‘A kid’s dream’: Four semifinalists aim to be Sunday’s Little League World Series champion team
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Only four teams remain at the Little League World Series with hopes to take home the championship world title banner on Sunday afternoon. And all four make strong cases for being the team to beat as the United States and international championship games get played today at Lamade Stadium.
Making up the international final is Taoyuan City of Chinese Taipei, the Asia-Pacific Regional champions, and Barquisimeto, Venezuela, the Latin America Regional champions.
The United States final will be between Boerne, Texas, the Southwest Regional champions, and Lake Mary, Florida, the Southeast Regional champions
The International championship game is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. and the United States championship game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start. Sunday's World Series championship game will be played at 3 p.m. at Lamade Stadium.
The losers of Saturday's two finals will face in the third-place consolation game at Lamade at 10 a.m. on Sunday.
All teams in the field are hoping to snap title droughts for their respective states or countries. The most recent Little League World Series title for any of the final four teams is 2017 (Texas).
Chinese Taipei -- representing Taiwan -- hasn't appeared in a championship game since losing to Chula Vista, California, in 2009. The last title for a team from Taiwan came in 1996.
"The kids are excited (to be in the final)," Chinese Taipei manager Lee Cheng-Ta said in a press conference after defeating Japan on Wednesday. "I'm extremely happy to have the chance to be in the international final."
Venezuela has only appeared in a Little League World Series championship game twice, both from Maracaibo in 1994 and 2000. Venezuela won the title both times.
Texas is looking to appear in a World Series championship game for the first time since 2017. That year, Lufkin, Texas, fell to Japan in a five-inning, 12-2 game. While Texas historically has had strong teams get to the Series, the state only has two World Series banners: 1950 and 1966.
Florida has not appeared in a Little League World Series championship game -- or United States final -- since 2001 when Apopka, Florida, fell in a tight game to Tokyo, Japan, in the final, 2-1.
"It's great to finally get to Williamsport," Texas standout Julian Hurst said in a press conference earlier this week. "Not many teams get to make it here and to be one of the 20 is great. This is a kid's dream."
They may have started out of 20, but now they're one of just four and are among the best Little League teams in the world. And Hurst and Texas aren't just satisfied with reaching the United States final. The Southwest Regional champions are hoping to win it all.
They will have a rematch against Florida. The Southeast Regional champions will be hoping to enact some revenge as Texas defeated Florida on Monday, 4-1.
That loss sent Florida into the elimination bracket where it had to battle with little room for error, winning three games in three days to get to Saturday's United States championship game.