West Side meets Torrence (Calif.) in the second round Sunday at 9 a.m. on ESPN and needs three more wins to make the championship Aug. 29 from the winner’s bracket. The tournament is a double-elimination event.
“We don’t expect anything to be easy, especially up here,” West Side coach Ken Coomer said. “It’s the top teams in the United States coming from all over the country so we know it won’t be easy. We just need to keep practicing hard and playing hard and hopefully things fall in place.”
The winner Sunday advances to the Tom Seaver division semifinals Wednesday, while the loser heads to the elimination bracket and would need four straight wins to advance to the World Series final.
West Side escaped with a win in the opening game after pitcher Cooper Oden got out of the top of the eighth inning with three straight groundouts – against the top of Nolensville’s order – and Chase Moak scored the winning run on an error with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the frame. Brady Baumann singled to move Moak to third, and Levi Smith was intentionally walked before Noah Davidson put the ball in play to get the run in on an error.
Oden pitched 2 1/3 innings and allowed just one hit with two strikeouts in relief of J.J. Vogel, who exited after reaching the maximum pitch count. Vogel threw 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball with just one hit and six strikeouts.
“We still see some nerves,” Coomer said. “It’s the highest level you can play at so that’s to be expected, but they handled it well. The boys came out, hit the ball. They made good defensive plays and we just kept battling and at the end found a way to win.”
West Side, known for its scrappy play, held a practice Friday, then watched the Great Lakes Regional champion Taylor North (Mich.) Little League team beat Martin County North (Fla.) in their opener on the Hank Aaron division side of the bracket. West Side had lost to Taylor North in the Great Lakes Region championship but the top two in each of the eight regions advanced to the World Series.
On Sunday evening, teams will get a chance to watch the MLB Little League Classic game between the Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Indians at Muncy Bank Ballpark following a full slate of LLWS games.
“The kids are having a great time,” Coomer said. “It’s a little unique with the COVID stuff. The parents can’t even be with them, so the coaches are babysitting a little. Kids are with us 24/7, but we’re having a good time.”
Coomer said the team from California will be another good opponent Sunday, but the team will do “whatever it takes” to win the championship.
“Anyone up here is good so you just prepare the best you can,” Coomer said. “The kids work hard and us coaches just do our scouting regimen we do. Hopefully put the kids in the best position to win. We appreciate all the support from Hamilton and hope we can keep it going.”
SUNDAY’S GAME
West Side vs. Torrance, Calif., 9 a.m., ESPN
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