Little League® International remembers former 2013 Little League Baseball® World Series United States Champion Micah Pietila-Wiggs from California’s East Lake Little League. He was 21.
Most notably known for his long and flowing hair at the time, Micah was a member of the Eastlake Little League team that represented the West Region in the 2013 Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Eastlake Little League team won the United States Championship before falling, 6-4, to Musachi-Fuchu Little League (Tokyo, Japan) in the 67th World Championship game.
According to an article printed in Chula Vista’s The Star News, Rick Tibbett Sr., who served as manager of the 2013 Eastlake Little League team, said:
“When Micah was on my 2013 Little League World Series team, he was just happy go lucky, always smiling, and he kept the team moving forward and winning games with his talent. His teammates looked up to him. I clearly remember one time when he played for ELHS. Eastlake was playing a team that was expected to beat them. Micah was the first batter. First pitch came and he hit a home run. That was the game changer. That was Micah — he could be counted on. And that extended beyond the field because he was also a good friend, a good neighbor, a good son and brother — just an all-around all-star guy.”
In the same article, Ernie Lucero, Former California District 42 Administrator, said:
“As the District Administrator of District 42 at the time, I had a front row seat to watch this 12-year-old kid handle himself with the media, public and his teammates. … While we were in Williamsport, Micah quickly established a following of kids who all wanted his autograph and photographs with him. He was so charismatic and the positive energy he exuded created an equally positive vibe among his teammates. To this day, they are still friends, which is what Little League is all about — that of creating friendships for life.”
During five 2013 Little League Baseball World Series games, Micah collected 12 hits in 18 official at-bats, with nine base hits, two doubles, a home run, and seven runs batted in. At shortstop, he had nine defensive chances, recording two putouts and seven assists.
At Eastlake High School (EHS), Micah played four years of varsity baseball as an infielder and outfielder, graduating in 2018. He posted a .420 career batting average as the team’s lead-off hitter. He earned all-league honors three times, all-section honors twice, one league batting championship and honors as the Mesa League Player of the Year in 2017. During his four years on the team, the EHS Titans compiled a prodigious 115-21 record.
Following graduation, Micah briefly attended the University of New Mexico before transferring to Santa Ana College. He had recently transferred to San Diego State University for his junior year.
Micah, born on Aug. 29, 2000, is survived by his parents, Steve and Ronne; and brother, Keli’i.