El Segundo emerged victorious in a thrilling manner during the Little League World Series finale on Sunday. Louis Lappe paved the way for the team’s triumph by hitting a home run at the beginning of the sixth and final inning, leading them to a 6-5 victory over the all-star team from Pabao Little League based in Willemstad, Curacao. Lappe, who smashed his fifth home run of the series, revealed that he was simply looking for a good pitch and expressed his satisfaction with the outcome.
El Segundo’s manager, Danny Boehle, admitted being “shocked” that Willemstad chose to pitch to Lappe. However, he recognized the strategic nature of the decision. In baseball, you can’t afford to put the winning run on first base regardless of the circumstances, which explained why Willemstad decided to pitch to Lappe.
Notably, Lappe’s home run marked the first one Willemstad had allowed throughout the entire World Series.
Lappe had an impressive performance throughout the game, reaching base on all three of his plate appearances. He kickstarted the scoring by singling in the first inning and then was driven home by Lucas Keldorf’s double. Brody Brooks, who began with a single, also crossed the plate. Lappe continued to make his mark by drawing a walk in the third inning and loading the bases with two outs. This set the stage for Jaxon Kalish, who delivered a clutch single, propelling Colby Lee and Brooks to score.
In the fourth inning, El Segundo extended their lead to 5-1 as Max Baker led off with a triple and subsequently scored on Crew O’Connor’s single. However, Willemstad bounced back in the fifth inning thanks to a grand slam by Nasir El-Ossais, allowing them to tie the game.
To address the momentum shift, Boehle made a pitching change, replacing Ollie Parks after he walked Helmir Helmijr in the fifth inning. Jaxon Kalish took over but struggled with his control, eventually being relieved by Max Baker. Baker encountered some trouble by allowing a single to Jayvery Felicia, loading the bases. However, he managed to strike out Jay-Dlynn Wiel before El-Ossais crushed the next pitch for a grand slam.
El Segundo refused to back down and ultimately secured the victory with a hitless sixth inning from pitcher Brody Brooks, who walked one batter and recorded two strikeouts.
On the other side, Jay-Dlynn Wiel, the second pitcher for Willemstad, was charged with the loss after allowing two runs and four hits in 2 1/3 innings, striking out six but also walking one. Sean Serverie, the starting pitcher for Willemstad, pitched 2 2/3 innings, giving up four runs and three hits while striking out five and walking two.
El Segundo faced multiple hurdles on their path to claiming the Little League World Series title. Several players dealt with a stomach virus at the beginning of the tournament. Moreover, they had to string together three consecutive wins in three days to reach the U.S. championship game after losing 3-1 to the all-star team from Needville Little League in the initial stages of the tournament. However, they managed to avenge that loss by defeating Needville 6-1 in the U.S. championship game.
El Segundo showcased their resilience and dominance throughout the summer, boasting a record of 20-2 in five tournaments. They suffered their only other defeat against the all-star team from Sherman Oaks Little League. However, they would later redeem themselves by winning the rematch in a tight 3-2 contest.
For Willemstad, this marked their second consecutive appearance in the championship game. Five players from the previous year’s team, which fell to the all-star team from Honolulu Little League in a game called due to the run rule, returned. The Pabao Little League from Curacao has reached the championship game five times in total, winning in 2004 but also suffering losses in 2005, 2019, 2022, and 2023.
El Segundo’s victory solidifies their place among the esteemed Los Angeles County teams to win the Little League World Series, joining the ranks of Granada Hills National Little League in 1963 and Long Beach Little League in 1992 and 1993.
The team is set to return to El Segundo on Monday, with plans for a celebratory caravan on Main Street. The El Segundo Little League has encouraged the public to participate and show their support for the team through signs, clothing, and cheers. Additionally, a parade honoring the team is scheduled for September 10 on Main Street, as announced by the league.
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