San Francisco Little League from Maracaibo, Venezuela, will make its first trip to Williamsport for the 2023 Little League Baseball® World Series (LLBWS), Presented by T-Mobile, after being crowned the Latin America Region Champion on Sunday, July 9.
Despite heavy rains that caused multiple stoppages and a suspension of play, San Francisco LL was able to take home a 2-1 victory over Cardenales Little League (Barquisimeto, Venezuela) in the championship game. With the win, San Francisco LL finished the tournament with a 6-0 record to earn the championship banner and punch a ticket to Williamsport.
While a first time for San Francisco Little League, this will be the 21st time a team from Venezuela will play in the LLBWS, with the country’s latest appearance coming in 2019 when Cacique Mara LL finished the tournament with a 2-2 record after being eliminated by the eventual runners-up from Curaçao.
With the first-round matchups of the 2023 LLBWS announced on June 6, in coordination with the anniversary of the first-ever Little League® game played in 1939, San Francisco LL will face off against the winner of Game 1, between Europe and Africa and Panama, in Game 9 of the series on Friday, Aug. 18, at 1 p.m. ET in Volunteer Stadium.
The 2023 Little League Baseball World Series, Presented by T-Mobile, is set to take place August 16-27. More information about the 2023 Little League World Series tournaments, including full schedules and downloadable brackets, can be found at LittleLeague.org/WorldSeries.