2023 LLIWS Preview: Vancouver Battalion, British Columbia

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

Vancouver Battalion, BC

League:
British Columbia District 6
Location:
Metro Vancouver, British Columbia
Championships:
Canada Region
Record: 7-1
Date Qualified: July 25
Noteworthy:
1st World Series appearance for District 6's multi-league team.
Coaches:
Moto Mukai, Daniel McGauley, Stacy Robertson

First, those threads! The pink jerseys! The Vancouver Battalion can really bring it, either via sartorial splendor or plain old baseball.

The Canadian champions pulled a slight upset in Tuesday's final, beating fellow British Columbia district team Fraser Valley FireBirds, who had dominated the tournament, by taking a 3-0 lead into the 7th and holding off a furious FireBird rally, topped off with an exciting catch to end the game by doubling up the potential tying run at second base.

With participation dwindling in the area after 12-year-old all-stars, the Battalion draw players from all five leagues in British Columbia District 6, and their squad blends a variety of cultures as well, no surprise in a melting-pot city like Vancouver. The Battalion 14-year-olds reached the Junior League World Series last year, so maybe this is the start of a trend.

Canada was 3-14 all-time in this Intermediate age level before Diamond Baseball went 2-2 last year, including an upset of Curacao. The Battalion first-timers get a rough opening game against either Navojoa, Mexico or Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, two teams with considerable tournament experience. But they played fantastic defense in the Canadian final, have the requisite big arms, and should be able to produce runs both with power and with small ball, so don't expect them to be satisfied with just making it to Livermore.

Road to Livermore
Canada Intermediate Nationals
July 16	vs. North Regina SK (round robin)	W	8-0
July 17	vs. Fraser Valley FireBirds BC (round robin)	L	5-8
July 18	vs. Diamond Baseball QC (round robin)	W	16-1
July 20	vs. Lethbridge AB (round robin)	W	7-5
July 21	vs. Ancaster Diamondbacks ON (round robin)	W	6-5
July 22	vs. Cape Breton Ramblers NS (round robin)	W	8-4
July 24	vs. Cape Breton Ramblers NS (semifinal)	W	12-2
July 25	vs. Fraser Valley FireBirds BC (final)	W	3-2
Intermediate Baseball World Series
July 31	Mexico / Puerto Rico		9am PT
TBD	TBD		TBD

2023 LLIWS Preview: Pearl City, Hawaii

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

Pearl City, Hawaii

League:
Pearl City Little League
Location:
Pearl City, Hawaii
Championships:
HI District 7
Hawaii state
West Region
Record: 12-0
Date Qualified: July 27
Noteworthy:
1988 Little League World Series U.S. champs (12yo)

7x Junior League World Series (world champs 1984, 2007) (14yo)

5x Senior League World Series (16yo)

2x Big League World Series (18yo)

Coaches:
Ty Takahashi, Preston Onomura, Chad Furutani

Pearl City has a fantastic Little League tradition, as you can see above, particularly in the teenage age groups. Located within Honolulu, its last World Series appearance was the 2015 Junior League World Series; Central East Maui Little League has been more successful in All-Star play of late.

But this 13-year-old group has been absolutely dominant all year, beating Central Maui 5-2 for the state championship and then absolutely torching competition at the normally fierce West Region. It was big news when Douglas, Arizona managed to stay on the field for all seven innings against Pearl City in Thursday afternoon's rescheduled semifinal, and championship game opponent Encinitas, California was the only team in the tournament to keep them out of double digit runs ... but Pearl City won anyway, 9-6, to book their ticket to Livermore.

The best news for Pearl City is that although they face the same short turnaround as West Region champions often do, and despite playing two games on Thursday, they kept one of their ace starters under 50 pitches, making him eligible to pitch Sunday in their opener against Ascension Parish, Louisiana. It's just a hunch, but this could be an absolutely spectacular opening-night game between two of the strongest teams in the U.S. field.

Road to Livermore
Hawaii District 7
June 16	Waipio	W	11-1
Jun 18	Waipio (final)	W	16-0
Hawaii state
July 7	Hilo	W	13-3
July 8	at Kawaihau (winners' final)	W	7-2
July 10	Central Maui (final)	W	5-2
West Region
July 20	Woodland American, CA	W	11-0
July 21	Nogales, AZ	W	13-3
July 22	Douglas, AZ	W	12-2
July 23	Elma, WA	W	13-2
July 25	Klamath Falls, OR (quarterfinal)	W	17-2
July 27	Douglas, AZ (semifinal)	W	10-3
July 27	Encinitas, CA (final)	W	9-6
Intermediate Baseball World Series
July 30	Ascension Par., Gonzales, LA		6pm PT
TBD	TBD		TBD

2023 LLIWS Preview: Ascension Parish, Louisiana

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

Ascension Parish, Louisiana

League:
Ascension Parish Little League
Location:
Gonzales, Louisiana
Championships:
Louisiana state
Southwest Region
Record: 8-1
Date Qualified: July 25
Noteworthy:
1st Louisiana team to reach Intermediate World Series

League's first World Series appearance at any age level (in 3rd season)
Coaches:
Shane Aderholt, Mickey Vickers, Colby Castille

While this year's Intermediate Little League World Series will feature a few familiar Little Leagues like Taylor North, Michigan, and Toms River East, New Jersey, it will also welcome a considerably newer player at this level in Ascension Parish Little League of Gonzales, Louisiana (between Baton Rouge and New Orleans), playing only its third season.

In fact, manager Shane Aderholt said the league had not investigated the 13-year-old, 50/70 option until this season, but it had enough turnout for three regular season teams, created a new 50/70 field, and wound up with a seriously talented all-star group.

Ascension Parish has scored at least 11 runs in every game except its three tight encounters with Lafayette in the Louisiana state tournament. After dropping the bracket final 3-2, Ascension Parish won an elimination game and then swept a doubleheader from Lafayette by 4-1 and 5-3 margins.

The Southwest Region tournament in Sugar Land, about a five-hour drive away, saw the well-supported club give its travelling fans plenty to cheer about, rolling to the title in three games and becoming only the second non-Texan regional champ at this age level.

The league is thriving in all-star play, with three Louisiana state champions still active, but the 13-year-olds will be the first team in league history to play at the World Series level when they take the field against the West Region champion on Sunday! If their performances so far are any indication, that won't be the end of their record-setting.

Road to Livermore
Louisiana state
July 14	Bossier	W	15-0
July 15	Sulphur Parks & Rec	W	19-4
July 16	Lafayette (winners' final)	L	2-3
July 17	Sulphur Parks & Rec (elim final)	W	17-0
July 18	Lafayette (final)	W	4-1
July 18	Lafayette (final)	W	5-3
Southwest Region
July 21	Three Rivers, CO	W	23-0
July 23	Santa Fe, NM (winners' final)	W	13-1
July 25	Weslaco, TX (final)	W	11-3
Intermediate Baseball World Series
July 30	West TBD		6pm PT
TBD	TBD		TBD

2023 LLIWS Preview: Toms River East, New Jersey

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

Toms River East, New Jersey

League:
Toms River East Little League
Location:
Toms River, New Jersey
Championships:
NJ District 18
NJ Section 3
New Jersey state
East Region
Record: 13-0
Date Qualified: July 25
Noteworthy:
2nd straight appearance at Intermediate World Series (3rd U.S. team to do so as regional champ)

1998 Little League World Series Champions (12yo)
Coaches:
Mike Mendes, Ed Todaro, George Gallagher

Toms River is a big deal in baseball circles. It was the site of the New Jersey high school baseball championships for years, and its Little League programs put the town on the international map years ago.

Toms River East was known as the Beast of the East en route to the 1998 Little League World Series championship and went right back to Williamsport in 1999 as part of winning three state championships in five years. After crosstown rival Toms River Little League picked up the mantle in the 2000s, reaching Williamsport in 2010, Toms River East returned to Williamsport as Mid-Atlantic Region runner-up in the U.S.-only LLWS of 2021.

