | Upper final | Final | ||||||||||||||||||||
| August 18 – Game 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Montana | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 21 – Game 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 South Dakota | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Montana | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 18 – Game 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Louisiana | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 Georgia | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 24 – Game 24 (F/7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Louisiana | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Montana | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 19 – Game 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| California | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 Rhode Island | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 21 – Game 15 (F/4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| California | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| California | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 19 – Game 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Kentucky | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kentucky | 1 | August 27 – U.S. championship | |||||||||||||||||||||
 Pennsylvania | 0 | Montana | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| California | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 2 | Lower round 3 | Lower final | ||||||||||||||||||||
| August 22 – Game 18 (F/9) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 20 – Game 10 | Kentucky | 5 | August 25 – Game 26 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| South Dakota | 3 | Georgia | 8 | August 23 – Game 22 | California | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Georgia | 6 | Georgia | 5 | Pennsylvania | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| August 22 – Game 20 (F/4) | Pennsylvania | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| August 20 – Game 12 | Pennsylvania | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Rhode Island | 0 | Louisiana | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Pennsylvania | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
International bracket
| Upper round 1 | Upper round 2 | Upper final | Final | ||||||||||||||||||||
| August 18 – Game 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Chinese Taipei | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 21 – Game 13 (F/7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Mexico | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mexico | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 18 – Game 3 (F/4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Japan | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 Aruba | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 24 – Game 23 (F/9) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Japan | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mexico | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 19 – Game 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Venezuela | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 Saudi Arabia | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 21 – Game 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Canada | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Canada | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 19 – Game 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Venezuela | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 Netherlands | 1 | August 27 – Intl. Championship | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Venezuela | 6 | Mexico | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Japan | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lower round 1 | Lower round 2 | Lower round 3 | Lower final | ||||||||||||||||||||
| August 22 – Game 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| August 20 – Game 9 (F/4) | Canada | 5 | August 25 – Game 25 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese Taipei | 20 | Chinese Taipei | 3 | August 23 – Game 21 | Venezuela | 6 | |||||||||||||||||
| Aruba | 3 | Canada | 0 | Japan | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||
| August 22 – Game 19 | Japan | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| August 20 – Game 11 | Japan | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Saudi Arabia | 4 | Saudi Arabia | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Netherlands | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Crossover games
Teams that lost their first two games played a crossover game against a team from the other side of the bracket that also lost its first two games. These games were labeled Game A and Game B. This provided teams who were already eliminated the opportunity to play a third game.
| Game A | ||
| August 22 – Lamade Stadium | ||
| Aruba | 5 | |
| South Dakota | 0 | |
| Game B | ||
| August 23 – Lamade Stadium | ||
| Netherlands | 7 | |
| Rhode Island | 8 | |
World Championship
| Little League World Championship | ||
| August 28 – Lamade Stadium | ||
| California | 2 | |
| Japan | 1 | |
| 2011 Little League World Series Champions |
|---|
  Ocean View Little League Huntington Beach, California |
The consolation game between Montana and Mexico was cancelled due to the expected arrival of Hurricane Irene.[8]
Middle East-Africa qualification
Kampala, Uganda defeated Dhahran, Saudi Arabia in the Middle East-Africa Region Final but the Ugandan team was denied visas by the State Department.[9] Reportedly, the visas were denied because some players provided false information, specifically related to their ages.[10][11] The runner-up, Saudi Arabia, was invited to the Little League World Series in their spot.[12]
Champions path
The Ocean View Little League won 20 games and lost 1 game to reach the Little League World Series. Overall, their record was 25–2. Their two losses came against Rancho Mission Viejo LL (from California),[13] and Billings Big Sky LL (from Montana).[14]
| Round | Opposition | Result |
|---|---|---|
| District 62 | ||
| Winner's Bracket Quarterfinals | Costa Mesa National LL | 6-0 |
| Winner's Bracket Semifinals | Costa Mesa American LL | 19-0 |
| Winner's Bracket Final | Huntington Valley LL | 7-1 |
| District 62 Championship | Huntington Valley LL | 13-3 |
| Section 10 | ||
| Game 1 | Aliso Viejo LL | 5–4 |
| Game 2 | Rancho Mission Viejo LL | 2–1 |
| Game 3 | Rancho Mission Viejo LL | 5–6 (8 inn.) |
| Section 10 Championship | Rancho Mission Viejo LL | 3–1 |
| South California Divisional | ||
| Winner's Bracket Semifinals | Fontana Community LL | 13-2 (4 inn.) |
| Winner's Bracket Finals | Canyon Springs LL | 5–1 |
| South Sub-Divisional Championship | Park View LL | 5–4 |
| South Championship | Encino LL | 12–1 (4 inn.) |
| South Championship | Encino LL | 11–1 |
| West Regional | ||
| Group Stage | Red Bluff LL | 10–2 |
| Group Stage |  Central East Maui LL | 3–0 |
| Group Stage |  Rio Rico LL | 10–0 (4 inn.) |
| Group Stage |  Silverado LL | 11–3 |
| Semifinals |  Washington LL | 5–0 |
| West Region Championship | Red Bluff LL | 2–1 |
Notable players
Major League Baseball
- Hagen Danner (Huntington Beach, California) - pitcher
- Yonny Hernández (Maracaibo, Venezuela) - infielder
- Nick Pratto (Huntington Beach, California) - infielder
National Football League
- Jake Fromm (Warner Robins, Georgia) - quarterback in the National Football League