Led by a five-run rally in the sixth inning, Lake Mary Little League of Florida defeated Boerne, Texas 10-7 to win the United States Championship Game of the 2024 Little League World Series. Florida survived going down 4-0 early in the ballgame, then withstood a three-run rally by Texas to wrestle control of the game back before pouring on five runs to take command for good.
Texas raced out to a 4-0 lead over the first three innings, holding Lake Mary hitless through three innings before Chris Chikodroff gave Florida its first hit of the game and J.J. Feliciano earned the first run with an RBI single in the fourth. But things would begin to change in the fifth inning, when Texas scored three runs including on a play that injured Texas pitcher Doc Mogford. Kole Newson took over at pitcher, but he would make a critical error when he had his back turned after striking out Hunter Alexander.
An apparent lapse in Newson's attention allowed Teraj Alexander to steal home plate, giving Florida a 5-4 lead. Texas would recover by retaking a 7-5 lead, setting up Florida's winning rally in the seventh inning.
HE STOLE HOME! 😱
— Little League (@LittleLeague) August 24, 2024
Florida takes the lead in the US Championship on this play by Teraj Alexander #LLWS pic.twitter.com/3h8N4nFvT0
Florida's scoring frenzy was spurred once a walk by Landon Bono loaded the bases, which set up plays by D.J. Mieses, Jacob Bibaud, and the tying run by Liam Morrisey. Luis Calo then hit a double to right-center field, putting Lake Mary out front before Morrisey put them up 10-7 as a pinch runner.
Lake Mary then secured its win with a double play to first base, with Calo getting Aidan Munoz to the ground to snuff out Texas' last effort and advance to the World Championship round.
Florida will now play in Sunday's World Championship against Chinese Taipei, which won the International Championship earlier Saturday by a score of 4-1 over Venezuela.
