Washington Baseball Team To Play In The Little League World Series

WASHINGTON – A select group of young baseball players across the world will get their chance to shine this week at the Little League World Series, including a team from right here in Washington.

The series kicks off in Williamsport, Pa., Wednesday and will run through Aug. 28 with 20 teams – 10 each in brackets for the United States and international teams – competing to be crowned the top team in the world for 2022. This year’s tournament has a bit of extra flair as it is the 75th anniversary of the Little League World Series.

A team from Bonney Lake/Sumner Little League won the Northwest Region tournament to earn the chance to represent the region in this year’s championship.

The Little League World Series has been an iconic part of the lore of the United States’ national pastime since its inception and is a staple on ESPN networks every summer. All 38 games of the tournament will be televised either on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.

The tournament is expanding from 16 to 20 teams this year, with two regions added to each the United States and International brackets. Teams will represent the newly named Metro, Mountain, Panama and Puerto Rico regions for the first time in 2022.

Expanding the tournament allows more kids the “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to play in the Little League World Series, according to the organization’s website.

“Nothing comes close to the feeling of representing your home community on the grandest stage for the world to see,” the statement said.

The other teams that advanced to the United States bracket of the Little League World Series are:

• Great Lakes Region: Hagerstown, Indiana
• Metro Region: Massapequa, New York
• Mid-Atlantic Region: Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania
• Midwest Region: Davenport, Iowa
• Mountain Region: Santa Clara, Utah
• New England Region: Middleborough, Massachusetts
• Southeast Region: Nolensville, Tennessee
• Southwest Region: Pearland, Texas
• West Region: Honolulu, Hawaii

In the International bracket, teams will represent the following regions: Asia-Pacific, Australia, Canada, Caribbean, Europe-Africa, Japan, Latin America, Mexico, Panama and Puerto Rico.

Bonney Lake/Sumner Little League will open its run in the double-elimination tournament against the West Region. The teams will play at 1 p.m. Wednesday, and the game will be televised on ESPN. The full Little League World Series schedule, including Major League Baseball’s Little League Classic matchup between the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles, can be found on the organization’s website.

In the Northwest Region tournament, Washington clinched its spot in the Little League World Series with a 3-2 win over Oregon in the title game.