Those players then qualified for Livermore as 13-year-olds in 2022, which may have set the table for this age group, even with no player crossover, to enter this year's 50/70 qualifying.

This Toms River East team has dealt with some close calls, notably the New Jersey winners' bracket final against Nutley (the last non-TRE team to win the 50/70 East title back in 2019), the state final against Stafford (a 1-0 win), and the regional final against Lower Merion, Pennsylvania (a 4-3 win).

But with all due respect to Tuesday's title-clincher, the biggest win was Sunday's extra-inning thriller against Massapequa Coast, New York. The same teams played twice at the 12-year-old Metro Region tournament last year, with Massapequa Coast winning both, once in extra innings and the second via no-hitter to advance to Williamsport. So these Toms River East 13-year-olds had to be slaying some emotional demons when they wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the 7th and ultimately beat Massapequa Coast 4-3 in 9 innings to reach the East final.

Last year's TRE team played back-to-back 11-10 thrillers in Livermore before bowing out against Hawaii. This year's team will be hoping for lower-scoring games to keep its pitching on schedule. Unlike many of its World Series opponents, TRE has not played on three consecutive days this summer, so winning their Monday night opener will be critical.

Road to Livermore
New Jersey District 18
June 22	Barnegat	W	10-0
June 24	Beachwood (winners' final)	W	3-0
June 25	Beachwood (final)	W	13-5
New Jersey Section 3
July 3	Lincroft	W	11-1
July 5	Princeton (winners' final)	W	20-3
July 7	Lincroft (final)	W	6-1
New Jersey state
July 12	Stafford	W	7-0
July 13	Nutley East / American (winners' final)	W	3-2
July 15	Stafford (final)	W	1-0
East Region
July 20	Lower Merion, PA	W	12-2
July 22	Hingham, MA	W	12-2
July 23	Massapequa Coast, NY (winners' final)	W	4-3 (9 inn.)
July 25	Lower Merion, PA (final)	W	4-3
Intermediate Baseball World Series
July 31	Southeast / CA 57		12noon PT
TBD	TBD		TBD

2023 LLIWS Preview: Taylor North, Michigan

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

Taylor North, Michigan

League:
Taylor North Little League
Location:
Taylor, Michigan
Championships:
MI District 5
Michigan state
Central Region
Record: 12-0
Date Qualified: July 21
Noteworthy:
A co-op team from the leagues that have since merged to form Taylor North reached the 2014 Intermediate World Series.
Taylor, Michigan has hosted the Junior League World Series since 1981, where this year Taylor North will be competing as the host district champion, including multiple players who are age-eligible for this team.
Coaches:
Rob Dotson, Travis Spencer, Ryan Doute

Taylor, Michigan has long been the cherished goal of 14-year-olds still playing Little League, as it has hosted the Junior League World Series since 1981. Generations of kids in Taylor have grown up going to Heritage Park and soaking up as much baseball (and some foreign culture) as possible during the tournament.

Recently, three area leagues merged into one in 2020, and the resulting league - Taylor North - has seen immediate all-star success. Taylor North won the 2021 Little League World Series championship in Williamsport (U.S. teams only) and appears on its way to becoming a regular in regional play at the teenage levels as well.

This particular age group felt like underdogs coming into all-star play. One of the first merged all-star teams, they finished 3rd in the state as 11-year-olds and lost a heartbreaking state championship game as 12-year-olds when they had the tag of "defending World Series champions." So this year's state championship game, a 19-0 blowout, was a really meaningful moment.

The scores, however, paint them as heavy favorites. Taylor North has outscored opponents 146-8 in 12 games, posting 7 shutouts. They've scored 2 or more runs in an inning more times (30) than they've been shut out in an inning (25). Other than waiting until extra innings to put up a 7-spot against Sioux City Westside during regionals, they've been dominant, including a run-rule win over two-time defending regional champ HYR.

