By BRETT R. CROSSLEY
WILLIAMSPORT–Robert Carroll approached his sixth inning at bat knowing it would either win the game or lose the game.
The bases were loaded. Southeast was down to its final out and only trailed by one run.
Carroll dropped a ball into right field and scored two runs for Southeast as it defeated Northwest, 3-2, in the final game of the first day of the Little League World Series.
“It felt pretty good,” Carroll said. “I was glad I got the hit.”
Carroll finished 1-for-2 with the double and two RBIs, but they proved to be the biggest two runs of the game.
Both offensives were stuck in the mud most of the game.
Zack McWilliams started for Southeast and finished with nine strikeouts, while scattering two hits and giving up two earned runs.
A hit batter and walk opened the third offensively for the Northwest.
Zack Reynolds immediately made the Southeast pay as he cleared the bases with a triple down the right field line.
The two-run advantage would not hold as Tanner Jones lifted a ball over the centerfield fence to cut the Northwest lead down to 2-1.
“The first inning I was nervous, because there were a lot of people,” McWilliams said. “I started to throw strikes and calm down a little.”
McWilliams appeared to settle back down after giving up the two runs in the third. The Northwest went down in order, with McWilliams recording the final out via strikeout.
Reynolds ended the bottom of the inning in similar fashion, recording a strikeout after a double-play at second base.
After the lead-off batter reached on an error at second, Easton Dillard quickly redeemed himself with an double play.
Dillard fielded a grounder cleanly, quickly tug the runner headed to second and flipped the ball to first.
Reynolds finally broke up the streak of 1-2-3 inning with a single in the top of the sixth. The next two batters were out thanks to a strikeout and groundout.
Southeast 3, Northwest 2
NWT 002 000-2 2 0
SET 001 002-3 6 1
Zack Reynolds, Bowen Nelson (6), and Braeden Intlekofer. Zach McWilliams and Tanner Jones.
WP: McWilliams. LP: Nelson.
Top Northwest hitters: Zach Reynolds 2-3, HR, 2 RBI. Top Southeast hitters: Tanner Jones 2-3, HR, 2 runs.
Records: Southeast 1-0. Northwest 0-1.
