Last week, West Side advanced to its fifth World Series. One of its opponents in the Great Lakes Regional, Warren County Little League team from Kentucky had to forfeit a game due to a positive case. Since the Little League International decided to allow two teams from each regional in the World Series, Hamilton advanced despite losing in the championship game to Michigan.
In the past, if West Side advanced to the LLWS, the coaches, players and parents would have returned to Hamilton, then received a send-off to South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. But this year, the team took a charter bus from Whitestown, Indiana, to Pennsylvania the day after the regionals.
The coaches told the West Side players to pack enough clothes to last through the regionals and possibly through the 11-day World Series, said Ali Saylor, whose son, Gavin, is an outfielder, third baseman and pitcher.
Now that the team is preparing for its opening round game televised on ESPN at 3 p.m. Thursday against Tennessee, the players will have little contact with their parents, Saylor said. The parents will be permitted to talk to their children at a safe distance or talk on the phone. But the parents won’t be permitted to Facetime their kids or eat with them, she said.
The lack of one-on-one interaction was difficult for Josh Davidson, whose son was the losing pitcher in the regional final.
“I wanted to tell him everything would be OK, but I couldn’t,” Davidson said about the COVID restrictions. “It does make it more difficult. But we’re thankful for the opportunity.”
Because of rising COVID cases around the country, Little League International decided to cancel general admission to the World Series. Each qualifying team will receive 250 passes for friends, families and community members.
HOW TO WATCH
WHAT: Little League World Series
WHERE: South Williamsport, Pa.
FIRST ROUND GAME: Hamilton, Ohio vs. Tennessee, 3 p.m. Thursday, ESPN
SECOND ROUND GAME: If Hamilton wins, plays winner of New Hampshire vs. California at 9 a.m. Sunday, ESPN. If Hamilton loses, plays loser of New Hampshire vs California, 1 p.m. Saturday, ESPN
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