After losing their respective championship games, the teams from Texas and Mexico played on Sunday morning for third place in the Little League World Series. Texas sent Isaac Garcia to the mound, while Mexico countered with Jose Reyes.
Mexico scored in the first inning when Raul Leon hit a two run home urn to put Mexico up 2-0. Len then homered again in the third inning to tie the game at three after Texas had scored three runs in their half of the inning. Mexico scored again in the fourth inning when Garcia singled to lead off the inning, then eventually worked his way around to score to give Mexico the 4-3 lead.
Garcia went three and one thirds innings, giving up six hits and four runs, which were all earned, while striking out two batters. Reyes, meanwhile, went three innings, giving up three runs, all earned, and striking out three Texas batters.
From there, Texas send Jarrett Tadlock to the mound, while Mexico sent Lujano to finish the game. Tadlock had the better outing, as he went two and two thirds innings, giving up no runs on just one hit while striking out four batters. Lujano, on the other hand, struggled, as he gave up three runs in three innings worked, and ended up taking the loss.
All three of the runs that Lujano gave up came when Garcia hit a three run home run in the sixth inning that scored Gottfried and Low to give Texas the 6-4 lead. Tadlock was able to take the mound in the bottom of the sixth inning, and close out the game with a strike out of Leon to pick up the win as Texas took third place in the tournament.
On the day, Leon went 2-4 with two home runs.For Texas, Raffi Gross went 2-3 with two RBI's and one run scored. Garcia got his only hit of the game on his home run in the sixth.
"I was just hoping to hit the ball hard and put it in play somewhere." Garcia said of his home run after the game. "It didn't even sound right off the bat, I didn't think it was gonna make it."