The 2016 Little League World Series got underway on Thursday with four games. The first day of play at Williamsport was highlighted by Panama’s offense in the opening game and a fantastic two-way performance by a player from New York.
Little League World Series scores and bracket 2016: Panama, New York impress on Day 1
Rob Carr/Getty Images
The team from Aguadulce, Panama, representing Latin America won the opening game of the tournament, beating Mexico 10-2.
Esmith Pineda broke the ice, hitting the first home run of the 2016 Little League World Series. His three-run shot in the third inning gave Panama a 4-0 lead.
When you hit a homer in the #LLWS pic.twitter.com/yj5gjs57Cs
— Little League (@LittleLeague) August 18, 2016
Panama advances to play Australia on Sunday. The kids from Sydney defeated Italy, representing Europe-Africa, 3-1 on Thursday. Mexico will play Italy in an elimination game on Saturday.
On the United States side of the bracket, Ryan Harlost was a one-man wrecking crew for New York, representing the Mid-Atlantic, 7-2 winners over Rhode Island, representing New England. Harlost homered, tripled and doubled, missing the cycle by just a single, and also pitched five scoreless innings for the win, striking out five with no walks.
In the late game, the team from Goodlettsville, Tenn., representing the Southeast, outlasted the team from Bend, Ore., representing the Northwest.
Mid-Atlantic moves on to play Southeast on Sunday. New England will battle Northwest on Saturday in an elimination game.
Bracket
Source: Little League Baseball
Thursday scores
Latin America 10, Mexico 2
Mid-Atlantic 7, New England 2
Australia 3, Europe-Africa 1
Southeast 3, Northwest 2
See More:
