Garrett Gallegos blasted a three-run homer in the top of the sixth to rally Nevada to a 5-3 victory over South Carolina in the United States consolation championship on Thursday night in South Williamsport, Penn.
Gallego added an RBI double to help the Mountain Region squad from Las Vegas’ Summerlin South Little League reach Saturday’s U.S. Championship Final against the Fairfield (Conn.) Little League team representing the Metro Region. Connecticut defeated Nevada 7-3 in winners-bracket action on Wednesday.
Gallego’s clutch hit came shortly after the Irmo, S.C. team representing the Southeast Region took its first lead. Sutton Gravelle drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the bottom of the fifth to claim a 3-2 lead.
Nevada starter Cache Malan allowed five hits and three runs over 4 2/3 innings while fanning seven. Luke D’Ambrosio got the last four outs to claim the win.
South Carolina’s Brody Miller and Joe Giuletti popped solo homers to erase one-run deficits. Andrew Bogan started and gave up four hits and two runs in three innings.
Aruba 3, Venezuela 1
Jay-Sell Giron and Emerson Mercado combined for a 5-hitter with no earned runs allowed to lead Aruba into the International championship game with the win over Venezuela on Thursday afternoon in an elimination game.
Mercado gave the Santa Cruz, Aruba team a 1-0 lead in the top of the first with a sacrifice fly. The Caribbean Region squad pushed its lead to 2-0 on Jayderick Wederfoor’s third-inning RBI single and added an insurance run with Isaac Arendsz’s sacrifice fly in the sixth.
The Latin America team from Cardenales Little League in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, rallied in the sixth. Samuel Castillo’s walk, Alam Parra’s single and an error cut Aruba’s lead to 3-1 with one out. Mercado retired the next two batters to send Aruba to Saturday’s International Final against the Asia-Pacific team from Taiwan.
Giron scattered two hits in two innings before giving way to Mercado, who threw four innings and allowed three hits and one unearned run with four strikeouts and two walks. Francisco Rivero started for Venezuela and gave up two hits and two runs in 2 2/3 innings.
