Boys of Summer: Lake Mary defeats Chinese Taipei 2-1 in extra innings to win Little League World Series

The Boys of Summer reside in Lake Mary, Florida. The team from the Sunshine State of Florida won its first Little League World Series title in dramatic fashion on Sunday, defeating Chinese Taipei on a wild play in extra innings, winning 2-1 in the eighth on a perfectly executed bunt from Hunter Alexander that scored the winning run from second base.

Boys of Summer: Lake Mary defeats Chinese Taipei 2-1 to win LLWS

Florida takes it all in comeback, extra-inning fashion 🏆 #LLWS pic.twitter.com/JdWtevH87Q

— Little League (@LittleLeague) August 25, 2024

Lake Mary, Florida beat Chinese Taipei in the ninth inning with a runner on second and nobody out. Florida was looking to move the runner to third base on a bunt – which turned out to be the play of the game.

Both the first baseman and pitcher on Chinese Taipei attempted to field the bunt and the result was no one covering the bag. For whatever reason, the Chinese Taipei pitcher fielded the bunt and immediately threw it to first base.

There was no one there and the ball sailed into right field, leaving the runner from second an easy path home to win the game.

Florida wins the Little League World Series perfectly placed bunt

FLORIDA WINS THE LLBWS ‼️

CHAOS ON THE FINAL PLAY TO WIN IT 🤯 pic.twitter.com/HoqU8mlqRr

— ESPN (@espn) August 25, 2024

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Ideally, the second baseman would have moved over to first base to cover but that didn’t happen. Obviously, the throw proved to be costly, but you can’t blame the pitcher for fielding the ball and immediately throwing to first, assuming that someone would be there to cover.

Still, I would question the decision given the fact that he was right next to his first baseman on the field. Gotta glove that baseball and focus on getting out of the jam with runners on the corners. Tough break for but the USA taking the LLWS crown over Chinese Taipei is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Lake Mary’s win marked the second consecutive year that the LLWS was won in walk-off fashion. Last year, Louis Lappe hit a walk-off home run for California to lift his team to a Little League World Series championship over Curacao. 

Louis Lappe hits a walkoff HR for California after Karl Ravech noted that Curaçao had not allowed a HR the entire #LLWS pic.twitter.com/tPPqbMgFdY

— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) August 27, 2023

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