Little League World Series -Billings Wins Over Lafayette, LA

[Hammer]

I wonder if the Kieckbush kid has relatives in Whitehall?

 

[Hammer]

Holy crap. Never thought a Little League game would have my heart in my throat!

Ditto. I was worried those Cardiak Cajuns were gonna come back. Nice play to end the game!!!

WAY TO REPRESENT, Billings Boys!!!!! Take it all!!!

 

[TheBud]

Congrats on another great win by Billings!

All the way boys!

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_ylt=A2KJNF_rjVFOCCAA5AdNbK5_?slug=ap-littleleague

Montana motors on at LLWS

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP)—The boys from Billings have the perfect excuse to miss the start of school Wednesday back home in Montana—they keep winning at the Little League World Series.

Patrick Zimmer tossed five shutout innings and Ben Askelson hit a two-out, two-run single in a 3-1 win over Lafayette, La., on Sunday that kept the Northwest region champs undefeated in South Williamsport.

It’s not a bad start for the first team from Montana to ever qualify for youth baseball’s biggest tournament, even though the players didn’t think they would get here.

“We were just kind of hoping to make it” to the regional tournament, said Ian Leatherberry, 12, who added an insurance run in the sixth with a two-out, RBI double. “That was our ultimate goal, and then we got even farther.”

School begins this week, and if everything breaks right, they might miss even more classes if they advance to the championship game Aug. 28.

Are the players disappointed they won’t be in school? Zimmer, Askelson, Leatherberry and closer Sean Jones immediately responded in unison with an emphatic “No!”

In the other early game Sunday, Yonny Hernandez hit two homers and three pitchers combined for a shutout to help Maracay, Venezuela, stay unbeaten with an 8-0 win over Langley, British Columbia.

Sunday’s late games featured Japan against Mexico and Huntington Beach, Calif., taking on LaGrange, Ky., in the U.S. bracket. The winner of that contest will play Montana on Wednesday.

And to think, the Big Sky league players from Billings once thought they might have trouble just making it through their regional tournament.

But effective pitching, clutch hitting and timely defense have carried them through to make them the most successful Little League team ever out of Montana. Even manager Gene Carlson said he was a little surprised his team started 2-0 at the World Series.

“But once we got here, we knew we belonged,” Carlson said before turning to his players. “They can play with anybody.”

Zimmer struck out four before Jones came on to pitch the sixth and immediately got into trouble.

Louisiana’s Nick Fruge reached on a three-base error, then scored on a wild pitch. Later Cain Castille, who finished 3 for 3, doubled with two outs to put the tying run at the plate, but Jones got a fielder’s choice to end the game.

“We hit the ball, not as well as we wanted us to, but we hit at people, too,” Louisiana manager Leland Padgett said. “That’s baseball, there’s nothing you can do about that.”

Louisiana lost for the first time in tournament play, though Padgett’ not too upset about it.

“The most important thing if you’re 12 years old is learning how to lose, not win. Winning is easy,” the skipper said. “It’s how you lose that makes the character of a man, and that’s what we’re trying to teach these kids, though we’re trying to teach a little baseball, too.”

 

[Hammer]

We have a relative that plays on this team. Hopefully they continue the win streak they have going.

Alpha's son played football and baseball with alot of those kids and he has coached several of them in football and baseball. If they win wed night they are in the US championship game?

 

[mtgrizrule]

Congrats, keep it going boys.

Just my luck, my HDTV, not even 2 years old yet, is having problems getting signals on my HDMI devices. It will be a few days for a tech to come out. I think there is a short from/to the inputs box, none of the ports are working.

 

[ThrashedKid]

As someone who played allstar baseball from 11-15 years old I have a question for you guys that have been following the team before the LLWS-
Did these guys dominate almost every tournament they played this spring and summer or are they just on it at the right time?

In my years I don't think we were ever blown out, minus a few of those Trail, BC teams...but I'm astonished (and damn proud) of the success they guys are having.

 

[GRZFTBL]

Watched from red rock resort in las vegas. They thought I was nuts for asking them to put it on. Said they couldn't find it, gave the lady $10 and said thx for trying. 2min later it was on. (;

 

[mtgrizrule]

Watched from red rock resort in las vegas. They thought I was nuts for asking them to put it on. Said they couldn't find it, gave the lady $10 and said thx for trying. 2min later it was on. (;

I would have saved the money, and talked with a manager. Sounds like she did not want to make the effort, and did not care about your business. Glad you seen it though. :thumb:

 

[argrizfan]

Looks like they get California. It's going to be a tough one. California just beat Kentucky 10-0. Go get'em boys.

 

[argh!]

Congrats, keep it going boys.

Just my luck, my HDTV, not even 2 years old yet, is having problems getting signals on my HDMI devices. It will be a few days for a tech to come out. I think there is a short from/to the inputs box, none of the ports are working.

just our luck, too.

 

[Gaeilge1]

Great game for the boys from Billings! No matter what happens from this point on they have made Montana history and every person in the State should be proud as hell for them.

 

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

Thrashed, they lost one game in the regional to Oregon then beat Oregon to get to the LLWS.

They are very deep with pitching so they can stay in any game. Need to start hitting the ball a little more though.

 

[Grizo406]

The Mexico vs Japan game was a good one!

 

[grizfnz]

I wonder if the Kieckbush kid has relatives in Whitehall?

Pretty sure his dad is from Sheridan, graduated from high school in the mid 80's, so it's quite likely he has relatives in the area.....not the most common last name in the world.

 

[ALPHAGRIZ1]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XebcNasyN0[/youtube]


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6KMdMlS7a8[/youtube]


:thumb:

 

[HighLineGRIZ]

Montana is just the best state in the country. Period.

Very cool. They play with toughness, inteligence and grittiness that you would expect form any kind of Montana team.

 

[maroon]

I wonder if the Kieckbush kid has relatives in Whitehall?

Pretty sure his dad is from Sheridan, graduated from high school in the mid 80's, so it's quite likely he has relatives in the area.....not the most common last name in the world.

I checked with my brother who lives in Sheridan. His father is from there. His grandfather Larry was the long-time coach/teacher/superintendant. His aunt lives in Whitehall.

 

['68griz]

I am so sorry that I have a meeting at 6:30 tonight and will miss virtually all of this game. The rest of you need to root extra hard, as a result.

 

[GRZFTBL]

Watched from red rock resort in las vegas. They thought I was nuts for asking them to put it on. Said they couldn't find it, gave the lady $10 and said thx for trying. 2min later it was on. (;

I would have saved the money, and talked with a manager. Sounds like she did not want to make the effort, and did not care about your business. Glad you seen it though. :thumb:

I was there to cash a ticket worth $792. The $10 was worth it. :thumb: