New York and Connecticut battled deep into extra innings in a win-or-go-home Little League Regional matchup. Tied 5-5 in the seventh, New York turned a clutch inning-ending double play to keep their hopes alive, triggering a wild reaction from their dugout. In the bottom half, New York’s leadoff hitter drew a walk, then got moved to second on a successful bunt. But confusion hit when they asked the next batter, deep in the lineup, to bunt again—even with two strikes. He predictably struck out trying, wasting a chance to swing freely.
With two outs, Connecticut chose to intentionally walk New York’s leadoff hitter, setting up a force at any base. The next at-bat ran full count. The batter held off on a borderline pitch to draw a walk and load the bases. The New York pitcher, whose dad is also the coach, took a moment to reset before facing the next batter. On a 1-2 pitch, the hitter lined a single over shortstop to walk it off. New York moves on to face New Jersey in the championship. The play-calling, including multiple bunts and called pitch types like “one” and “four,” raised questions about whether there’s too much strategy in Little League. But the kids delivered a dramatic finish either way.