Brody Brooks has an MVP-like performance in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
With his bat, glove and arm, Brooks led El Segundo to the US Championship game with a 2-1 victory over Washington on Thursday.
El Segundo was forced into three consecutive must-win situations this week to avoid elimination and managed to advance to Saturday’s game against Texas, the only team to beat El Segundo in the tournament. The winner of Sunday’s championship game will play against Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) or Curacao.
Brooks, usually El Segundo’s shortstop, came to the field in the fifth inning with two runners on board and neither one out and escaped the jam. In the sixth inning, Washington put two runners on board with a hard hit and walk, then loaded the bases when the ball went to the backstop in the game-ending strikeout. With the pressure building, Brooks came out strong for the final in second place.
Brooks contributed a single and a double, giving him a tournament-leading eight hits on 11 strikeouts.
“I wanted this game so bad,” Brooks told ESPN. “I wanted confrontation [Texas] pitcher again.”
Declan McRoberts grounded Washington with a three-run lead, then Washington scored in the fourth on a double and single to narrow their deficit to 2-1. McRoberts hit five in four runs.
Brooks led off El Segundo’s first inning with a single. El Segundo loaded the bases and McRoberts’ single made it 1-0. In the second period, Finley Green had a leadoff single to score Quinn Bohle.
Texas will have well-rested DJ Jablonski to perform on Saturday. El Segundo closed out the week with a 3-1 win. But El Segundo will have Louis Lappe, the No. 1 pitcher, available as well.
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