West Side clinches spot in Little League World Series with no-hitter

Vogel throws five-inning no-hitter against Illinois champion
The West Side Little League All Stars beat Tuscarawas County on Wednesday in Ironton to win the state tournament. West Side advances to the Great Lakes Regional  tournament beginning Aug. 8 in Whitestown, Ind. CONTRIBUTED

The West Side Little League All Stars beat Tuscarawas County on Wednesday in Ironton to win the state tournament. West Side advances to the Great Lakes Regional tournament beginning Aug. 8 in Whitestown, Ind. CONTRIBUTED

West Side Little League earned its fifth trip to the Little League World Series — and first since 2010 — with a 12-0 victory in five innings against Hinsdale Little League (Ill.) on Friday in Whitestown, Ind.

The star of the game was Jonathon Vogel, who threw a no-hitter while striking out 13 batters and walking four. He struck out the side in the first four innings and had one strikeout in the fifth.

Vogel also hit a two-run home run to start the scoring in the first inning and went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored.

West Side maintained a 2-0 lead until scoring 10 runs in the top of the fifth. Four of the runs scored on bases-loaded walks.

» EARLIER COVERAGE: West Side wins state championship

West Side will play Taylor North Little League (Mich.) for the regional championship at 4 p.m. Saturday. The game will be televised on ESPN. Both teams have already qualified for the Little League World Series, which will take place in Williamsport, Pa., from Aug 19-29.

Against Hinsdale, Levi Smith led West Side with three hits. Maddox Jones drove in two runs. Cooper Clay scored three runs.

West Side lost its tournament opener 2-1 to Warren County South (Ky.) on Sunday to drop to the loser’s bracket in the double-elimination tournament for 12-and-under players. It stayed alive with a 2-1 victory against Brownsburg (Ind.) on Tuesday.

Warren County also fell to the loser’s bracket when it lost 5-1 to Hinsdale. West Side and Warren County were scheduled to play again Wednesday, but Warren County had to forfeit the game because of a positive COVID-19 test.

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