Taylor North, Florida, Chinese Taipei and Nicaragua play for titles in the Junior League Baseball World Series
TAYLOR, Mich (FOX 2) - Large crowds are anticipated today for the United States and International championship games of the Junior League Baseball World Series at Taylor’s Heritage Park.
The 42nd weeklong tournament that decides the world championship of the 13- and 14-year-old division of Little League Baseball is down to its final four teams.
Today’s schedule:
•Asia-Pacific region champion from the Shing-Ming Junior Little League in Taoyuan City, Chinese Taipei, vs. the Latin America region champion from the Rivas Little League in Rivas Nicaragua, 3 PM.
•Michigan District 5 region champion from the Taylor North Little League in Taylor, Michigan, vs. the USA Southeast champion from the Keystone Little League in Tampa, Florida, 6 PM.
All four teams playing today have outstanding pedigrees. Chinese Taipei is the defending world champion of the Junior League. Taylor North, which won the Little League World Series two years ago, is the defending Junior League United States champion. The Keystone league from Tampa won the USA title a year ago in Little League’s Intermediate Division for 11- to 13-year-old players. While this is the first appearance in the Junior League World Series for a team from Nicaragua, the Latin America team has been one of the hottest in the tournament.
Chinese Taipei handed Nicaragua its only loss earlier in the week in a very close 5-2 game. This will be the first time this year that Taylor North and Florida play each other.
A game two nights ago at World Series Field in Heritage Park drew more than 2,300 fans to watch Taylor North play the USA Southwest champions from New Braunfels, Texas. Last year’s USA championship game and world title games drew upwards of 5,000 fans.
Heritage Park is located at 12111 Pardee Road. Admission, at only $5 per carload per day, includes parking.
The winner of the Chinese Taipei-Nicaragua game plays for the 2024 world championship against the winner of the Taylor North-Florida game at noon Sunday.
The games also are streamed on ESPN-Plus, a subscription service..
The Junior League World Series for 13- and 14-year-oldis is the "big brother" of the more famous Little League World Series for 12-year-olds in Taylor. Teams arrive from American and international locations as champions, having won regional or national titles to qualify. Eight of the 12 teams have been knocked out of the competition in the modified double-elimination format.
Teams eliminated from the World Series chase yesterday were the Canada national champions from North Vancouver, British Columbia, and the USA Southwest champs from New Braunfels, Texas.
Teams knocked out earlier in the week were the USA East champions from DuBois, Pennsylvania; the USA Central champions from Elmhurst/River Forest, Illinois; the USA West champions from Honolulu, Hawaii; the Mexico champions from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, the Australia champions from Sydney, New South Wales; and the Europe/Africa champions from Barcelona, Spain.
Two crossover consolation games are scheduled for this morning. Mexico plays Pennsylvania at 9 a.m. Canada plays Texas at 11 a.m.
The Junior League World Series was founded in 1981 and has been played in Taylor every year but two years due to the pandemic. This is the first time in 42 Junior League World Series that teams from Nicaragua and Spain have qualified.
Some very familiar names in professional and college athletes have played in Taylor in the World Series, including current NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes, former Major League baseball star Gary Sheffield and college football coach Bo Pelini.
Lots more information – including a complete schedule and game results – can be found on the World Series website www.littleleague.org/world-series/2024/jlbws. Updates and photos are posted throughout the week on the Junior League Baseball World Series Facebook page.