New Castle, Ind., and Goodlettsville, Tenn., became the latest U.S. teams to clinch Little League World Series berths.
Indiana rallied for a dramatic, 6-5 victory over Bowling Green, Ky., while Tennessee edged perennial power Warner Robins, Ga., 1-0.
Indiana trailed 5-1 in the bottom of the third but tied the game on a Hunter McCubbins' fifth-inning home run and won it when Mason Gillis hit a two-out walk-off single into left field. Indiana loaded the bases with one out before reliever Granite Pare struck out the next batter and went up 0-1 on Gillis. The center fielder did not miss again and finished 3 for 4 while sparking a 13-hit offense.
Gillis just missed hitting a third-inning home run but his RBI double highlighted a three-run burst that cut the deficit to one. Reliever Bryce Pinkard threw four scoreless innings for Indiana, striking out seven and never letting Kentucky extend its lead after entering in a 5-1 game.
The middle of Indiana's lineup produced seven hits four runs and three RBIs.
Indiana plays its first Series game next Friday when it meets the Northwest champion, either Oregon or Idaho, in the 8 p.m. game at Lamade Stadium.
Brock Myers threw five no-hit innings and Jake Rucker pitched a scoreless sixth as Tennessee dethroned defending Southeast champion Warner Robins in its home town. Myers struck out nine before exiting after reaching the 85-pitch-count limit. Rucker allowed a lead-off single in the sixth, but caught a pop-up moments later off a bunt attempt and turned it into a double play before ending the game with a strikeout.
Tennessee scored the game's only run in the second inning on a two-out passed ball. It finished with five hits and denied Warner Robins its fourth Series appearance in six years while becoming the first Tennessee team to reach South Williamsport since 1987.
Georgia plays the Midwest champion, either Nebraska or South Dakota, in Thursday's 8 p.m. game at Lamade Stadium.
