South Korea holds on to capture LLWS title
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — South Korea outfielder Don Wan Sin said he knew where he wanted to go to celebrate his team’s victory in the Little League World Series.
“I want to go to the Blue House — the White House of Korea — and meet the President,” Sin said.
Maybe Sin, who scored twice and hit a home run, will get his wish to meet President Park Geun-hye.
Sin is famous back in his homeland — along with all of his teammates.
Jae Yeong Hwang drove in two runs and combined with Hae Chan Choi, who weathered a late Chicago rally, to lead their team to an 8-4 victory in Sunday’s LLWS championship game.
Hwang gave up one hit in two-plus innings while striking out four. He also drove in his team’s first two runs as they built an 8-1 lead before holding on.
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — South Korea outfielder Don Wan Sin said he knew where he wanted to go to celebrate his team’s victory in the Little League World Series.
“I want to go to the Blue House — the White House of Korea — and meet the President,” Sin said, breaking up his teammates.
Maybe Sin, who scored twice and hit a home run, will get his wish to meet President Park Geun-hye.
Sin is famous back in his homeland — along with all of his teammates.
Jae Yeong Hwang drove in two runs and combined with Hae Chan Choi, who weathered a late Chicago rally, to lead the Asia-Pacific Region champions to an 8-4 win in Sunday’s LLWS championship game.
Hwang, who was removed because he wasn’t feeling well, gave up one hit in two-plus innings while striking out four. He also drove in his team’s first two runs as they built an 8-1 lead before Jackie Robinson West made it closer.
“I’m very joyful. It’s a wonderful feeling,” Hwang said. “I don’t know why I’m even here; I didn’t play very good today.”
Choi, who had a home run and scored twice, pitched the last four innings for South Korea, which won its third title after back-to-back championships in 1984 and 1985.
But even he got a little nervous at the end after Chicago collected four of its six hits and scored three times.
“I knew I could allow some runs,” he said. “After I got the second out, I thought I could do it. But after I gave up the three runs I was (worried).”
International teams have won the last three and four of the last five titles.
Brandon Green went 5 2-3 innings for Chicago, which won four consecutive knockout games before the final.
“We felt like we had a chance even when we were down 8-1,” Chicago Manager Darold Butler said. “They were the better team today.”
Seoul team’s bench emptied and the players dumped cups of water on their teammates near the mound after the final out, a force play. The players took a victory lap, waving and laughing.
It was the middle of the night in South Korea before the game ended.
“We know the time difference and that a lot of people were cheering for us,” Manager Jong Wook Park said. “We appreciate the people back in Korea. I told the kids that in a speech.”
The game was played in bright sunshine and temperatures in the high 70s before a crowd of 28,671 at Lamade Stadium.
Chicago, the Great Lakes Region champions, came back from 3-0 and 5-4 deficits to beat favored West champ Las Vegas Mountain Ridge 7-5 in the U.S. title game on Saturday. Earlier, South Korea, the Asia-Pacific Region winner, rolled over Japan, 12-3.
Chicago couldn’t come back against the powerful South Koreans, who scored a run in each of the first two innings.
Hwang set down the first six Chicago hitters, four on strikeouts.
D.J. Butler broke up Hwang’s no-hitter with a spinning cue shot to short that he beat out leading off the third. That was all for Hwang after he had mentioned to his coaches that he was sick between innings.
He traded places with first baseman Choi, who was greeted by shortstop Ed Howard’s bouncer to the mound that was scored a single, prompting the first prolonged chants of “U-S-A!” for the day. Choi struck out Cameron Bufford before leadoff hitter Pierce Jones — who had three home runs in the LLWS opener but was 1 for 12 since — walked to load the bases with one out.
That brought up Trey Hondras, who had a home run and three RBI in the U.S. final, and his high hopper to second on a nice grab by Jin Woo Jeon scored Butler. The rally died when Marquis Jackson bounced out sharply to third on the next pitch.