El Segundo wins Little League World Series with walk-off HR by Louis Lappe
WILLIAMSPORT — Louis Lappe hit a game-winning home run in the sixth inning, becoming an instant legend and giving El Segundo the Little League World Series title with a 6-5 win over Curaçao Sunday.
El Segundo survived an early loss, overcame sickness and stood up to the pressure of playing at the Little League World Series to win it all.
Several players stepped up for El Segundo throughout its run. Two have stood out a little more than the rest. That continued Sunday.
Brody Brooks and Lappe continued to play starring roles. Brooks started it and Lappe ended it.
Brooks opened the game with a single and scored as El Segundo grabbed an early lead. Lappe ended it with what may become the most famous home run in Little League history.
El Segundo players will return to California champions of the world. It wasn’t easy, especially in Sunday’s contest against the Caribbean champs.
El Segundo took a 5-1 lead into the fifth inning, but Curaçao hit a grand slam that tied the game 5-5. Brooks was then handed the ball as manager Danny Boehle turned to his biggest players in the biggest moment.
Brooks has been a big reason for El Segundo’s early success in games. He entered Sunday’s world championship with five hits in his last two games. That included a 3-for-3 performance in the U.S. title game, including a home run.
Brooks has put himself in rare company since landing in Williamsport. He had 13 hits in the World Series games to go with 13 runs and five RBIs.
El Segundo’s No. 2 hitter isn’t bad either.
Lappe posted 10 hits in El Segundo’s first seven games. He also scored eight runs and drove in 10. He led all hitters with five home runs in the tournament.
Brooks and Lappe opened the game with back-to-back singles. Lucas Keldorf drove a ball to the center field fence to score both Brooks and Lappe.
Colby Lee and Brooks walked in the third inning to put runners in scoring position. Lappe then drew a five-pitch walk to load the bases for Kalish, who drove in two runs with a double.
Max Baker opened the fourth inning with a triple into right field. Crew O’Connor hit him home with a single and El Segundo had a 5-1 lead.
Ollie Parks started the game for El Segundo. He struck out the side in the first inning and pitched into the fifth.
Curaçao got a run back in the third when Jay-Dlynn Wiel and Nasir El-Ossais connected with back-to-back singles. Shemar Sophia Jacobus recorded the third single of the inning to score Wiel from second. A ground ball to second ended the inning.
In the fifth inning, Nasir El-Ossais stunned El Segundo fans everywhere and completely changed the game with his two-out home run over the right field fence for a game-tying grand slam.
But Louis Lappe had the last at-bat in the bottom of the sixth inning, blasting the home run to left to send El Segundo home as world champs.