West Side qualified for the World Series as the Great Lakes Region runner-up and is playing in Little League’s biggest event for the fifth time in organization history, the first time since 2010. West Side Little League also qualified in 2007, 1993 and 1991.\
Here are five things to know about West Side’s Little League World Series venture:
1. About the bracket
West Side is playing in the Tom Seaver Championship half of the 16-team bracket along with three other regional runners up and four regional champions – each from a different region. The top two teams in each of the eight regions qualified.
The Tom Seaver bracket features teams from New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, California, Oregon and South Dakota, as well as West Side’s first opponent from Tennessee.
The World Series is a double-elimination tournament, and the Tom Seaver Championship game will feature the winner’s bracket champion and the elimination bracket champion. The winner of that game advances to the Little League World Series championship Aug. 29 against the Hank Aaron Championship winner.
Teams in the Hank Aaron Championship are representing Hawaii, Nebraska, Michigan, Washington, Connecticut, New Jersey, Florida and Texas.
2. West Side’s path to Williamsport
West Side won its 36th straight district title, 10th state title in the last 12 years and went 3-2 in the Great Lakes Region tournament to advance.
The postseason run began with dominance locally, outscoring four district opponents 64-0. At state, West Side rolled to the championship game out of the winner’s bracket, lost in Game 1 of the final and bounced back the next day to win the title.
West Side then climbed back through the elimination bracket at regionals following a loss in the first game. The team clinched a World Series berth by winning the elimination bracket final, after earning one win by forfeit because of a COVID-19 case impacting the opponent. West Side lost 9-1 to Taylor North (Mich.) in the Great Lakes Region championship.
3. About the team
West Side coach Ken Coomer describes his team as a “scrappy” bunch that finds ways to score runs. The pitching has been solid, especially with J.J. Vogel on the mound. He threw a no-hitter in the regional elimination bracket, and the offense came to life with a 10-run inning to punch the ticket to Williamsport.
Other players on the roster are: Brady Baumann, Chance Retherford, Cooper Clay, Cooper Oden, Gage Maggard, Gavin Saylor, Kaleb Harden, Krew Brown, Levi Smith, Maddox Jones, Noah Davidson, Tyler Donges and Chase Moak.
Coomer was the team’s manager the last time the organization was represented at the World Series in 2010, and he was a coach for the 2007 appearance as well.
4. Top players to watch
In the four regional games played, Smith led the offense with a .667 average, getting four hits with three RBIs in six at-bats and nine plate appearances. Oden had two hits in five at-bats and two RBIs and Retherford recorded three hits with one RBI in 11 at-bats and scored two runs. Vogel had two extra-base hits, including a home run, and finished with three RBIs and three runs scored during regionals.
Jones and Baumann also had multiple RBIs, combining for five.
Oden pitched 8.0 innings during the regional tournament and allowed just one run and seven hits with two walks and eight strikeouts, going 1-0. Vogel was 1-1, allowing just two hits and two runs over 8.0 innings while walking seven and striking out 16.
5. For those following at home
Little League International decided not to sell general admission tickets to this year’s World Series because of rising COVID-19 cases around the country, but teams received 250 tickets for family, friends and community members.
As a nationally-televised event, anyone can follow along at home. West Side plays its first game on ESPN. If the team wins, it would face the winner of the New Hampshire vs. California game at 9 a.m. Sunday on ESPN. If West Side loses its opening game, it would play the loser of the New Hampshire vs. California game at 1 p.m. Saturday on ESPN.
Games also will be scored live on GameChanger and posted on a scoreboard at https://www.littleleague.org/world-series/2021/llbws/live-scoring/.
TODAY’S GAME
West Side vs. Nolensville, Tenn., 3 p.m., ESPN
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