WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Borne’s magic carpet ride into history ended Saturday at the 2024 Little League Baseball World Series U.S. Championship Game.
The Bourne Little League All-Stars were blitzed in the final two innings of the game. The team from Lake Mary, Florida, which had beaten Bourne in an earlier round of the LLBWS, scored nine runs in the fifth and sixth innings to beat Bourne, 10-7, on Saturday at Howard J. Lamade Stadium in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
A win on Saturday would give Vaughn a chance to win the Lone Star State's first Little League Baseball World Series championship in 58 years.
Bowen put ace Julian Hurst on the mound, and his performance as the starter on Saturday began to mirror the 10-strikeout, complete-game performance he had against a Florida team on Aug. 19.
Hurst pitched well through the first three innings, allowing no hits and striking out four batters. Offensively, Doc Mogford hit a two-run double to help Bourne lead 4-0 after three innings.
After allowing his first run in the fourth inning, Hurst gave up a double to the leadoff batter in the fifth inning, and began to show concerns about his condition.
During a visit to the mound by Bourne manager Justin Newson, an ABC microphone Newson was wearing recorded Hurst saying he had a sore “back of his shoulder.” Hurst told Newson he was healthy enough to play in the game.
But Hurst had been struggling on the mound since his injury, and with a 4-2 lead, Newson took him out of the game and replaced him with Mogford.
Mogford allowed consecutive hits to tie the game at 4-4. The second hit hit Mogford in the leg, forcing him to leave the game. Newson's son Cole replaced Borne at the mound with runners on first and third.
Cole Newson struck out the first batter he faced, Hunter Alexander, but the play wasn't over. Unbeknownst to Newson, who had his back turned, Florida runner Teraj Alexander had stolen home to give Lake Mary its first lead of the game.
Trailing 5-4, Borne's offense struck back in the bottom of the fifth inning. Gray Collins singled to tie the game at 5-5. A wild pitch from Florida brought in another run and Borne took the lead again, 6-5.
A Florida error at home plate after Cooper Hastings struck out allowed Hurst, who was still on first base, to score and Hastings to advance to first base. Bone led 7-5 entering the sixth and final inning of the game.
Another unexpected injury early in the sixth inning meant Caleb Crist took over for Cole Newson. Crist was the fourth pitcher Borne had used since the start of the fifth inning.
Crist loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth inning with two walks and a double. After a liner, Lake Mary, Fla., outfielder Jacob Bibeau singled to score one run. Liam Morrissey then hit a sacrifice fly to right field to tie the game at 7-7.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Lake Mary, Fla., pitcher Luis Caro hit a two-run double on a 2-2 count.
Florida led 9-7 and held on to the lead from there. Bone singled with one out off shortstop Jett Matthews, but was caught off the basepaths on a double play to end the game.
Boerne will have a chance to grab that final win in the third-place game against Venezuela at 9 a.m. Sunday, which will be broadcast on ESPN2.
Lake Mary, Florida will face Taiwan in the LLBWS final on Sunday at 2 p.m. The final will be broadcast live on KSAT 12.
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