Lake Mary, Florida, clinched the Little League World Series championship on Sunday with a 2-1 victory over Taiwan in eight innings.
The decisive play came when Lathan Norton scored from second base on an overthrow at first, securing the win for Florida. Taiwan had held a 1-0 lead from the first inning until Florida tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. With runners on first and second, DeMarcos Mieses, who had struggled earlier, hit a gap shot in shallow left, allowing Chase Anderson to score and even the game.
In the eighth inning, Norton started on second base and advanced to score on a bunt by Hunter Alexander, whose throw to first base went into the outfield. Taiwan had initially taken the lead with a run scored by Chiu Wei-Che after a bunt and a hit that ricocheted off third baseman James Feliciano.
This victory marks Floridaās first championship after nine attempts, following a dramatic 10-7 semifinal win over Texas.
Taiwan, a dominant force in Little League from 1969 to 1996, had only reached the title game once since then, in 2009, before this year’s contest.
Peoplesmind