SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — Jaymiëll Martina struck out 12 batters, added an an RBI double and Curaçao defeated Japan 4-0 on Saturday to advance to the Little League Baseball World Series Championship for the sixth time in the nation’s history.
Martina tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings, only allowing two hits and two walks in the international finale. He left the mound with two outs in the top of the sixth inning to a standing ovation at Lamade Stadium, including from the opposing Japanese fans who sat along the third base line.
Giendry Ryan, who combined with Martina to no-hit Japan in a second-round game earlier in the double-elimination tournament, recorded the final out.
Three other players notched hits for the team from Willemstad, Curaçao that has outscored its opponents 23-3 in four games. It’s third time in five years a team from Willemstad will battle a U.S. team for Little League supremacy at Lamade Stadium.
The U.S. finale is set for later Saturday between Nevada and Ohio.
It wasn’t easy at first. Japan started the game eager to avenge its 6-0 loss to Curaçao. It looked like the Japanese hitters had rediscovered their confidence as they lined a pair of hard-hit singles into the outfield with their first tow at-bats of the game.
With just one out, Japan loaded the bases moments later, prompting a visit to the mound from Curaçao manager Railison Gijsbertha. The Curaçao coach opted to leave his star in the game. He struck out the next two batters he faced, and pumped the same right-hand that stranded the trio of runners as he skipped to the dugout.
Japan never threatened after that.
Meanwhile, the Curaçao offense broke through in the bottom of the third inning. A barrage of bunts paired with four Japanese throwing errors helped Curaçao build a 3-0 lead.
Curaçao tacked on a fourth run an inning later as Martina blasted a double to left centerfield that plated Ryan.
Alex Harkins is a student in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.
Alex Harkins, The Associated Press