No Central Region team has ever won the U.S. championship in Livermore, and an opening game against the winner of the West / Southwest opening-round game will be no picnic. But you get the feeling it won't phase this group in the slightest.

Road to Livermore
Michigan District 5
June 28	vs. Lincoln Park	W	15-0
June 28	vs. Lincoln Park	W	15-0
Michigan state
July 5	vs. Macomb Twp. (group)	W	11-1
July 6	vs. Ypsilanti National (group)	W	15-0
July 7	vs. Commerce (group)	W	7-0
July 8	vs. Westwood (semifinals)	W	15-0
July 9	vs. Western, Grand Rapids (final)	W	19-0
Central Region
July 16	Fargo, ND	W	10-0
July 17	Westside, Sioux City IA	W	9-2 (8 inn.)
July 19	HYR, Georgetown IN	W	11-1
July 20	Johnston, IA (winners' final)	W	5-2
July 21	Fargo, ND (final)	W	14-2
Intermediate Baseball World Series
July 31	Southwest / West		6pm PT
TBD	TBD		TBD

2023 LLIWS Preview: Keystone, Tampa, Florida

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

Keystone, Tampa, Florida

League:
Keystone Little League
Location: Tampa, Florida
Championships:
FL District 6
FL Section 7
Florida state
Southeast Region
Record: 12-1
Date Qualified: July 8
Noteworthy:
Won Florida state title as 11s, 12s, and 13s.
Coaches:
Dan McCaffrey, Tim Trodden, Jason Frasor

Another year, another Florida powerhouse rolling into Livermore.

After Fort Lauderdale came in with impressive scores last year, Tampa's Keystone Little League follows suit after winning the Florida state title for the third consecutive time (11s, 12s, 13s) and  (just like Fort Lauderdale) coming out of the elimination bracket to take the Southeast Region title over the South Carolina state champs.

Keystone had fallen to a Barrier Islands, South Carolina comeback in the winners' bracket but made no mistake in the region final with a 16-0 win, paced by a perfect game from Presley Bromberg, one of five newcomers to the team this summer.

An opening-round matchup with the pitching of the host, Bollinger Canyon, awaits Keystone when it gets to Livermore, and the Floridians will be hoping their power translates to the West Coast.

Road to Livermore
Florida District 6
June 14	vs. Palma Ceia	W	10-3
June 15	vs. Palma Ceia	W	12-0
Florida Section 7
June 24	West Pasco	W	18-1
June 24	Greater Hudson / West Hernando	W	12-0
Florida state
June 30	DeFuniak Springs (group)	W	18-2
July 1	Dr. Phillips, Orlando (group)	W	9-0
July 1	West Boynton (group)	W	14-12
July 2	Navy Ortega Lakeshore, Jacksonville (final)	W	10-3
Southeast Region
July 15	Richmond, VA	W	15-2
July 15	East Surry, NC	W	28-3
July 16	Barrier Islands, SC (winners' final)	L	4-5
July 17	Richmond, VA (elimination final)	W	12-2
July 17	Barrier Islands, SC (final)	W	16-0
Intermediate Baseball World Series
July 30	Bollinger Canyon, San Ramon CA		12noon PT
TBD	TBD		TBD

2023 LLIWS Preview: Guaynabo, Puerto Rico

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

Guaynabo, Puerto Rico

League:
Amelia Guaynabo Baseball
Location:
Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Championships:
Puerto Rico state
Latin America
Record: 9-1
Date Qualified: July 8
Noteworthy:
4th Puerto Rican league and 13th overall to appear at both 12-year-old (2022) and 13-year-old (2023) World Series in consecutive years.
Coaches: Luis Garcia, Kelvin Dominguez, Reinaldo Alicano

With no direct bid this year thanks to the rotation policy with Mexico, it was always going to be a long path to Livermore for the Puerto Rican champs, requiring a trip to the Latin America Region tournament on the Caribbean island of Antigua.

