RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette correspondent: Southeast coach Kyle Bono congratulates Landon Bono at first base during a Little League World Series game against Mountain, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.
After three wins in three days, Lake Mary, Florida, is just one win away from winning the national championship.
Lake Mary scored four runs in the first inning and Teraj Alexander provided brilliant relief pitching as the team defeated Henderson, Nevada, 6-3 on Thursday night at Lamade Stadium to advance to the U.S. championship on Saturday, where Lake Mary will play Boerne, Texas, after winning three straight elimination games.
“That’s what we wanted to do,” Lake Mary manager Jonathan Anderson said. “This is where we wanted to be. We’ve said all along that we’re not finished yet. We just need to finish the job.”
Saturday’s game is a rematch of Monday’s game, when Boerne won 4-1. Lake Mary has battled back since then and is carrying a lot of momentum after three hard-fought wins in a row.
As it did against Hawaii on Wednesday night, Lake Mary started strong and built a 4-0 lead, but the opposition came back and tied the game at one point. Lake Mary held its composure again, however, and became the first Florida team to reach the U.S. finals since Apopka in 2001. JJ Feliciano and Garrett Rohozen hit home runs and Alexander threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Southeast correspondent Landon Bono crosses home base during a Little League World Series game against Mountain, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.
Feliciano, the team’s star and likely starter on Saturday, closed the game by picking up the save, forcing a game-winning flyout to center fielder Liam Morrisey with the tying run at the plate.
Lake Mary scored four runs in the first and looked poised to tie the game early, but Nevada responded with three runs in the second and capitalized on the momentum.
Instead of giving in, Lake Mary held the fort, as it did against Hawaii. Lathan Norton threw a perfect second inning before Alexander took over and enjoyed his moment in the spotlight.
“It was a great feeling. It was great and exciting to pitch in front of so many people,” Said Alexander. “It made me super happy and excited.”
Feliciano hit his second home run of the series in the third inning to give Lake Mary a 5-3 lead. Rohozen followed in the sixth inning and hit his second home run in three games to give Lake Mary a 6-3 lead.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent: Mountain’s Russell McGee throws during a Little League World Series game against Southeast, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.
Feliciano did his damage after taking some of his father’s advice. He put his words into action and his drive helped Lake Mary rejuvenate.
“My father told me to step on the plate and protect the outside,” Said Feliciano. “I was up at the plate and there was a curveball out there and I just hit it.”
The Southeast champions have picked up offensively after a slow start and benefited from playing four straight days, yielding eight hits against Nevada. Only an amazing catch by right fielder Dominic Laino also prevented a third Lake Mary home run, as Laino reached over the wall and took a home run away from Landon Bono.
Nevada’s remarkable run ended, but not before leaving its mark on the series, winning two games and finishing third in the country. The Paseo Verde Little League Mountain Champions came back with flying colors after Lake Mary’s early blow and landed one of their own.
The first five batters reached base, and even the first out was productive, as Parker Soranaka brought Nevada within 4-3 with a sacrifice fly. Caleb Gomez sparked the rally with a leadoff single before Caleb Gomez hit a double and Wyatt Erickson was hit by a pitch.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette correspondent Mountain’s Wyatt Erickson grimaces after being hit by a pitch during a Little League World Series game against Mountain, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.
Oliver Johnson then managed a foul and an RBI single on three pitches with two strikes before Noah Letalu followed with an RBI single.
Before the final two games, Nevada had won six straight games since the regionals. It was the second straight Henderson team to reach the series, and its third-place finish is the second-best finish a Nevada team has ever had at the series.
“Great teams are led by players, and that’s what this team was like. It was a special group,” Said Nevada manager Adam Johnson. “We felt like we had a team that could compete and we definitely did. I’ll say that forever.”
Nevada’s opening act on Thursday was nearly a repeat of Lake Mary’s performance in the first inning, as the first six batters reached base. Chase Anderson, Feliciano and Rohozen opened the games with walks before Bono hit an RBI single to score the game’s first run. DJ Mieses then hit a two-run single and Jacob Bibaud an RBI single as Lake Mary built a 4-0 lead before an out was recorded.
Russell McGee, however, shone as a relief pitcher and managed to prevent Lake Mary from doing even more damage with a grounder and a double play.
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette correspondent: Mountain’s Russell McGee catches a bunt and looks toward first base during a Little League World Series game against Southeast, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.
McGee was one of 12 players who worked tirelessly all summer. This team had been working toward this opportunity for the last four years, and it really cashed in. Nevada may not go home with a national championship, but it certainly reached some highs.
“I can’t say enough about them. The worst part for me is that I know I’ll never coach this team again.” said Johnson. “The opportunity to play for a U.S. championship is gone, but they have accomplished so much.”
After Norton completed his scoreless second inning, Alexander’s first pitching performance of the series made for a memorable one. The night before, Lake Mary manager Jonathan Anderson had said Alexander could pitch against Nevada and had been outstanding.
Alexander proved him right by neutralizing a dangerous offense that often exhausts pitchers. The right-hander threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up three hits, striking out five and allowing no walks. Alexander also threw 40 of 52 pitches for strikes, while Norton threw 29 of 33 for strikes while both hit the zone.
“Teraj fills the zone”, said Anderson. “He struck quickly. He took an early lead and finished when he had the chance.”
RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent: Mountain manager Adam Johnson meets with players on the mound as Liam Sparks gets into trouble early in the first inning of a Little League World Series game against Southeast, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024.
Nevada, however, held on. Gunner Gaudin hit a one-out single and Caleb Gomez hit a two-out single after fending off two pitches with two strikes.
McGee then made a full count and hit the next pitch wide, but Morrisey was there in deep center field to catch the ball and seal the win.
“It means everything,” Anderson said he wanted to go to the national championship. “Nobody is as well prepared as this team. They work.”
