For the first time ever, a team from Florida takes home the Little League World Series crown.
The 2024 LLWS Championship Game ended in dramatic fashion when Lake Mary, Florida, defeated Chinese Taipei on a walk-off bunt in extra innings. It was a heartbreaking ending for Chinese Taipei, who committed a costly throwing error after the bunt.
This extra innings sequence is one you have to watch to fully understand. Here’s everything you need to know about the ending, including a highlight of the game and a breakdown of Little League extra innings rules.
MORE: Florida leaves Chinese Taipei to win Little League World Series
Video of the Little League World Series walk-off bunt
To start the eighth inning, Florida’s Hunter Alexander stepped up to bat, with Lathan Norton as the team’s ghost runner at second base.
A textbook bunt by Alexander caused the Chinese Taipei pitcher and first baseman to play the ball, leaving first base uncovered. When the Chinese Taipei pitcher threw the ball to an uncovered first base, Norton was able to cleanly round the bases and score the game-winning run.
LAKE MARY, FLORIDA LEAVES LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP GAME DUE TO TAOYUAN SHOOTING ERROR! pic.twitter.com/4VbGZo7f7y
— MLB key moments and walk-offs (@MLBWalk_Offs) 25 August 2024
MORE: What you should know about the Little League World Series rules
Rules for Extra Innings in the Little League World Series
A regular game in Little League Baseball consists of six innings. Extra innings begin in the seventh inning, but modified rules begin in the eighth inning. These modified rules include having a runner on second base every half inning starting in the eighth inning, as shown in the clip above.
Here is an explanation of the rule in the Little League Tournament Rules Book.
Beginning with the eighth inning and each subsequent half-inning, the attacking team begins its batting rotation, with the player scheduled to bat last in that particular half-inning placed at second base.
The rule change is relatively new, but is similar to the Ghost Runner in MLB. In that case, the runner opened the door for Florida to make history with its championship win.
