Seth Udinski, FISM News

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One of the most popular sports tournaments for children came to a close on Sunday.

The Michigan Little League all-star team spilled onto the field in joyous celebration after they defeated Ohio to win the Little League World Series 5-2 at Howard J. Lamade Stadium in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.  The youngsters from Taylor North Little League in Taylor, Michigan, took home the Little League World Series championship before a limited crowd of roughly 1,000 spectators due to the pandemic restrictions.

Jackson Surma had the game of his life on the biggest stage, driving in 4 of the team’s 5 runs on two singles. Surma said afterward,

The first one, I knew I had runners on second and third. There weren’t two outs, so I needed just something in play. He threw me a curveball, I sat on it and drove it to left. The second one, he threw me a high fastball and I went up there and got it.

After the tournament was suspended last year due to COVID concerns, spectators were delighted to see the young players once again take part in living out their dreams on the national stage. This was the first time that neighboring states competed in the finals as international teams did not compete this year.

The kids from West Side Little League in Ohio played a great game as well, but they ultimately could not capitalize on numerous chances to capture the championship.  They twice left the bases loaded early in the game and loaded them again in the 6th for a final chance.  They scored a run and brought slugger Chance Rutherford to the plate as the winning run, but he flied out to center field to end the threat and give Michigan the win.