Little League World Series: Jackson's Holbrook Gets Rematch With Connecticut

WILLIAMSPORT, PA -- Another big inning, another step closer.

The Holbrook Little Leaguers scored nine runs in the top of the third inning then fought off two rallies by the all-stars from California for a 12-9 victory Monday in the elimination bracket of the Little League World Series.

Holbrook moves on to Tuesday's elimination-round game, where the team gets a rematch with Connecticut. The New England champions, who beat the Jackson kids on Thursday 7-6, defeated Washington 14-6 on Monday night. The game Tuesday is set for a 7:30 p.m. start on ESPN.

On Monday, just as they had Saturday, Holbrook broke out its bats again. This time it was R.J. Vashey who did the most damage, hitting a solo home run in the second inning and a two-run blast in the third inning that sparked a total of nine runs in the third inning.

For all the talk about their home runs, the Holbrook team is as much about stringing hits together. initially was expected to begin not long after the peak of the solar eclipse. But rain in Williamsport led to a 1-hour, 18-minute delay after the first inning, muting eclipse concerns.

California scored a run in the bottom of the first when Tyler Ankrum singled, then proceeded to score on a pair of wild pitches and an error with two outs. A pop out ended the inning.

Holbrook answered with three runs in the top of the second inning on home runs by Vashey and Charlie Meglio.,

Holbrook may face pitcher Ethan Ritchings again. Ritchings shut Holbrook down on Thursday.

Photos courtesy of Little League Baseball & Softball