Fortunately for Puerto Rico, the league from Guaynabo, a San Juan suburb, is back in a big way. Last year's squad became Puerto Rico's first direct entrant to the 12-year-old World Series in Williamsport, and 12 of the 13 are back at the Intermediate age level, an incredibly high percentage!

Last year's team needed to come through the elimination bracket in Puerto Rican play to beat Vega Baja, and then the teams were paired against each other in the opening game of the territorial tournament as 13-year-olds! Guaynabo won that game and the rematch in the final in May, then headed to Antigua in July.

After splitting games with Venezuela in pool play, Puerto Rico drew the lower seed based on runs allowed and had to play Liga Pariba from Curacao, the winner of the other pool, in the semifinal. Guaynabo stepped up to the challenge, shutting out both Pariba from Curacao on Saturday and Paraguaná from Venezuela on Sunday to take the regional crown!

Guaynabo's opening game in Livermore will be against Navojoa, Mexico, which also won its region championship with back-to-back shutouts. So we expect runs to be at a premium on Day 1!

Road to Livermore
Puerto Rico
April 29	Vega Baja	W	4-1
April 30	Salinas	W
May 6	Loíza (winners' final)	W
May 20	Vega Baja (final)	W
Latin America - Saint John, Antigua & Barbuda
July 3	Paraguaná, Punto Fijo VEN (group)	W	11-10
July 3	Antigua Barbuda (group)	W	19-0
July 5	Paraguaná, Punto Fijo VEN (group)	L	2-7
July 5	Antigua Barbuda (group)	W	17-1
July 7	Pariba, Willemstad CUR (semifinal)	W	1-0
July 8	Paraguaná, Punto Fijo VEN (final)	W	2-0
Intermediate Baseball World Series
July 30	Mario Mendoza, Novojoa MEX		9am PT
TBD	TBD		TBD

2023 LLIWS Preview: Northwest Czech Republic, Prague

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

Northwest Czech Republic, Prague

League:
Northwest Czechia Little League
Location:
Prague, Czech Republic
Championships:
Czech
Europe Africa
Record: 7-2
Date Qualified: July 1
Noteworthy:
1st team from Prague and 2nd Czech team other than South Moravia to qualify for Little League World Series at any age group
Coaches:
Richard Jarošík, Pavel Štilip, Hana Vančurová

It's been quite a year for Czech baseball, with the country's World Baseball Classic debut resulting in both increased awareness and in qualification for the tournament's next edition in 2026. Those Czechs were easy-to-root-for underdogs.

Domestically and in Little League's Europe-Africa region, however, the South Moravia Little League, now known as South Czechia, has been the dominant force. Upset by the Dutch in last year's 13-year-old Europe Africa final, signs pointed toward the South returning to Livermore in 2023.

Instead, we got more Czech underdogs!

The Warriors from the Northwest region, which includes the capital, Prague (Praha), took advantage of the single-game championship final favored in many tournaments to come out of the elimination bracket and knock off South Czechia in the Czech final and, more than a month later, do the same against favored Kennemerland Little League from the Netherlands in the Europe Africa final.

Manager Richard Jarošík, formerly a trainer of e-sports athletes, is fond of fiery pre-game pep talks and  prioritized team spirit over Czech national-team pedigree in selecting this year's all-stars (based in part on his studies in physical education and sport at Charles University in Prague). He may need every ounce of motivation he can find, given the opening-game matchup against Korea. But his team's journey to California provides us with one more Czech baseball underdog story in 2023!

