Thousands of fans in the Triple Cities area (Binghamton, Johnson City and Endicott) could be making the 113 mile trip to Williamsport, PA to see the Maine-Endwell Little League battle for the United States championship against Goodlettsville, TN Saturday afternoon in the 2016 Little League World Series.
The winner advances to Sunday's World Championship against the Korea-Panama winner. ABC, which has carried the Little League World Series since 1963 will carry the game that begins at 2 PM on KSTP-TV.
Here's a look at how Maine-Endwell made it to the US final. Ryan Harlost had three hits and struck out five Rhode Island batters en route to a 7-2 win. Their next game was against Goodlettsville, TN and got only three hits but came away with a 3-1 win. They earned their championship berth thanks to Jude Abbadessa's six RBI's to beat Bowling Green, KY 13-10.
Goodlettsville's road to the final started with Robert Carroll's two run walkoff double to beat Bend, OR 3-2. They would lose their next game to Maine-Endwell 3-1 but would bounce back in their next game to beat Chula Vista, CA 4-2. They would clinch their berth in the finals with a seven run fifth inning to rout Johnston, IA 14-3.
Maine-Endwell's success is another chapter in the Bingahamton area's long baseball history that goes back to 1877, with teams called the Crickets, the Bingoes and the name that had the longest run, the Triplets. From 1932-61 and 1965-68 the Triplets were a Yankees farm club and many players went on to The Bronx including Whitey Ford, Vic Raschi, Bobby Richardson and Thurman Munson. The triples had short stints as an affiliate with the Milwaukee Braves and the Kansas City Athletics. The Triplets folded in 1968 but baseball returned to the Triple Cities in 1992 when the Williamsport Bills moved to Binghamton and became the Mets. Next season the team plans to change its name.
Can Maine-Endwell do well and add to the area's baseball success?
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