The Loudoun South Little League team will have one more chance to advance in the Little League World Series after Wednesday night’s loss to Hawaii.
Loudoun South lost to the team from Wailuku, Hawaii, 12-9. It was the first loss for the team from South Riding, Virginia during the series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Loudoun South was down early 5-0 Wednesday and battled back to tie things up 8-8 in the bottom of the third.
“It’s very had to have a lead like that and then give it away and stand on the field and battle back,” Brad Lung, Hawaii’s coach said after the game.
Lung said he told his team to refocus.
“It’s 0-0. We got three innings to play. Let’s work with it. Let’s not put our heads down,” Lung said.
One of the things Lung did to refocus his team was to put the game in perspective.
“I smile. I laugh. I try to bring it back to where we are. We’re playing a baseball game,” he said.
Laughter also helps.
“It eases the pressure off them. You can see it in their faces … You laugh, you make jokes. That helps with children, especially kids this age,” Lung said.
Hawaii eventually pulled away for a victory.
Loudoun South’s last chance to advance to the U.S. championship will come at 7 p.m. Thursday, when the team plays Louisiana. The U.S. Final is on Saturday.
Loudoun South advanced from the traditionally competitive Southeast Region, getting past teams from Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The team won its first two games in Williamsport without allowing a hit, which makes Loudoun South only the second team from the United States to pitch back-to-back no-hitters in the Little League World Series.
A team from the United States has won the LLWS 35 times, but no team from Maryland or Virginia (which compete in the Mid-Atlantic Region) has ever won. The only time a team from Virginia has made it to the International Final was in 1968, when Tuckahoe Little League, from Richmond, fell to Japan.
HERE’S THE REST OF THE LITTLE LEAGUE SCHEDULE
Game 25: Willemstad (Curacao) vs. South Chungcheong (South Korea), 3 p.m.Game 26: River Ridge (La.) vs. South Riding (Va.), 7 p.m.Game 27: Chofu City (Japan) vs. Game 25 winner (International final), 12:30 p.m.Game 28: Wailuku (Hawaii) vs. Game 26 winner (U.S. final), 3:30 p.m.Game 29: Game 27 loser vs. Game 28 loser, 10 a.m.Game 30: Game 27 winner vs. Game 28 winner, 3 p.m.WTOP’s Rob Woodfork and John Domen, who reported from Williamsport, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report.
| All Times EDT |
|---|
| At South Williamsport, Pa. |
| Thursday, Aug. 22 |
| Saturday, Aug. 24 |
| Sunday, Aug. 25 |
| Third Place |
| Championship |
