SoCal will repressent the West for the third consecutive year in the LLWS
SoCal punches the last ticket to the Little League World Series in Williamsport next week.
SoCal was without manager C.J. Ankrum, who was serving his one-game suspension by the Little League International Tournament Committee.
SoCal looked to continue their dominance and win their 16 consecutive game.
As Dixie Little League sought to stop the hot SoCal team and be the first Utah team to represent the West in the LLWS.
SoCal would get the bats swinging early in a game that was filled with runs of galore. Drew Rutter would give SoCal a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer in the first. SoCal would add another run off a RBI double from Danny Lawler.
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Utah would show their resilience they’ve had all tournament, as Cole Decastro tied the game with a three-run shot to left field.
The game wouldn’t stay tied for long, as Bobby Gray lead-off the third with a solo home run to center field. SoCal would add four more runs for an 8-3 lead after four innings.
Utah would make things interesting in the fifth with two-run homers from Mason Kesterson and Parker Andrus, to get within a run of the SoCal lead.
Joey Gray would give his brother Bobby some insurance runs with a three-run homer for an 11-7 lead heading into Utah’s last three outs.
Bobby would retire two of the three batters he faced before a pitching substitution due to the pitch count limit. Rutter would get the last batter to fly out and clinch the West Regional title.
If the SoCal team goes into the LLWS with Rutter and the Gray brothers swinging the bats like they did in the Regionals. SoCal should run away with the LLWS.
Rutter and the Gray brothers made up for18 of the 33 RBIs and five of the home runs in the West Regionals.
Next: SoCal dominates Hawaii in late comeback
SoCal is set to wear the bright blue and yellow West jerseys and open play against the Northwest on Friday in Williamsport.