Road to Livermore
Czech Republic
May 20	East / Moravia-Silesia	W	19-1
May 21	South / Brno (winners' final)	L	7-10
May 21	Northeast / Liberec (elimination final)	W	20-10
May 21	South / Brno (final)	W	7-4
Europe Africa
June 26	Kennemerland, Netherlands	L	2-4 (8 inn.)
June 28	Northeast Czech Republic	W	13-1
June 29	Croatia North	W	12-2
June 30	Southwest Germany (elimination final)	W	5-1
July 1	Kennemerland, Netherlands (final)	W	4-3 (8 inn.)
Intermediate Baseball World Series
June 30	West Seoul, Korea		3 pm PT
TBD	TBD		TBD

2023 LLIWS Preview: West Seoul, Korea

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

West Seoul, Korea

League:
West Seoul Little League
Location:
Seoul, Korea Republic
Championships:
Korea
Asia Pacific
Record: 9-0
Date Qualified: June 25
Noteworthy:
2015, 2018 World Series champions
2022 International champions
Coaches: TBA

These tournaments are notoriously difficult to scout and predict, but in almost every edition of this tournament, the heavy favorite is the team from Korea. You don't have to scout them to know they will be, at a bare minimum, among the most polished and talented teams.

West Seoul has been the most frequent Korean qualifier for Livermore, although East Seoul did quite well a few years back. Last year, West Seoul looked unstoppable in the international bracket, with a mix of bat-flipping power and daring speed on the basepaths. The pitching didn't quite overpower, however, and they fell in the championship game to the superior arms and defense of the hosts from Danville.

This year's group will be a different one, of course, but there is no question West Seoul enters the tournament as the favorite.

Road to Livermore
Korea
April 28	East Seoul (group)	W
April 28	Jeolla Jeju (group)	W
April 29	Busan Gyeongnam (group)	W
April 30	Chungcheong Gangwon (group)	W
May 1	Daegu Gyeongbuk (group)	W
Asia Pacific
June 20	Auckland, New Zealand (group)	W	21-1
June 21	Tanauan City, Philippines (group)	W	9-2
June 22	Tokyo Nakano / Johoku, Japan (group)	W	9-4
June 25	Tokyo Nakano / Johoku, Japan (final)	W	11-1
Intermediate Baseball World Series
July 30	Northwest Czech Republic		3 pm PT
TBD	TBD		TBD

2023 LLIWS Preview: Mario Mendoza, Navojoa, Mexico

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

Mario Mendoza, Navojoa, Mexico

League:
Liga Mario Mendoza
Location:
Navojoa, Sonora, México
Championships:
Mexico District 13
Mexico Region 4
Mexico
Record: 11-1
Date Qualified: June 24
Noteworthy:
1st appearance by team from Sonora; 3 players have ancestors who played Major League Baseball
Coaches:
Ulises Sustaita, Mario Mendoza Jr., Carlos Esquer

For the 50/70 World Series, Little League has a rotation policy for its direct bids. Mexico and Puerto Rico alternate years earning a direct bid to the World Series, with their champions competing in the Latin America Region in other years.

This year, the direct bid is Mexico's, and it was won by a group that almost reached Williamsport last year as 12-year-olds, then stayed together for another All-Star opportunity in 2023. Only two years old, Liga Mario Mendoza is named after that Mario Mendoza, he of the 9-year MLB career, defensive wizardry, and “Mendoza Line” infamy. His nickname, "Manos de Seda," literally "Hands of Silk" in English, is even part of the official league name in many listings.

Mendoza lives in Navojoa and is involved in the league; his son, Mario Mendoza Jr., is one of the assistant coaches, and his grandson, Mario Mario Mendoza, is one of the team's standout players. All three Mendozas will be in Livermore, Mario Sr. serving as the team's translator. Two other players have ancestors with Major League Baseball pedigree in Luis Cruz Jr. (dad Luis Sr. is still active in the Mexican League) and Carlos Medina (great uncle Francisco 'Paquín' Estrada played 1 game for the Mets, went 1-for-2, and is a legend in Mexico).

Researching the Mexican qualification was a blast. The leagues publicize national championships, complete with adorable team pictures in full uniform, for 4-year-olds!! At the Intermediate age range, nationals are a week-long, 13-team affair consisting of two groups, followed by single-elimination semifinals and final.

The team from Navojoa stole the show in the group stage when they beat host Liga Beto Ávila 1-0 in a 15-strikeout no-hitter! Daniel Reyes struck out 14 in 6 innings, while Zaid Valenzuela closed it out. They followed that up with a 10-2 demolition of Matamoros, which had reached Williamsport in 2022.

