The 2019 little league baseball champions are the Dodgers. The Dodgers won an exciting championship game against the Cubs, who fought to the end but fell 10-5. It was the third straight year the Dodgers came into the championship game as the favorites, but it was the first time they ended the tournament with a championship. Photo courtesy of Shem Falter
The days were growing noticeably shorter as the championship day approached. On July 28, the second-place Cubs beat the third-place Twins, 15-8 in the Little League playoff game as showers and darkness descended on the game. Earlier in the afternoon, the Lions defeated the Lumberjacks 23-19 in an exciting Parent Pitch matchup.
The clouds rolled behind the hillside and threatened but didn’t arrive until later in the second game, threatening to end the action but they persevered. The stage was set for Friday’s championship where the Lions would play the Wildfire and for the third year in a row, the Dodgers would face the Cubs.
Friday, August 2 was a typically warm, sunny summer day for the 4 p.m. start of the Parent Pitch championship. The Lions batted first and managed five runs, but the Wildfire battled back with five of their own to knot the score 5-5.
In the second the Lions put up five more runs. But again the Wildfire answered, this time scoring seven runs highlighted by a triple by Lucas Peters and a home run by Liam Kanegeisser which left the score 10-12 with one inning to go.
In the final innings the Lions came out swinging hard as August Gulstrand, Atien Seim, and Bridger Dowling all hit homers to make the score 16-12. In the bottom third the Wildfire loaded up the bases before first-year player, Arlo Litterest, cleared them with a game-tying grand slam home run which knotted the score 16-16.
With three batters left there was an out and then a Lucas Peters single left it up to the Wildfire’s last batter, Elliot Zimmer, to come up with a hit for the win. Zimmer didn’t disappoint as he smashed a walk-off home run and the Wildfire pulled off their second straight championship.
The wind gusted as the Little League championship got ready to start. The home Dodgers looked determined as usual in their black and gray camo, the top seed for the third straight year before dropping both of the last two championships to the Cubs. They planned on this game going differently, but they were going to have to do it without one of their top players and pitchers, Hunter Rex, who sat on the bench with a shoulder injury.
The Cubs would have to survive Dodger ace Jacob Carpenter, who a couple of weeks earlier allowed one ground ball followed by 17 strikeouts to record a perfect game against the Twins.
The Cubs hoped to have an answer in leadoff hitter Amos Falter, who hit in 11 straight at-bats. Falter started things off quickly smacking the first pitch past the second baseman for a single. Tom MacGillivray followed with a double, and the Cubs had runners on second and third with no outs. Carpenter quickly got back on track striking out the next two and getting the third hitter to ground out, stranding the Cubs with no runs.
The Cubs, in their green and black camo, were dealing with injury as well with first baseman Cade Smith on the bench with a back injury and starting pitcher Ethan Tate a last-minute scratch with a sore arm that haunted him all season.
The Cubs called for 11-year-old, MacGillivray to take the mound instead. The Dodgers started fast with a double by Grant Oberg, but MacGillivray settled in and got out the next two before Rohan Rude came through with a single to drive home Oberg. The inning ended with a strikeout, and the Dodgers held the early 1-0 lead.
In the second inning Carpenter was back to his usual self, striking out three in a row. MacGillivray gave up a slow roller down third for an infield single. Two walks, followed by a hit batter made the score 2-0 with bases loaded, no outs. MacGillivray settled down and stuck out the next batter. Then the Dodgers last hitter, Adam Oberg, hit a short fly ball that landed in bounds and another run made it 3-0.
In the next at-bat a fly ball to left field was caught by Rueben Youngdahl, but the runner from third tag scored to make it 4-0 with two outs. That was a tipping point.
The Cubs’ closer, Falter, was ready to go but bringing him in so early in the game called into question the pitcher’s ability to finish the game under the 90-pitch limit. The Cubs opted to try and let MacGillivray get the third out with bases loaded and the 2-3-4 hitters up for the Dodgers.
A single by Hunter Gomez, double by Carpenter, double by Rude, and a single by Landon Sheils brought the Dodgers’ lead to 10-0.
The Cubs were shocked but didn’t give up. In the top of the third, even after the first two batters struck out, they rallied. Andrew MacGillivray drew a walk and Falter hit a double, bringing home MacGillivray. Big brother Tom drew a walk, and Rio Tersteeg hit a single to bring in two more runs, giving the Cubs hope, ending the inning at 10-3.
In the fourth inning the Cubs brought in Falter in relief. Falter went to work, recording two strikeouts, a walk, and another strikeout to end the third.
In the fourth, Jake Mixdorf stole home after getting on with a single, but the rally stalled, and the score was 10-4. Falter walked two before striking out three in a row to end the fourth.
In the fifth, Carpenter continued to pitch strong, striking out two, allowing a single to Falter and striking out the next batter to end the top of the inning.
Falter did his job on the mound again, striking out two, walking one and striking out the next batter.
In the top of the sixth Carpenter was out of pitches, so Hunter Gomez took the mound to try and close out the Cubs. Tersteeg started the inning with a triple and stole home. 10-5.
Tate grounded out before Mixdorf hit another single, but the rally ended with a fly-out, and a strikeout.
The Dodgers, at last, had their championship!
In the final act of the season, the 12U team traveled to Virginia, Minnesota for the Olcott Classic.
The Vikings had one of the most talented teams but didn’t manage a win in four games. However, they learned a ton of valuable lessons about the sport of baseball. The main lesson was just because you have the best players doesn’t mean you have the best baseball team.
The kids had a great time. Thanks to Skildum and Company and Hestia Unfolded for sponsoring the team. Thanks to all of the parents and coaches as well for all the time and energy they put into making this a great season!
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