Little League World Series: West Side keeps hopes alive by beating Louisiana

The team of 12-year-old all-stars from Hamilton stayed alive by beating Lafayette, La., 8-2 on Monday night at Volunteer Stadium in Williamsport, Pa. The game started at 7 p.m. after a two-hour rain delay.

West Side led 3-2 through three innings but broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning. JJ Vogel hit a three-run home run in the inning.

Vogel went 2-for-3 with four RBIs. Chase Moak went 2-for-3 and drove in a run. Cooper Clay and Chance Retherford also drove in runs. Levi Smith and Retherford each scored two runs.

Noah Davidson started on the mound and allowed two earned runs in three innings. He struck out six.

Kaleb Harden followed with three scoreless innings, striking out three batters.

West Side will face another elimination game at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Volunteer Stadium. It will play Manchester-Hooksett, N.H., or Oswego, Ore. Those teams play at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Lamade Stadium.

West Side is now 5-9 in the Little League World Series. The last three times (1993, 2007 and 20101) it played in Williamsport, it went 1-2 each time. It lost both of its games in 1991, the first year it qualified.

Lafayette, which was eliminated, was making its third appearance at the Little League World Series. It also played in the tournament in 2005 and 2011.

West Side faced the elimination game Monday after losing 9-0 to Torrance, Calif., on Sunday in the second round. In the first round Thursday, West Side advanced with a 1-0 victory in eight innings against Nolensville, Tenn.