In that 12-year-old qualification one year ago, Mario Mendoza went 6-0 in group play, only to fall to regional rival Municipal de Tijuana in the single-elimination semifinals (Navojoa got revenge in this year's regionals). There was no such slip-up as 13-year-olds, as Mario Mendoza's run culminated with an overpowering Saturday on which they tossed consecutive 8-0 shutouts to become the first Sonoran team to reach a Little League World Series.

Road to Livermore
Mexico Región 4
May 11	Mexicali IMSS (group)	W	8-5
May 12	Obregón Municipal (group)	W	10-3
May 12	at Municipal de Tijuana (group)	W	2-1
May 13	Obregón Municipal (semifinal)	W	4-1
May 14	Mexicali IMSS (final)	W	7-3
Mexico
June 18	Kora (group)	W	8-4
June 19	Beto Ávila (group)	W	1-0
June 20	Matamoros (group)	W	10-2
June 21	Guadalupe Linda Vista (group)	L	1-3
June 22	Jose Ines Castañeda (group)	W	8-0
June 24	Gallos de San Nicolás (semifinal)	W	8-0
June 24	Maya (final)	W	8-0
Intermediate Baseball World Series
July 30	Guaynabo, Puerto Rico		9 am PT
TBD	TBD		TBD

2023 LLIWS Preview: Bollinger Canyon, California

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

Bollinger Canyon, California

League:
Bollinger Canyon Little League
Location:
San Ramon, California
Championships:
California District 57
Record: 4-1
Date Qualified: June 23
Noteworthy:
1st appearance as merged league
Coaches:
Jason Crawford, Tony Vignolo, Dave Adame

The host district gets an automatic spot in most teenage Little League tournaments, and at the 50/70 level, that host has a history of making an impact! The champions of California's District 57 have won two of the last three U.S. titles, and Danville / Tassajara Valley / San Ramon Valley won last year's world championship.

This year saw Bollinger Canyon (bohl-in-jer), competing in only its second all-star season after a merger between 2014 District 57 champion Canyon Creek and nearby San Ramon, eliminate defending world champion Danville (without any co-op players this year), which had won the district in this age group as 12-year-olds in 2022, after three nail-biting head-to-head contests.

Allowing only one run in three of their five games, rest assured the hosts (like last year's champions) can pitch! And they should feel right at home; after all, they've already celebrated one championship at Max Baer Park this year.

Road to Livermore
California District 57
June 17	Granada	W	12-3
June 18	Pleasanton	W	11-1
June 20	Danville (winners' bracket final)	W	3-1
June 22	Danville (final Game 1)	L	5-6
June 23	Danville (final Game 2)	W	3-1
Intermediate Baseball World Series
July 30	Keystone, Tampa FL		12 noon PT
TBD	TBD		TBD

2023 LLIWS Preview: Brisbane North, Australia

For the second consecutive year, I am thrilled to be calling Little League's Intermediate 50/70 Baseball World Series, which runs from July 30-August 6! This is not the 12-year-olds you see on TV in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, every year, but kids one year older, playing on a slightly bigger field (50-foot pitching distance, 70-foot basepaths) in Livermore, California. It's a different vibe than Williamsport, but extremely cool nonetheless, and it was really special for me to call the 2022 tournament, including the championship game on ESPN2.

So leading up to the 2023 Intermediate 50/70 World Series, which will air entirely on ESPN+, I want to introduce each of the competing teams with whatever information I've been able to glean on their path to Livermore (and to your ESPN+ screen!).

Brisbane North, Australia

League:
Brisbane North Region Baseball Association
Location:
Narangba, Queensland, Australia
Championships:
Queensland state

Australia
Record: 10-1
Date Qualified: May 23
Noteworthy:
1st Australian league and 12th overall to appear at both 12-year-old (2022) and 13-year-old (2023) World Series in consecutive years.
Coaches:
David West, Adam White, Graham Honsa, Daniel Wilson

Brisbane North will be making its first trip to Livermore for the Intermediate World Series, yet they will be one of the more known quantities thanks to their qualification for and appearance in the 2022 Little League World Series in Williamsport.

