It took Japan eight innings to eliminate the undefeated Canadian team 3-2.

Canada got on the board first with a walk, a Japanese error, and a RBI base hit by centerfielder Brett Logan.

Japan came back and scored two runs to take the lead. A combination of two hits, a walk, a hit batsman, and a passed ball got the runs across.

In the top of the fifth, left fielder Jared Krause hit a homerun to right-center field. It was his first of the tournament.

After giving up two hits to lead off the bottom of the fifth, Duda came back with a ground out and two strike outs to get out of the jam.

Duda again faced some trouble in the sixth. Sayaka Tsushima got on with a base hit, and two wild pitches later was on third. Duda came back and struck out Masahiro Kuribayashi to end the inning.

They went to the eigth inning with a score of 2-2. Canada went down in order. For Japan, Yutaro Okawa led off the inning with a base hit. Sayaka Tsushima then got an infield single and Okawa went to third while Canada fell asleep. On the first pitch to Kenta Komatsuzaki, the ball was lined into right field scoring the game-winning run.

Japan moves on to the Little League World Series and will face the winner of the U.S. East and the U.S. South.

--Mark Rogoff
   Special Correspondent