It’s gotten to the point where we even fix Little League games? Just awful:
12:45 P.M. TUESDAY: The Central Iowa Little League softball team has advanced to the semifinals of the softball world series in Portland, Ore., following a 3-2 victory this morning over the West regional champion from Snohomish, Wash.
The two teams played the game to settle a berth in the tournament’s final four after the outcome of a Monday game involving the Washington squad was called into question because of allegations of throwing the game (details below).
Iowa erased a one-run deficit by scoring two runs in the top of the third inning on an RBI double and a Washington error to take its deciding advantage. Iowa pitcher Mikayla Houge recorded six strikeouts over the final three innings and 11 on the morning to help seal the victory.
Washington stranded a pair of runners in both the third and fourth innings, but did not have a hitter reach base in the final two frames.
Iowa is believed to be the second-seeded team advancing out of its pool, which would mean its semifinal game is scheduled for 6 p.m. CST on ESPN2 against the East qualifier from Warwick, R.I. The other semifinal is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. A full schedule has not yet been confirmed.
This story will be updated when pairings are finalized by Little League.
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9 A.M. TUESDAY: Little League International issued a Tuesday morning news release after the outcome of a Monday game in the organization’s softball world series was questioned.
“The Little League International Tournament Committee recently received credible reports that some teams did not play with the effort and spirit appropriate for any Little League game,” the release states.
Given the circumstances, the release continues, the governing body was requiring “that a tie-breaker game be played between the two affected teams – South Snohomish Little League and Central Iowa Little League.”
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ORIGINAL STORY: A team of Iowa youth softball players won a Little League World Series game Monday, only to become part of a scandal involving another team.
The Central Iowa squad beat a Canadian team 7-0 to finish with a 3-1 record in pool play at the Little League Softball World Series in Portland, Ore.
But then strange things began happening in the following game. Unbeaten South Snohomish Little League of Snohomish, Wash., which was 3-0, lost to a North Carolina team.
Not just a typical 8-0 loss. A no-hitter by North Carolina that resulted in allegations of cheating.
Chris Chadd, president of Central Iowa Little League, said he believes the Washington team benched starters and ordered every player to bunt in an attempt to lose the game.
“It’s clear to everyone that they basically threw the game,” Chadd said.
Chadd said Washington’s players did not attempt to do anything beyond bunting.
“It’s not the girls’ fault,” Chadd said. “It’s the coaches… they should be disqualified.”
The outcome left the Iowans in a three-way tie in their bracket with North Carolina and Washington.
Ahhhhh, isn’t corruption wonderful?
So the Snohomish (a suburb of Seattle) coaches bet on their team to lose, and then made their kids throw the game?
I hope they get permanently thrown out of any and all levels of youth sports.
Oh, wait, perhaps I was too quick to judge.
Maybe they were just testing out a new cutting-edge SABRmetric offensive strategy.