THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Georgia’s 12-year-old infielder Trey Maddox starts flailing his arms and making faces when his manager gets stressed in the dugout.
Two years after the Warner Robins American league won the Little League World Series, a squad from that same league is back again in South Williamsport. The expectations are high, and manager Randy Jones can get tense in tight situations.
As for his players? No sweat.
Jones’ son, Justin, homered for the second straight day and two more teammates went deep Saturday as the slugging Southerners beat Staten Island, N.Y., 6-3.
Georgia has now won two straight after waiting around the Little League complex for nearly a week. They’re in good shape to move on to the next round.
"The stress was from sitting around and not playing" for a week, the skipper said about the wait for the first game. "The stress today was the respect for" New York.
Staten Island’s fans didn’t give up down 4-1 in the third as chants of "Let’s Go New York!" thundered through Lamade Stadium. Vincent Quinn homered with two outs in the sixth to get to 6-3 before Justin Jones, who also started, got a groundout to complete his three-hitter.
"I do feel better now. Having done the math, 2-0, it feels pretty good," Randy Jones said. "I can enjoy myself a little more this evening."
In other early games Saturday, Chiba City, Japan, won 5-2 over Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; Chula Vista, Calif., thumped Russellville, Ky., 15-0 in five innings; Willemstad, Curacao, defeated Maracaibo, Venezuela, 2-1; and Reynosa, Mexico, edged Canada’s entry from Vancouver by the same score, but in seven innings.
Georgia had a little more breathing room in victory.
Justin Jones’ two-run shot gave Georgia a 4-0 lead in the second. His three homers led the tourney heading into Saturday night’s games.
"I didn’t think I was going to hit any home runs" in South Williamsport, he said with a smile as his proud father looked on.
Not much need Saturday for Maddox’s dance, which Justin Jones calls "goofy." The jig has been captured on a video that’s been posted on YouTube.
Maddox said Friday he made up the dance, which started during Georgia’s regional tournament title win because he was happy he got a hit on national television.
"I didn’t know what I was doing," Maddox said, flush with embarrassment.
The skipper doesn’t mind.
"If I get tight, Trey will come to my rescue and start dancing in the dugout," Randy Jones said. "Trey helps me stay loose and it works."
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Mexico 2 Canada 1 (7 ings)
Oscar Noguera scored from third on a throwing error by pitcher Anthony Cusati to end a tense game.
Cusati fielded a bunt by Mario Cardenas cleanly but threw to first with no one covering, allowing the ball to bounce into foul territory. Noguera jogged home easily for the win, sending Mexico’s vocal fans into a frenzy.
Mexico had a good chance to win in the sixth after loading the bases with one out. But Cusati caught another bunt attempt on the fly by lunging off the mound, then threw to second to double off runner Marcelo Martinez, who was halfway to third. It was the most dramatic play of the tournament so far.
"I saw that double play and I didn’t know what to think," said Raul Rojas, the 12-year-old pitcher who tossed two-plus innings of scoreless relief for the win. "Fortunately, we got the win later."
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Curacao 2 Venezuela 1
Claycandy Hariquez, one of five returnees from last year’s tournament team, drove in the go-ahead run with a single and threw a two-hitter. He struck out 13 and walked one.
The righty tossed a gem that would have impressed his idol, Atlanta Braves pitcher and Curacao native Jair Jurrjens.
"I felt I pitched very well and I was ready for the game," Hariquez said in a low voice through and interpreter. "I felt more nervous last year, my first World Series."
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Japan 5 Saudi Arabia 2
Daisuke Yamaga and Toshinori Wakai each hit two-run homers Saturday to lead Chiba City, Japan, over Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Wakai also got the complete-game win, striking out 11, walking two and allowing four hits.
Yamaga staked Japan to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first with his homer to centre field.
Saudi Arabia rallied to tie in the top of the third on Nicky Knight’s two-run triple.
But Japan took the lead for good in the bottom half after Yamaga tripled before Wakai homered to centre to make it 4-2.
Saudi Arabia got the tying run to the plate with two outs in the sixth after Cameron Durley walked and John Sheppard doubled, but Wakai got a groundout to end it.
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California 15 Kentucky 0 (5 ings)
U.S. favourite California went deep seven times, including two long blasts by 13-year-old slugger Luke Ramirez in support of ace pitcher Kiko Garcia.
Both of the six-foot, 212-pound Ramirez’s homers landed on the grassy hill well behind the outfield fences, prompting chants of "Luuuuke" from the crowd.
The game ended after five innings due to the 10-run rule.
