during the inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

A closer look at the 13-2 Henderson, Nevada win over New Albany, Ohio, in four innings, Saturday at Lamade Stadium

PLAY OF THE GAME ― Nolan Gifford’s second-inning home run: Gifford is an elite pitcher, but also showed he is mighty dangerous at the plate as well. The team’s No. 3 hitter launched a three-run home run down the left field line which put Nevada up, 10-0. Nevada already was rolling at that point, but the home run put an exclamation point on the offensive eruption.

NEVADA PLAYER OF THE GAME ―David Edwards and Nolan Gifford: Let’s put these two as a package deal since they went a combined 4 for 4 with three RBIs and six runs. Edwards also shined on the mound, throwing a complete game and was 3 for 3 with three runs scored. Gifford was 2 for 2 with his home run, a double, three RBIs and a walk.

OHIO PLAYER OF THE GAME ― Owen Nardell: Nardell would not let Ohio go quietly and ignited a two-run, fourth inning rally when he roped a lead-off double. Nardell hit the ball hard both times he was up, and Kevin Klingerman followed with a single. He scored on Cole Mueller’s RBI single, and Ohio continued showing the fight which made it one of the world’s top Little League teams this summer.

BIG INNING―Nevada second: The Mountain Region champions wasted little time setting the tone and scoring four runs in the top of the first. But it was the second inning in which Nevada did its most damage and let it be known that it would not be denied a Series victory. Nevada scored six runs on four hits and went up, 10-0. Gifford provided the big blow with his home run, but so many other hitters also did their parts and helped Nevada blow things open. Chase Daley helped spark the rally with a single, David Edwards singled to set the stage for Gifford and Arlie Daniel IV capped the rally with a double down the left-field line.

BEST EFFORT―Nevada’s offense: In its first Series game last Wednesday, Nevada did not have a runner reach base until the fourth inning. This time, it was locked in from the start and pounded out 10 hits. The production came from throughout the order, as six different players collected hits and all 12 hitters reached base. Nevada also scored at least one run in every inning, including multiple runs in each of the first three.

FLASHING LEATHER―Ohio catcher Hunter Sayre came up big in the third inning and saved a run when he hustled after a wild pitch. Sayre quickly retrieved the ball which had gone to the left of home plate and sprinted to beat the runner, applying a quick tag and ending the inning. Nevada left fielder Mason Walther made the game’s best play in the bottom of that inning and squashed a potential Ohio rally. Ohio had runners on first and second with no outs when Alex Behaein hit what looked like would be a sure single into shallow left field. Instead, Walther hustled in and made a spectacular diving catch, holding onto the ball while rolling on the ground. He then alertly hit Gifford, the cutoff man and Gifford tagged out the lead runner, completing a double play.

HOME RUNS: Gifford became the second Nevada player to hit a home run at the Series, joining teammate Jaxon McMullin who did so against Rhode Island. His blast had the distance the whole way and it was just a matter of whether it would stay fair. It snuck in a few feet from the foul, bouncing off the bricks beyond the left-field wall.

WHAT IT MEANS― Nevada lives to fight another day and advances to Sunday where it will play North Dakota in another elimination game at Lamade Stadium. The team from New Albany closes out a historic season, becoming the first in league history to reach the Series. This team also was just the second to win a state title in league history.