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08/29 14:29 CDT Martina's 12 Ks lift Curaao over Japan and into Little League
Baseball World Series championship
Martina's 12 Ks lift Curaao over Japan and into Little League Baseball World
Series championship
By ALEX HARKINS
Associated Press
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) --- Jaymill Martina struck out 12 batters, added
an an RBI double and Curaao 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, Curaao 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
Curaao. 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 Curaao manager Railison Gijsbertha. The Curaao 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 Curaao offense broke through in the bottom of the third inning.
A barrage of bunts paired with four Japanese throwing errors helped Curaao
build a 3-0 lead.
Curaao 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.
