Jr. LL World Series: Johnston Wins, 5-2

Johnston's Junior Little League team continued its winning ways with a 5-2 victory over North Canton, OH, on August 14, the first day of competition in the Junior Little League World Series in Taylor, MI.

Johnston put together a three-run rally in the bottom of the sitxh inning to pull away from Ohio, who had tied the game at 2 in the fifth.

Joe Bongiovanni hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Zach Coro in the sixth to trigger the rally. Marc Conte brought Gian Martellini (2-for-3) around to home plate for Johnston's second run, and Michael Caparco earned an RBI on a bases-loaded walk that scored Conte.

Armani Henderson — playing in the World Series on his 14th birthday — went 1-for-1 with a single in the second and a walk in the sixth.

James Picchi (1-for-4) contributed the other two runs of the game for Johnston.

Korey Fijal and Zach Coro cobined for the win, with each pitcher giving up four hits and one run. Fijal tallied one strikeout and two walks, while Coro — credited with the 'W' for the contest — racked up two Ks and one walk.

Johnston is next scheduled to play Southeast Regional champion Tampa, FL, on August 15 at 8 p.m. Central time (9 p.m. Eastern) in the round-robin tournament. Later games include an August 16 contest against Tuscon, AZ, and an August 17 match-up with Rosenberg, TX.

The top two teams in the United States division, determined by record, are scheduled to play on August 19 for the right to face an international opponent in the World Championship game set for August 20.

Information for this article was gathered from the Junior Little League International Championship website.

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Correction: The name of Johnston's relief pitcher was listed incorrectly in the first version of this article. Zach Coro was the team's reliever in the game against Ohio.