Jenison Georgetown National Little League needed a victory in the final game of pool competition to clinch its spot in the semifinals, and the Michigan state champions then defeated two other opponents to advance to the World Series.

While the National Division pool had little drama -- the Ohio and Illinois state champions controlled their own destiny throughout the tournament -- the American division was a jumble of contenders as four teams entered the final day of the tournament with a chance to claim one of the division's two semifinal berths. Rapid City Canyon Lake (SD) entered the final day with a 3-1 mark, but had allowed more runs than any other contender, and was unlikely to advance to the semifinals without a victory. Terre Haute North (IN) was also 3-1 and would advance with a win, but like Rapid City, the Indiana champions had allowed more runs than other contenders and essentially needed a victory to advance.

Rapid City and Terre Haute's opponents on the tournament's final day were Jenison Georgetown and DeSoto (MO), respectively. Both the Michigan and Missouri clubs were 2-2 teams that would advance with victories, and both clubs picked up their victories to gain semifinal berths. DeSoto rallied from a 4-2 deficit with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning (taking advantage of a pair of Terre Haute errors) to gain a 5-4 win. Jenison then hammered Rapid City Canyon Lake 10-0 in a game shortened to five innings by the 10-run rule.

In the other bracket, Canfield (OH) breezed with a 5-0 record, while Illinois champion LaGrange finished 4-1. LaGrange's only loss was an 11 inning loss to Canfield on the tourney's fourth day.

In the semifinals, Jenison beat DeSoto for the second time (adding a 10-4 win to the 4-1 victory in their tournament opener), while Canfield again bested LaGrange, this time by a 9-7 count. The title game was close early, but Jenison pulled away in the third inning. A five run rally extended a 1-0 lead, and a four run fifth later stretched the bulge to 11-0. Canfield tallied a pair in the bottom of the fifth to avoid losing by the ten-run rule. Jenison's Billy Miller fired a four-hitter against the Ohio champions, and Tony Clausen clubbed a pair of home runs to pace Michigan's 13 hit attack.

Jenison Georgetown National finished 0-3 at the World Series. Jenison faced Toms River East American (NJ) in their opening round game, and the two squads locked into what eventually became the longest game ever played at the Little League World Series, in terms of both time elapsed and innings played. Jenison's Derek Stempin belted his second home run of the evening on an 0-2 pitch with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game 9-9 and force extra innings, and the two clubs then battled into the eleventh inning before Toms River prevailed by a 13-9 score. A weary Jenison team then fell the next afternoon to eventual U.S. runner-up Greenville Tarheel (NC) before also falling to Cypress Federal (CA) in their final pool game.

Linescores:

Championship Game	1	2	3	4	5	6		R	H	E
Jenison Georgetown National	1	0	5	1	4	0		11	13	2
Canfield	0	0	0	0	2	0		2	4	3

---

Toward the past

Toward the present

The Unpage brings you unprecedented tournament coverage.
Thank-you for visiting!
Click for information on contacting the Unpage.
Copyright © 2005, Unpage Publications. All rights reserved.
Last revision: 05/14/2005