Janice R. Andrews
At the end of the 2024 Little League World Series (LLWS), Florida beat Taiwan 2-1 in extra innings to win the title in a game that will be remembered forever. Florida won its first LLWS title, ending eight trips to the final without a win. A wild walk-off bunt in the bottom of the eighth inning decided the game. Fans were on the edge of their seats until the very end.
A defensive battle: Taiwan leads early on
Both teams showed how skilled and determined they were in the final game. Taiwan took the lead early in the first game. They were known for playing very well throughout the event. Florida’s Jacob Bibaud had trouble keeping his pitches in check, and he gave up two walks to start the game, which put Taiwan in a good situation. With a single through the left side of the infield, Hu Yen-Chun took advantage of the chance and drove in Chiu Wei-Che to give Taiwan a 1-0 lead.
Even though Taiwan loaded the bases later in the inning, they couldn’t add to their lead because Bibaud was able to avoid more damage. Early on, the run set the tone for a close game where both teams would have to deal with a lot of pressure and missed chances.
Florida is upset because it missed some chances to do things.
In the early innings, Florida’s offense missed a number of important chances to score. Ciou Zhi-Kai, Taiwan’s starting pitcher, was very calm under pressure. He gave up two walks in the bottom of the first inning but then struck out DeMarcos Mieses to end the danger.
Florida’s best chance to score early came in the second inning, when Zhi-Kai gave up two walks and a hit-by-pitch, leaving the bases full with no outs. But a hard hit ball to third base led to a double play that stopped the scoring. The next batter then struck out, leaving Florida with no hits.
In the next innings, including the third and fourth, Florida kept leaving runners on base and couldn’t get a runner past third base. Taiwan’s defense stayed strong, and the Florida team’s anger grew as they tried and failed to make a breakthrough.
Bases-Loaded Jam is Taiwan’s turn.
Taiwan tried to make their lead bigger in the fifth inning, but Florida’s pitchers held strong. China got two men on second and third with one out after a double. Florida then brought in reliever Lathan Norton. Norton walked the first batter he faced, which put runners on base, but he then got two straight flyouts to left field to end the inning without giving up a run.
In the bottom of the fifth, Wei-Che took over for Zhi-Kai on the mound for Taiwan. He quickly found himself in a tough spot. Even though there was a runner on second base, Wei-Che struck out Hunter Alexander to end the inning and keep Taiwan’s 1-0 lead.
Drama in the last inning: Florida ties it up
As the sixth inning began, Florida was running out of time to make a comeback in the game. They were under a lot of pressure with their last three outs. A hit-by-pitch at the start of the inning put Chase Anderson on first base, which gave Florida some hope. After two outs, Wei-Che gave away a key walk, putting men on first and second and setting the stage for Mieses to make the big hit.
Mieses did a great job. He lined a 2-0 pitch into short left field, which let Anderson score from second base. When the game was tied 1-1, the Florida bench went crazy with cheers. This meant that the title would go into extra innings.
Florida’s walk-off bunt in extra innings
The LLWS rules said that teams had to start the eighth inning with a runner on second base. The game was tied and tensions were high. Taiwan couldn’t score in the top half of the inning, which made it possible for Florida to finish their return.
With the goal of moving the runner to third base, Hunter Alexander laid down a leadoff bunt in the bottom of the eighth. Somehow, though, no one was covering first base when the ball was thrown, so it went out into the outfield. The Florida runner ran quickly home, and the winning run scored in a crazy way, giving Florida a 2-1 win.
Sad news for Taiwan, happy news for Florida
Taiwan had a perfect 5-0 record in LLWS play going into the final, so their loss was very painful. They have won 17 LLWS titles, more than any other foreign team. However, they will have to wait even longer for their 18th title, as they haven’t won it since 1996. Taiwan’s players were clearly upset on the field after the game; they were crying because they knew they would not be able to win another LLWS title.
The win was a big deal for Florida. The team from Lake Mary, which is near Orlando, won their first LLWS title. This was their eighth trip to the final, but they had never won before. With eight LLWS titles since Taiwan’s last one in 1996, Japan has become the most powerful country in the world, ending Taiwan’s hopes of regaining their title as the tournament’s champion.
A Championship to Remember
Many people will remember the 2024 LLWS title as one of the most exciting and intense games ever. The game ended like a tale because Florida didn’t give up and took advantage of Taiwan’s rare defense mistake in the eighth inning. The victory shows how tough and determined the Florida team was. They made their way through the losers’ bracket and won five straight elimination games, ending in a title that will be remembered for years to come.
