Hastings Community Little League From Vancouver, British Columbia, scored 10 runs in the fourth inning and sent down Prairies representative Southwest Little League from Lethbridge, Alberta, in order in the fourth inning to post an 11-1, 10-run rule victory, and earn its first berth in the Little League Baseball World Series since 2009.
The score was 1-1 after two innings and the score remained unchanged through three frames. In the fourth inning, defense became an issue for Southwest Little League, as three errors in combination with three hits, produced the 10-run outburst for Hastings Community Little League.
Steven Moretto (3-run home run) and Thomas Neal (2-for-3, 4 RBI) hit fourth-inning home runs. The home runs helped Moretto earn the pitching victory in relief of starter Cole Dalla-Zanna.
Hastings Community Little League advanced to the championship game with a 5-0 win over Glace Bay, No. 1 Little from Nova Scotia. Southwest Little League defeated Toronto’s High Park Little League, 4-3, to earn its spot in the Canada National Championship Game.
Hastings Community Little League joins Aguadulce Cabezera Little League from Aguadulce, Panama, the Latin America Region Champion; Kitasuna Little League from Tokyo, Japan, the Japan Region Tournament Champion; Asia-Pacific Region Champion, Kuei-Shan Little League from Taoyuan County, Chinese Taipei; Pariba Little League from Willemstad, Curacao, the Caribbean Region Champion; Middle East & Africa Champion, Lugazi Little League from Lugazi, Uganda; Mexico Region Champion, Oriente Little League from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico; KMC American Little League from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, the Europe Champion; McAllister Park National Little League from San Antonio, Texas, the Southwest Region Champion; and Great Lakes Region Champion, New Castle (Ind.) Little League; and Kearney (Neb.) Little League, the Midwest Region Champion, in the 16-team Little League Baseball World Series field.
The 2012 Canada Region champion will play its first game in the World Series, Aug. 17, against the Mexico National Champions.
The 66th Little League Baseball World Series, for 11-12-year-olds, will be played in South Williamsport, Pa., Aug. 16-26. Sixteen teams from around the world will vie for the coveted title of World Champion.
The World Series will use the same format as last year with the teams split into two eight-team brackets – a U.S. bracket and an International bracket.