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Postgame- That is all from Williamsport. For all those involved I am Stevie Larson saying thank you for joining us this year for Little League Baseball, and congrats to Kitasuna Little League from Japan.

Postgame- The final score is 18-11 with Japan winning the Little League World Series. I would like to take a moment to thank Aidan Thomas, Josh Schwam, Dylan Mondi and Liam O'brien for assisting with VAVEL's coverage of this year's Little League World Series.

Postgame- What a run for the kids from Pennsylvania. 

Bottom 6th 3 outs- JAPAN WINS THE 2015 LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES 

Bottom 6th 2 outs- Groundout to catcher is the second out. Japan just one out away now

Bottom 6th 1 out- Groundout to shortstop is the first out of the inning

Top 6th 3 outs- Pennsylvania finally gets out of the inning. They have one more chance to tie or win the game.

Top 6th 2 outs- Japan gets a single to left field

Top 6th 2 outs- Pennsylvania gets the second out

Top 6th 1 out- Single to right, another run scores

Top 6th 1 out- Japan gets a single, runner advances to third. Batter stretches to a double, ball gets away, another run scores. 17-11 now

Top 6th 1 out- Another run off another wild pitch.

Top 6th 1 out- Japan draws a walk and gets a run after a wild pitch.

Top 6th 1 out- The call is reversed, only one out with runners on the corners

Top 6th 2 outs- Pennsylvania gets the second out but it is under video review after a challenge from Japan.

Top 6th 1 out- Japan gets an RBI triple to extend the lead to 14-11 as Pennsylvania makes a pitching change

Top 6th 1 out- Japan gets a single to right field. The pitcher is at 82 pitches. Keep in mind that the maximum is 85

Top 6th 1 out- Japan leads off the inning with a groundout to third base for the first out

Bottom 5th 3 outs- Japan holds Pennsylvania scoreless in the inning and lead by two runs going to the sixth and final inning

Bottom 5th 2 outs- Cole Wagner strikes out swinging for the second out of the inning

Bottom 5th 1 out- Kolmansberger grounds out to the shortstop for the first out of the inning

Top 5th 3 outs- Pennsylvania gets out of the inning with a fielder's choice. 

Top 5th 2 outs- Another nice play, this time a diving catch by the left fielder Zach Sooy!

Top 5th 1 out- Japan gets a single to center field

Top 5th 1 out- Popout to shortstop for the first out of the inning

Bottom 4th 3 outs- Japan escapes the inning with a groundout to third base

Bottom 4th 2 outs- Japan gets one and nearly gets a double play to end the inning, but the throw to first is just late

Bottom 4th 1 out- Single to left field gives Pennsylvania a base runner

Bottom 4th 1 out- Flyout to center field is how the inning begins

Top 4th 3 outs- Lineout to third base to end the inning. First inning all daty that Japan has not scored

Top 4th 2 outs- During that last play, both runners advanced one base

Top 4th 2 outs- High flyout to shortstop for the second out of the inning.

Top 4th 1 out- Single up the middle, two on for Japan

Top 4th 1 out- Nice catch by the third baseman for the first out of the inning!

Top 4th 0 outs- Leadoff single for Japan

Bottom 3rd 3 outs- A sharp groundout ends the inning. 13-11 Japan leads after three innings

Bottom 3rd 2 out- Lineout for the second out

Bottom 3rd 1 out- Pennsylvania gets one back on a infield single

Bottom 3rd 1 out- Cole Wagner strikes out for the first out of the inning 

Bottom 3rd 0 outs- Braden Kolmansberger with a leasdoff double after the Japan center fielder slipped trying to make the play

Top 3rd 3 outs- A strikeout ends the inning

Top 3rd 2 outs- Japan gets a bunt single

Top 3rd 2 outs- Japan takes a 13-10 lead with a home run!

Top 3rd 2 outs- Another single for Japan

Top 3rd 2 outs- Japan gets a bloop single to left

​Top 3rd 2 outs- It is now a tie game after Shingo Tomita hits a home run to left field. 10 all

Top 3rd 2 outs- Flyout to first base for the second out of the inning

​Top 3rd 1 out- Flyout to center field for the first out of the inning

​Bottom 2nd 3 outs- A strikeout ends the inning

​Bottom 2nd 2 outs- Flyout to center field for the second out of the inning

Bottom 2nd 1 out- Strikeout for the first out of the inning

Bottom 2nd 0 outs- Pennsylvania gets a leadoff walk

Top 2nd 3 outs- A groundout to shortstop ends the inning. What a game so far, and it's not even close to half over!

Top 2nd 2 out- Pennsylvania gets an out on a fielder's choice, runners on the corners

Top 2nd 1 out- A walk puts two on with just one out

Top 2nd 1 out- A double to right center brings in two more and it is now a one run game

Top 2nd 1 out- A single and suddenly the tying run is at the plate for Japan

Top 2nd 1 out- Japan gets another baserunner on an E4

Top 2nd 1 out-  JAPAN HAS GONE BACK TO BACK TO BACK TO MAKE IT A 10-7 GAME!

Top 2nd 1 out- AND ANOTHER HOME RUN! This is now officially a home run derby

Top 2nd 1 out- JAPAN WITH A HOME RUN TO MAKE IT 10-5

Top 2nd 1 out- Japan get a bunt base hit to put runners on first and second with one out

Top 2nd 1 out- Japan gets a base hit to center field

Top 2nd 1 out- Leadoff ground out to shortstop for the first out of the inning

Bottom 1st 3 outs- A strikeout ends the inning, but not before Pennsylvania gets 10 runs.

