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2007 Little League World Series

August 22, 2007

Arizona Wins Family Feud

Posted by LLWS_Active Aug 22, 2007

For more cool stuff on the Little League World Series check out Active's The Road to Williamsport special section.

West Chandler (Ariz.) Little League pitcher Seth Fretheim didn't mind defeating Coon Rapids (Minn.) Little League Wednesday night 9-2--even if the opposing pitcher was a relative of his.

"I'm sort of related to Minnesota starting pitcher (Adam Recksiedler)," said Fretheim. "Somehow. Mother's cousin's nephew. I don't know."

What Fretheim does know is that the potent West Chandler offense can strike at any time--even if initially frustrated as they were in the first two innings of their game against Coon Rapids.

"We might strike out the side the first inning," said Fretheim. "And then come back with everyone getting a hit in the next inning. You never know. This offense is funny like that."

Though everyone didn't get a hit in West Chandler's half of the fifth inning, the West regional champion pushed seven runs across and sent 10 batters to the plate in the frame--including Kyle Pechloff who drove in two with a key single to keep the inning alive. Pechloff also made a leaping stop at second base to help his pitcher keep out of a big inning.

"That play really helped me," said Fretheim. "You'll see it on ESPN."

Fretheim's "mother's cousin's nephew" did his best to neutralize West Chandler. By spotting a powerful fastball, Recksiedler allowed two runs over four innings and struck out six. But pitch count regulations instituted this year at the Little League World Series left Recksiedler, who had thrown 75 pitches by the end of the fourth inning and was just 10 short of the Little League limit, unable to finish the game.

Despite the loss Coon Rapids manager Mark Lowe firmly supports the measures Little League Baseball has introduced to protect the young arms of the game.

"I really like the pitch count," said Lowe. "I went through this in 2003 and a lot of the kids who pitched with my son aren't pitching today. This will be good for the longevity of the kid's careers--and that's what this is all about."

Arizona's next opponent will be Southeast regional champion Warner Robins of Georgia. After what Lowe saw tonight he's not sure anybody will be able to beat West Chandler.

"Man, they're good. A very good hitting team," said Lowe. "There might be a few teams who have better pitching overall, but hitting-wise they match up with anybody. And if you can hit in Little League you can do anything."

****

Georgia Faces Opponent Off the Field

Not much has stopped Warner Robins (Ga.) Little League en route to the Little League World Series U.S. Semifinal. That may change with word that two unidentified Georgia players failed blood tests denoting adequate levels of measles vaccination.

This does not mean the players have contracted measles (rubeola), just that they required immediate vaccinations after their win over Walpole Little League. (It was nearly one week ago that a player on the team representing Japan positively contracted measles, prompting Little League officials to review vaccination information for all players.)

Dusty Baker Has Left the Building

The former LA Dodger, Major League manager and recent inductee into the Little League World Series Hall of Fame spent time visiting the ESPN broadcast booth on Wednesday during the West Chandler/Coon Rapids game. One reporter joked that Dusty wouldn't be able to manage on the Little League level, since he had never used a pitch count in his life.

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No Rain on Georgia's Parade

Posted by LLWS_Active Aug 22, 2007

For more cool stuff on the Little League World Series check out Active's The Road to Williamsport special section. </em></b>

Not even three inches of torrential rain~~and an 18-hour game delay~~could stop Dalton Carriker from leading his Warner Robins (Ga.) Little League team to the United States semifinal at the Little League World Series.

With a devastating fastball that reached the upper 60's and a curveball that kept Walpole (Mass.) Little League hitters off balance, Carriker pitched four- plus strong innings in an 8-1 win over the New England champion--leaving Warner Robins just two victories away from the Little League World Series championship game.

But Carriker didn't just dominate on the mound. He chipped in an opposite field home run in the second inning and made some astounding defensive plays that caught the notice of Walpole manager Brian Oberacker.

"He did everything," said Oberacker. "He made two or three plays up the middle that would've been singles any other day. He hit the ball out. We didn't have an answer for him."

Even Carriker admitted feeling jubilant as he ran the bases after his dinger.

"It's a great feeling knowing no one was going to catch that one," said Carriker. "Seeing those little kids in the outfield trying to catch it. That's really cool."

Most of the offensive damage, including a two- RBI single from Payton Purvis, was done by hitters using the whole field. A philosophy Warner Robins manager Mickey Lay has stressed to his players throughout the tournament.

"Part of our discipline is to hit the ball hard and close off the strong side so we can stay back on the ball," said Lay. "That's what we try to focus on. For the most part, everybody hit really well today."

"Those fences are a long way away"

How big of a part did the numerous delays play in Walpole's tournament performance? Oberacker wouldn't say. He did admit, "It's hard to keep 12 and 13 year- olds concentrated on the game with a break in the action like that."

Still the distance of the fences at the Little League World Series~~moved to 220 feet two years ago~~might have had more to do with silencing an offense that came into the tournament slugging at an enormous rate.

"We were a power hitting team when the fences were at 200 in district," Oberacker said. "We' re a little undersized and it really shows here at the Little League World Series."

For Oberacker the only regret was how some supporters of Warner Robins conducted themselves in the stands. An ESPN microphone caught Oberacker referring to a certain "clown" making comments from the Georgia rooting section.

"Anytime you get a bunch of people together, there's always one in the crowd," said Oberacker, reluctant to broach the topic. "Today there was that one. I won't comment on on it any further."

The Mighty Underdog

Warner Robins was not a favorite to win the Georgia state championship--let alone make it to the Little League World Series. But now the loose and carefree team from Georgia, whose main focus seemed to be the dormitory pillow fights they exchange with the team from Mexico on a daily basis, is now on the verge of allowing their home state to boast back-to-back Little League World Series champions.

"At the start of the regular season, nobody thought this all-star team was going to be anything," said Carriker. "We showed them we could pull it out."

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