Game 8
Midwest 0 vs. Southwest 6

Saturday, August 18, 2007
6:00PM ET

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT – Garrett Williams came close to a Little League World Series record on Saturday, but the Little League’s new pitch count rule didn’t let it happen.

Williams recorded the first 17 outs by strikeout against Coon Rapids, Minnesota, but when he struck out Dominique Reff for the second out of the sixth inning, it came on his 88th pitch.

“I really wanted to stay in the game, but I knew I couldn’t because of the new rule,” Williams said.
Williams pitching performance along with two, two-run homers by Tyler Thorne led the Southwest Region champions to a 6-0 win over the Midwest Region champions.

“Coming in to the game, we knew (Williams) was good,” Minnesota manager Mark Lowe said. “After seeing him, he might be the best pitcher here. He throws in the high 70s with good control and he can throw two different curveballs.”

Pitchers can only throw 85 pitches in a game, but if the 85th pitch comes in the middle of an at-bat, the pitcher can finish the at-bat.

Williams allowed only three singles on the day. Besides striking out 17, he didn’t walk a batter, either. Only two pitchers in Little League World Series history have struck out all 18 hitters in a six inning game, Chao-An Chen of Chinese Taipei in 1979 and Kalen Pimental of Rancho Buena Vista, Calif. in 2005.
Lubbock took a 1-0 lead in the first when Stephen Smith walked, went to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on Bryndan Arredondo’s single and then stole home.

The Southwest champs added three more runs in the third. Smith singled and went to second on an error. After being hurt on the play, Max Randolph pinch ran. Arredondo then popped out to first base for the first out. The Minnesota first baseman threw home, but it got away from the catcher to allow a run to score. Thorne followed with a two-run homer to give Texas a 4-0 lead.

“I struck out the first time I was up, so I knew I had to get a hit,” Tyler Thorne said. “When I hit the homer, it gave a lot of confidence.”

Thorne hit his second two-run homer of the game in the top of the fifth after Arredondo had singled to give Lubbock a 6-0 advantage.