Bottom 1st 2 out-  An error by the Japan right fielder puts a runner on second

Bottom 1st 2 out- HOME RUN!

Bottom 1st 2 out- Strikeout for the second out

Bottom 1st 1 out-  Runners on the corners now

Bottom 1st 1 out- A double and the scoring is not done yet

Bottom 1st 1 out- GRAND SLAM FOR PENNSYLVANIA!

Bottom 1st 1 out-  A walk forces in the go ahead run!

Bottom 1st 1 out- Key strikeout for Japan gets the first out

Bottom 1st 0 outs- Pennsylvania ties the game on a single to left field!

Bottom 1st 0 outs- A infield single puts Pennsylvania on the board! 2-1 Japan leads

Bottom 1st 0 outs- The bases are loaded after a walk. Japan takes a mound visit as Chayton Krauss steps up to the plate looking to give Pennsylvania the lead

Bottom 1st 0 outs- Wagner draws a walk, runner advances to third on a wild pitch and just like that, Pennsylvania is right back in this game.

Bottom 1st 0 outs- Pennsylvania gets the leadoff man on with a error by the Japan defense. Cole Wagner now batting

Top 1st 3 outs- Pennsylvania with a 1-6-3 double play to wiggle out of the inning with just two runs having scored!

Top 1st 1 out- A hit by pitch puts runners back on first and second

Top 1st 1 out- Kabu Kikuchi doubles to left field to bring in two runs.

Top 1st 1 out- Shingo Tomita draws a four pitch walk. Runners on first and second

Top 1st 1 out- Adam Cramer with a spectacular catch in center field! That will be a web gem!

Top 1st 0 outs- A leadoff single from Yugo Aoki starts the game.

Top 1st 0 outs- We are underway from Williamsport!

The team from Japan has won three of the last five Little League world championships. Pennsylvania, meanwhile, is looking for the first world championship for a team from Pennsylvania since 1960.

They have begun to announce the starting lineups, a sure sign that baseball is near.

Upwards of 50,000 people are expected for this game, which will begin around 3:30 ET. That would be a new record for a crowd at a single day, breaking the current record which was set yesterday at the US championship game.

Lamade Stadium is the site of the game. It was built in 1959, and was renovated in 2006 when they moved the walls back 20 feet to the 225 feet they are today. The field is two thirds of a major league field, as the bases are 60 feet apart, with the pitching mound being 46 feet away from home plate. The advertised capacity is 40,000, but that can easily be expanded by using the hill in the outfield.

If Pennsylvania is able to win, they would be the first team from Pennsylvania to win the world championship since 1960. Japan, meanwhile, has a rich history of winning the championship with the last championship coming in 2013. Overall, Japan has won nine World Series titles, including a back to back in 2012 and 2013. They also lost the famous game in 2007 when Dalton Carriker hit his walkoff home run.

The Little League season started with 6,500 teams. Their first step was their district tournament, which was followed by a state tournament for the US teams, while the International teams held a national tournament. After that, they moved on to the regional tournament, which for most of the International teams, took place in July. Canada was the lone exception, as they held their tournament in August, which is right when the United States regions held their tournaments. After that, they finally arrive at Williamsport with 15 other teams.

Japan followed a similar path to the final, as they opened their tournament with a 7-5 win over Asia-Pacific. They then played next on Sunday, when they beat Mexico 3-1. That set them up to play Wednesday in the International semifinal, where they beat Latin America 5-4 to advance to the International final. There, they got a rematch against Mexico, and won again, this time on a walk off single in the seventh inning, to send them to today’s game.

Pennsylvania started the tournament on Friday, August 21st with an 18-0 victory over the team from Missouri. They then came back two days later and defeated the team from South Carolina, 9-8 to advance to the United States semifinal game against Texas. In that game, Pennsylvania won 3-0 to advance to the US final, where they faced Texas again, and again won, this time on a walk off in the sixth inning.

That was not the first instance of a team cheating, as in 2001, the team from New York was disqualified after the tournament after it was revealed that their star pitcher, Danny Almonte, was two years too old to play. Before that, in 1994, the team from the Philippines faked birth certificates and committed identity fraud to win the title. That title was also stripped from them after the allegations were made public.

Last year, South Korea won the world series by a final score of 8-4 over Chicago, but that score was later changed to a 6-0 win via forfeit for South Korea after the scandal surrounding Chicago. 

There have been a lot of memorable moments in the Little League World Series world championship game, but probably no moment is more memorable then in 2007 when Dalton Carriker hit a walk off home run for Georgia to win the tournament over Japan.

This championship game is being played under the cloud cast by the controversy that surrounded the team from Chicago, who lost to South Korea in the world championship last year. The Chicago team was later forced to vacate their title by Little League International after it was revealed that they used players who did not live in their area, which is a violation of Little League rules.

Japan, meanwhile, also played yesterday, as they beat Mexico in seven innings. That game featured Japan being no hit through six innings. They were able to get a couple of hits in the seventh, and ended up walking off against Mexico to advance to the championship.

Pennsylvania just played yesterday, defeating the team from Pearland, Texas to win the United States championship, and advance to the world championship. That game ended on a walk off single by Jake Krauss that gave them a 3-2 win.

The big story throughout this tournament has been this team from Pennsylvania, as they have brought crowds of at least 30,000 for every game, with over 45,000 people watching their game against Texas in the United States final.

Hello everybody, my name is Stevie Larson, and I will be your guide through what promises to be a thrilling baseball game between the little league team from Japan, and the team from Pennsylvania, with the winner being declared the 2015 Little League Baseball world champion.

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About the author
Stevie Larson
NASCAR Editor, Minnesota sports fan. Contact: [email protected]