With Greenville, North Carolina, hosting the Little League Softball® World Series (LLSWS) for the second consecutive year on August 9-15, it’s time to get to know the 12 teams that will play in the brand-new expanded bracket this year. For the first-time starting in 2022, the LLSWS will expand by two teams and feature eight U.S. teams and four International teams. Read more about these Girls with Game below:
Central Region: Daniel Boone Little League (Columbia, Missouri)
Daniel Boone Little League is heading to Greenville for the second straight year, coming off an impressive outing in 2021 where the team went 5-2 and placed third. With a completely new player and coaching roster from last year’s squad, Daniel Boone LL dominated the Central Region tournament in July, scoring 26 runs and allowing only five. In the championship game against Indiana, the team from Missouri gave up three runs in the first inning but rallied back to win thanks to some stellar base running from Maely Martin in the bottom of the fifth. Daniel Boone LL will look to become the first team from its state to win the LLSWS.
Mid-Atlantic Region: Delmar (Md.) Little League
In the first-ever softball Mid-Atlantic Region tournament, Delmar Little League was unstoppable in the batter’s box, recording two games with 14 hits and pouring in 48 runs across their four victories. The team returns three players from last year’s Maryland state championship team but also features five 11-year-olds, giving the squad a healthy mix of veteran experience and fresh perspectives. Delmar LL is the only team from Maryland to make it to the Little League Softball World Series.
Northwest Region: Issaquah (Wash.) Little League
The inaugural Northwest Region tournament was a resounding success for Issaquah Little League, as they went undefeated, scoring 13 or more runs on three separate occasions. However, the muscle of the team is in the circle with star pitchers Shaelyn Erickson and London White. Erickson struck out 22 batters throughout the Region Tournament, with one complete game shutout and another combined no hitter with White. The duo will lead the team into Washington’s seventh appearance in the LLSWS.
Southwest Region: Midway Little League (Hewitt, Texas)
Midway Little League lost its second game at the hands of Louisiana early in the Southwest Region tournament but was able to rebound and defeat Louisiana, 6-4, in the championship game. Since the Southwest Region was formed in 2002, Midway Little League has won the LLSWS three times and finished as runners-up once.
North Carolina (Host) Region: Pitt County Girls Softball Little League (Winterville, N.C.)
Playing its regular season just 10 miles down the road from Stallings Stadium at Elm Street Park, Pitt County Girls Softball LL will represent the host region after winning the North Carolina state championship. First chartered with Little League in 2021 after the LLSWS made the move to Greenville, the league won the bid to represent the Host Region by defeating the two-time LLSWS champions Rowan LL, 8-0, claiming the first spot in Greenville in early July.
New England Region: Milford (Conn.) Little League
Milford Little League went 4-0 in the first-ever New England Region softball tournament, relying on the dominant arms of Sophia Horvack and Maddy Bonanno in the circle. The duo struck out 18 batters over the span of Milford LL’s four victories, allowing just three earned runs. Despite qualifying four times, no team from Connecticut has ever won the LLSWS.
Southeast Region: Chesterfield (Va.) Little League
After a tough 4-3 victory against Rowan LL in the Southeast Region championship game, Chesterfield Little League escaped the Region tournament with a perfect 3-0 record. This marks the seventh time a team from Virginia will travel to the LLSWS and the second-consecutive trip for Chesterfield Little League, after winning the Southeast Region in 2021.
West Region: La Verne (Calif.) Little League
California will send its 22nd team to the LLSWS as La Verne Little League strolled through the West Region tournament, scoring 30 runs and allowing only one. Since the start of District tournament play, La Verne LL has only given up two runs thanks in part to star pitcher Katie Coldiron’s 44 strikeouts.
Asia-Pacific Region: Negros Occidental Little League (Bacolod City, Philippines)
The defending 2019 Asia-Pacific Region champions are back in the Little League Softball® World Series, looking to become the first team from the region to claim a LLSWS championship banner. The most recent trip to the LLSWS saw the team from Bacolod City go 1-4, defeating Canada in their final game of the tournament 8-0.
Latin America Region: Guayama (Puerto Rico) Softball Little League
Guayama Softball Little League is making its first-ever appearance at the LLSWS and will be representing Puerto Rico at the tournament for the first time since 2017, when Softball Femenino de Coamo Little League held the honor.
Canada Region: St. Albert Softball Little League
St. Albert Softball Little League did not drop a game in the Canada Region championship and has only lost six games all season while notching 38 in the win column. The balanced team is capable of winning tightly contested battles with solid pitching, but can also put up runs in a hurry, logging two double-digit run games in the region tournament with 14 and 17 runs, respectively.
Europe and Africa Region: Emilia Romagna Little League (Bologna, Italy)
Emilia Romagna Little League battled through the region tournament, splitting its first two games with the Czech Republic before beating them 6-2 to take home the championship banner. Italy also sent a team to the LLSWS in 2019, but no international team has been able to win the tournament since Rosario Paoli Little League from Maunabo, Puerto Rico, won the crown in 2001. In addition to the Softball Region Championship, Emilia Romagna LL also won the Little League Baseball Region title to earn a trip to the 2022 Little League Baseball® World Series.
The 12 teams above will kick off the first-round of 2022 Little League Softball® World Series in Greenville on August 9, with coverage airing on the ESPN Family of Networks as part of the #SummerOfSoftball. More information about the 2022 Little League® World Series tournaments, including full schedules and downloadable brackets, can be found at LittleLeague.org/WorldSeries.