It’s not how you start, but how you finish. After a shaky start to the 2024 Little League Asia Pacific Senior Division Regionals
baseball tournament championship game Tuesday in Auckland,
New Zealand, where Guam, in the first inning, committed three errors and gave up three runs, Guam defeated Korea 7-6. With Guam’s Ethan Santiago at third base and Patrick Alvarez at the plate, Alvarez crushed a walk-off, tournament-winning RBI-single to center field. The dramatic come-from-behind win catapulted Guam into the 2024 Senior League Baseball World Series in Easley, South Carolina. “What a game. Absolute heartbreak for Korea. Absolute jubilation from Guam,” said the livestream announcer. In a game that had four lead changes, in the fourth inning, Guam’s Evan Acosta appeared to have blasted a grand slam home run. But after a quick meeting from the umpires, they ruled that the deep shot bounced over the left field fence. Instead of a 7-4 lead, two runs were removed from the scoresheet, and Kaiden Weakley and Acosta returned to their bases. “That was a massive hit,” said the livestream commentator. With Javier Taimango, Rayshaun Parks and Weakley having shared pitching duty, the trio held Korea to five hits and delivered six strikeouts. In the top of the sixth inning, Weakley relieved Taimanglo but walked two batters and was quickly relieved by Rayshaun Parks. Parks, In top form, got Kaiden You to hit into a double play, then struck out Seongcheol Ha. “Ice in his veins, Ray-Ray Parks,” said the livestream commentator.