Goodlettsville Little League Can't Solve New York Pitching, Falls 4-2 In U.S. Title Game

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, PA — The Goodlettsville Little League team was able to solve every problem thrown at them this week except for Michael Mancini.

The ace pitcher for Maine-Endwell, N.Y. struck out 13 in the team's first match-up, a 3-1 New York win Monday. Saturday, in the U.S. title game, he struck out eight of the first 10 batters and carried a no-hitter into the fifth, leading his team to a 4-2 win to advance to Sunday's World Series championship game against South Korea.

Goodlettsville ended Mancini's no-hit bid in the fifth when Jon Luke Simmons squibbed a single into right with one out. That left Mancini with three pitches to give before he was required to give way after 85 pitches. He used those final three to strike out RJ Moore, his 11th punch-out of the day and 24th in two games against Goodlettsville. Only Simmons' single and a walk to Tanner Jones to open the game blemished Mancini's Saturday.

Goodlettsville mounted a comeback with two outs in the sixth, as Zach McWilliams' two-run homer — his fourth of the Little League World Series — halved the lead. Carson Rucker grounded out to end the game.

All of Maine-Endwell's runs came in a big fourth inning, pushing across four on a series of singles and walks.

Goodlettsville pitcher Brock Duffer struck out three, walked three and gave up five hits in the loss.

Goodlettsville plays in the consolation game against Panama 9 am Sunday.

Image via Little League Baseball