2017 Little League World Series

The 2017 Little League World Series was held from August 17 to 27. Eight teams from the United States and eight teams from around the world competed in the 71st edition of the tournament.[1] Tokyo Kitasuna Little League of Tokyo, Japan, defeated Lufkin Little League of Lufkin, Texas, in the championship game by a 12–2 score. It was the 11th time that a team from Japan won the tournament. Tokyo Kitasuna became the first league to win the tournament four times.

2017 Little League World Series
Tournament details
DatesAugust 17–August 27
Teams16
Final positions
ChampionsJapanTokyo Tokyo Kitasuna Little League
Tokyo, Japan
Runner-upUnited StatesTexas Lufkin Little League
Lufkin, Texas
← 2016
2018 →

Teams edit

Regional qualifying tournaments were held between June and August 2017.

United States International
  Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan
Great Lakes Region
Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores Little League
  Seoul, South Korea
Asia-Pacific and Middle East Region
West Seoul Little League
  Jackson, New Jersey
Mid-Atlantic Region
Holbrook Little League
  Sydney, New South Wales
  Australia Region
Hills Little League
  Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Midwest Region
Sioux Falls Little League
  White Rock, British Columbia
  Canada Region
White Rock South Surrey Little League
  Fairfield, Connecticut
New England Region
Fairfield American Little League
  Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic
Caribbean Region
Los Bravos de Pontezuela Little League
  Walla Walla, Washington
Northwest Region
Walla Walla Valley Little League
  Emilia, Italy
Europe and Africa Region
Emilia Little League
  Greenville, North Carolina
Southeast Region
North State Little League
  Tokyo
  Japan Region
Tokyo Kitasuna Little League
  Lufkin, Texas (The Thundering 13)
Southwest Region
Lufkin Little League
  Maracaibo, Venezuela
Latin America Region
Luz Maracaibo Little League
  Rancho Santa Margarita, California
West Region
Santa Margarita National Little League
  Reynosa, Tamaulipas
  Mexico Region
Guadalupe Treviño Kelly Little League

Results edit

The draw to determine the opening round pairings took place on June 15, 2017.[2]

United States bracket edit

Upper round 1Upper round 2Upper finalFinal
August 17 – Game 2
  New Jersey6
August 20 – Game 14
  Connecticut7
  Connecticut3
August 17 – Game 4
  Texas6
  Texas5
August 23 – Game 24 (F/7)
  Michigan1
  Texas1
August 18 – Game 6
  North Carolina2
  Washington0
August 20 – Game 16 (F/5)
  California9
  California0
August 18 – Game 8
  North Carolina16
  South Dakota0August 26 – U.S. championship
  North Carolina6  North Carolina5
  Texas6
Lower round 1Lower round 2Lower round 3Lower final
August 21 – Game 18
August 19 – Game 10 (F/4)  California9August 24 – Game 26 (F/5)
  New Jersey15  New Jersey12August 23 – Game 22 (F/5)  Texas14
  Michigan5  New Jersey2  Connecticut4
August 21 – Game 20  Connecticut12
August 19 – Game 12  Connecticut14
  Washington4  Washington6
  South Dakota3

International bracket edit

Upper round 1Upper round 2Upper finalFinal
August 17 – Game 1
  Venezuela4
August 20 – Game 13
  Mexico1
  Venezuela3
August 17 – Game 3 (F/4)
  Canada7
  Canada12
August 23 – Game 23 (F/5)
  Italy2
  Canada0
August 18 – Game 5
  Japan10
  Japan8
August 20 – Game 15
  Australia0
  Japan4
August 18 – Game 7
  South Korea1
  Dominican Republic1August 26 – International championship
  South Korea10  Japan5
  Mexico0
Lower round 1Lower round 2Lower round 3Lower final
August 21 – Game 17
August 19 – Game 9 (F/4)  South Korea0August 24 – Game 25
  Mexico13  Mexico1August 22 – Game 21  Canada2
  Italy0  Mexico8  Mexico6
August 21 – Game 19  Venezuela0
August 19 – Game 11  Venezuela3
  Australia7  Dominican Republic2
  Dominican Republic8

Crossover games edit

Teams that lost their first two games played a crossover game against a team from the other side of the bracket that also lost its first two games. These games were labeled Game A and Game B. This provided teams who were already eliminated the opportunity to play a third game.

 
Game A
 
  
 
August 21 – Lamade Stadium
 
 
  Italy7
 
 
  Michigan11
 
 
Game B
 
  
 
August 22 – Lamade Stadium
 
 
  Australia11
 
 
  South Dakota7
 

Third place game edit

This consolation game is played between the loser of the United States championship and the loser of the International championship.

 
Third place game
 
  
 
August 27 – Lamade Stadium
 
 
  Mexico14
 
 
  North Carolina8
 

World Championship edit

 
Little League World Championship
 
  
 
August 27 – Lamade Stadium (F/5)
 
 
  Texas2
 
 
  Japan12
 
2017 Little League World Series Champions
 
Tokyo Kitasuna Little League
Tokyo, Japan

Champions path edit

The Kitasuna LL reached the LLWS with a record of nine wins and only one loss.[3] In total, their record was 14–1.

Round Opposition Result
  All-Tokyo Tournament
Opening Round Chofu LL 17–2
Quarterfinals Fuji LL 14–1
Semifinals Inagi LL 11–0 (F/5)
Winners Bracket Final Nakano LL 5–6
  All-Tokyo Round Robin Playoff
Game 1 Chofu LL 9–7
Game 2 Hachioji LL 13–0 (F/4)
Japan Regional Tournament
Opening Round   Hiroshima Nishi LL 12–1 (F/4)
Quarterfinals   Gifu Tohno LL 16–2 (F/6)
Semifinals   Osaka Namihaya LL 4–1
Finals   Chiba City LL 17–0 (F/4)

Notable players edit

MLB Little League Classic edit

On March 9, 2017, Major League Baseball (MLB) and Lycoming County officials announced that Williamsport would host a regular season MLB game during the LLWS, branded as the MLB Little League Classic. The game took place on August 20, 2017, at BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field and was attended by the Little Leaguers and their families, along with select Lycoming County residents. The game featured the St. Louis Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Pirates, and was televised on ESPN (as part of Sunday Night Baseball), ESPN Deportes, and MLB Network.[5] The Pirates won, 6–3.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ "Dates Announced for the 2017 Little League World Series Tournaments". littleleague.org. November 11, 2016. Archived from the original on March 31, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  2. ^ "2017 Little League Baseball® World Series Schedule Announced". llbws.org. Little League Baseball. Retrieved June 15, 2017.
  3. ^ "Japan Tournament Results". Unpage.com. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
  4. ^ Organization, Nippon Professional Baseball. "Konno,Ryuto(YOKOHAMA DeNA BAYSTARS) | Players". Nippon Professional Baseball Organization (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  5. ^ "ESPN to broadcast MLB Little League Classic in Williamsport PA". espn media. March 11, 2017. Retrieved August 15, 2017.
  6. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates 6, St. Louis Cardinals 3". Retrosheet. August 20, 2017. Retrieved August 18, 2019.