Although they went 0-2, losing 7-0 to Canada and 12-7 to Italy in a wild game, Brisbane North brought plenty of character to the U.S. last year. Most notable were two of their pitchers, both of whom are among nine returning players from the LLWS team: Alonzo Zaire Griffin, known as 'Z,' whose fastball topped 70mph last year and who wore custom-made cleats representing Australian indigenous culture, and 6-foot-2 (at the time) Tirrell Waiwai, known as 'T-Rex.' We hear he's gotten even bigger this year!

Moreton Daily 'Meet the Team' article

Road to Livermore
Queensland state
April 13	Brisbane Metro (group)	L	5-6
April 13	Gold Coast (group)	W	11-6
April 14	South-West (group)	W	27-0
April 15	Brisbane Metro (major semifinal)	W	14-5
April 16	Gold Coast (final)	W	11-0
Australia Region
May 19	Mariners (Victoria) (group)	W	11-1
May 20	Hills (New South Wales) (group)	W	5-1
May 20	Adelaide Armada (group)	W	11-4
May 21	Wanneroo Giants (group)	W	2-1
May 22	Southern Hills (semifinal)	W	11-0
May 23	Ryde Hawks (final)	W	7-3
Intermediate Baseball World Series
July 31	Korea / Czech Republic winner		3pm PT
Aug	TBD		TBD

Back to the future in 2023

There's no sugarcoating it: For those of us left behind from the initial rollout of the Apple / MLS partnership, it's a challenging time, professionally and emotionally. That applies to broadcasters, producers, directors, content creators, and many more. The uncertainty of the past 18 months has given way to frustration: No expectation of work covering the league I know best.

So one of the true bright spots for me so far in 2023 has been the invitation to contribute to the Philadelphia Union's radio broadcasts, which - it was announced today - will air on 97.5 The Fanatic. It's truly a joy to think about and prepare for MLS broadcasts, and it always has been, so I'm really excited to be back in the booth in a few weeks.

I lived in Philadelphia for about nine months in 2011-12 to support my wife's career, and while I knew it would be a temporary stay, it was a really important and special one in my life. Whenever I drive into or even past Philadelphia, warm memories come flooding back.

As far as Union history, I was there for Danny Mwanga and Andre Blake, road win No. 1, playoff appearance No. 1, and their first win at Red Bull Arena. I covered the Union a bit in 2012, but my connection to the club really tightened over the U.S. Open Cup runs of 2014-15. I called Jim Curtin's first game in charge and almost every game of Philadelphia's run to back-to-back Open Cup finals. I drove down on my own for the agonizing 2015 loss on penalty kicks, but you could see the culture around the club starting to change.

Over the years, I've covered the Union for many outlets (ESPN and MSG among them) and also had the chance to contribute with spot duty on Union broadcasts, both in a play-by-play role and as a host. On-air, I've worked with JP, Tommy, Peter, Jill, Marisa, Sébastien, Sheanon, Dave, Danny, and more. Behind the scenes, Carl Mandell and Jordan Strauss and Carl Cherkin and Dave Goetz and Kevin Casey and so many others have greeted me warmly at every stop.

The club's development has been incredibly gratifying to see, especially Curtin's steady hand, the emphasis on youth development (a personal favorite), and the game-day atmosphere! My last couple of trips - the 2021 playoff epic against the Red Bulls and last September's rout of Orlando City to set an MLS record for five-game domination - were truly memorable and inspiring.

So I feel both fortunate and comforted to go back to my MLS radio roots (it will sound much different than TV!) and contribute to this year's Union coverage. I can't wait to hear the Sons of Ben (in person!), witness the passion of players, staff, and fans alike, work with great people, and help punctuate some indelible #DOOP moments in 2023.