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US field set as final 6 regional champs determined

The Little League World Series field is now complete.

The final seven teams, including six U.S. squads clinched regional championships Saturday. British Columbia completed the International field when it defeated Quebec, 6-3, and captured the Canada championship.

U.S. winners include: Coon Rapids, Minn.; Barrington, R.I.; Salem, Ore.; Bowling Green, Ky.; Elizabeth, N.J. and Wailuku, Hawaii.

Coon Rapids, Minn., won the day’s first U.S. regional title in dramatic fashion, rallying from a four-run fifth-inning deficit and stunning Johnston, Iowa, 8-6. Minnesota scored three fifth-inning runs then scored four more in the sixth, taking the lead on Jameson Kuznia’s two-out, three-run home run to dead center field.

Jaxon Knutson ignited the comeback with an RBI triple an inning earlier and closed out one of the best comeback victories in Midwest Regional history, recording a game-ending strikeout with the bases loaded. Coon Rapids is the first Minnesota team to reach the Series since 2010 and meets Great Lakes champion Bowling Green, Ky., on Thursday at Lamade Stadium.

Bowling Green earned its third Series berth since 2015, battering River Forest, Illinois, 15-6. Kentucky scored three first-inning runs and then blew things open with a nine-run second inning while building a 12-1 lead.

Barrington, R.I., reached the Series for the first time when it avenged a previous defeat and downed Goffstown, N.H., 6-4. Rhode Island rallied from two one-run deficits and scored four fourth-inning runs to take a 5-2 lead it never relinquished.

Elizabeth, N.J., is coming to the Series for the first time after handing Haverstraw, N.Y., its first loss and winning the Mid-Atlantic championship, 19-4. J.R. Rosado went 4 for 5 with two RBIs and four runs. He also was outstanding on the mound, earning the win and striking out 11 in 4 1/3 innings.

Oregon was an out from losing to defending champion Idaho before scoring two runs in the top of the sixth inning and capturing the Northwest championship, 5-4.

Wailuku, Hawaii earned the final U.S. berth when it erased a third-inning one-run deficit and defeated Arizona, 4-1. Jaren Pascual provided the game’s big blow when he launched a three-run, third-inning home run that gave Hawaii a 3-1 lead.

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