Latin America infielder Jose Pérez (16) celebrates with infielder Diego Vialetta (19) after the team's game against Japan at Lamade Stadium in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. (Kyle Ross – USA Today Sports)
The Little League World Series is nearing its end, with four teams still vying to qualify in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
The Southeast team from Lake Mary, Fla., beat the Mountain team in Thursday's final to advance to a rematch with the Southwest team from Borne, Texas, for the U.S. championship. Then the Latin American team from Barquisimeto, Venezuela, beat Japan in a rematch to advance to the international championship to face the Asia-Pacific team from Taoyuan City, Taiwan.
Both games will be played on Saturday, with Florida facing Texas and Venezuela facing Chinese Taipei for a spot in Sunday's final.
Venezuela's victory was not without drama. Japan, which had beaten Venezuela in the winners' bracket, had a chance to take the lead with the bases loaded in the fourth inning, and in the final sixth inning, with runners on second and third with one out, the runner on third tried to head home on a grounder to shortstop Luis Yepes, but Yepes blocked the ball to protect the lead.
Pitcher Johnson Freitas got the final out with a fly ball to right-center field to end the game.
This will be Venezuela's first international championship since winning the tournament in 2000.
Whether Venezuela or Chinese Taipei wins, they will be defying history in this championship, as no international team has won since 2017 (there was no tournament in 2020 and only the United States in 2021).
