SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Louis Lappe homered to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning Sunday to lead California to a 6-5 victory against Curacao in the championship game of the Little League World Series.
Lappe’s walk-off blast to left field erased a comeback by Curacao, which tied the game at 5-5 with a grand slam by Nasir El-Ossaïs in the fifth inning.
Lappe, 12, hit five home runs during the tournament at Howard J. Lamade Stadium, and Sunday’s was his biggest.
CALIFORNIA WINS THE #LLWS WITH A WALK-OFF HOME RUN FROM LOUIS LAPPE 😱 pic.twitter.com/5iPMjaaBWj
— ESPN (@espn) August 27, 2023
Curacao had not allowed a home run during the LLWS.
El Segundo was the 24th team to represent California in the championship since the Little League World Series began in 1947, ESPN reported. It was also the state’s first appearance in the title game since 2013 and California’s first title since 2011.
The 2023 #LLWS Championship belongs to California's El Segundo Little League! pic.twitter.com/yv2tFiCpe6
— Little League (@LittleLeague) August 27, 2023
Curacao has appeared in the LLWS championship four times and won it in 2004. Its most recent appearance was last year when it lost to Hawaii 13-3.
Both El Segundo and the Pabao Little League of Willemstad were making their first appearances in the championship. El Segundo has had a Little League team since 1954, the Los Angeles Times reported.
California leads all U.S. states with eight LLWS titles, according to The Associated Press.
Catcher Lucas Keldorf hit a two-run double in the first inning Sunday to put California ahead.
CALIFORNIA STRIKES FIRST IN THE #LLWS CHAMPIONSHIP 😤 pic.twitter.com/MyMhCAZxpn
— ESPN (@espn) August 27, 2023
Curacao, champions of the Caribbean, broke through with a run in the top of the third to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Jaxson Kalish made it 4-1 in the third inning with a two-out, two-run, bases-loaded double. California tacked on another run in the fourth to make it 5-1.
West coasting! 🌊
— Little League (@LittleLeague) August 27, 2023
California adds two for a 4-1 lead! #LLWS pic.twitter.com/5PPjfY3n9r
Ollie Parks pitched for 4.1 innings before being relieved by Kalish in the fifth.
Curacao put runners at first and second in the top of the fifth, and Kalish was relieved after displaying arm pain. Max Baker came in to relieve, but yielded a grand slam to El-Ossaïs as Curacao had new life.
The California squad advanced to the final by defeating Needville, Texas, 6-1 for the U.S. championship. Curacao reached the final by shutting out Taiwan 2-0 in the international bracket.
In the third-place game, Taiwan shut out Needville, Texas, by a 10-0 score.
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