Puyallup’s South Hill team down, but not out in the Little League World Series
Aug 17, 2024, 1:00 PM
Representing the Northwest, the South Hill Little League coaches and players pose for a photo at the Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, in August 2024. The team is based in Puyallup. (Photo Courtesy of Little League Baseball and Softball)
(Photo Courtesy of Little League Baseball and Softball)
This is one of those cases when just appearing is a significant victory. Puyallp’s South Hill Little League team made its World Series premiere Friday afternoon.
South Hill had opportunities but errors allowed the team from southeast Florida to come away with a 6-1 win on Friday.
The locals gave up only four hits but committed four errors.
Ryder Dobbelaere and Connor Morey had South Hill’s only two hits of the game.
“You try to put yourself in all the right places to give them the right opportunities,” South Hill coach Derek Jennings told KIRO Newsradio. “It takes so much luck and just being in the right place at the right time. And, it’s nothing you can really, you can really put into words.”
This is a double-elimination tournament. South Hill’s next game will be televised on ESPN at 10 a.m. PT Sunday against the winner of Saturday’s matchup between Pennsylvania and New Hampshire.
Jennings’ he’s even more committed to the outcome of these games because his son Rawly plays for the team.
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“You watch ESPN, and then I see my son and see the guys he’s around and he’s trading pins with them,” Jennings said. “You can’t explain it. I don’t think you know. It’ll be weeks after this before it really, really strikes me.”
The team got to the big show in an improbable way. Last Thursday, Puyallup trailed Idaho 6-5 in the sixth and final inning of the Northwest Region championship game. With two outs and an 0-2 count, Rawly ripped a double down the left-field line. That started a rally that ended with a 13-7 win and a spot in the World Series in Williamsport, PA.
“Our boys did a great job at taking advantage of striking when the iron was hot,” he said.
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Jennings explained that the team has been in Williamsport for a few days to get used to the environment. He thinks that will help his team in game one.
“So there’s going to be some anxiety and nervousness that our boys got to shake off early,” he explained. “Hopefully we can get through that early. And, once that all shakes off, it’s 12-year-old baseball, so anything can happen.”
Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.
