Billings is the Northwest's entry to the Little League World Series. This is the first time Montana has appeared and the boys have two victories to date. Next game is Wednesday I believe on ESPN. CA and MT only two undefeated U.S. Teams.

[This message has been edited by Mrs. M (8/21/2011)]

I watched the 9th inning today, and the announcers said that it was the first time since 1938 where a newcomer to the Little League World Series had won the first two games.

Quite impressive. Good luck to those boys.

to bad there are only 6 innings....but congrats to Billings kids on their win

Congratulations, Billings team!!

One of the players has a Miles City connection. His mother was raised here.

Ike, who would that be?

Tied 0-0 with Huntington Beach, CA - batting in bottom of 6

Hanging in there...

Their defense is amazing. Go Big Sky!

Yay Billings!!!!!!!! Great win.

DID YOU SEE THAT! WAY TO GO!!

Yes I saw that! I've seen every game-way to go Big Sky/Billings! Whoohoo!!

Extra innings. Walk off HR on first pitch bottom of 7th. Wow.

Montana 1 California 0

CONGRATULATIONS BIG SKY LITTLE LEAGUE! AWESOME SHOWING FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER BEING THERE. WAY TO REPRESENT MONTANA. IF ANYONE HEARS OF A PARADE FOR THEM WHEN THEY GET BACK I WOULD LOVE TO GO.

Very, very cool!

Yes Way to Go Montana!! Good luck...

Denise,

Lori Berguson is Cole Mckennzies mother.

Thank you very much Ike!

A sweet hit at an important time, I don't think the pitcher had much more in him. GREAT JOB GUYS!!

Anybody else troubled by the change in the tournament format? In the middle of the tournament? This WAS a double elimination tournament. Not anymore. If we lose to Cali on Saturday, they advance to the final against the international bracket winner. Yet we will have only one loss, as will Cali. How can it be that their only loss is to us, and our only loss will be to them, yet they advance to the final while we go home? In a true double elimination tournament, us and Cali would have to play again, giving the winner a clear right to advance to the final. I just hate to see the kids work so hard to get this far, and then possibly go home with only one loss. And I am not being a homer. This situation would be horribly unfair no matter which team it happened too. Not saying it's gonna happen, but it shouldn't even be a possibility.
I also think the championship game should be played on Monday evening. On Sunday, there are many other things they will be competing with for viewers. Nascar, football, pro baseball, golf, both mens and womens, and just plain old weekend fun. Play the game on Monday night, and both teams, whoever they are, will have their full compliment of pitchers, giving both teams an equal shot with their best players ready to go. And a massive TV audience to boot. Having said all that - Go Big Sky!

Well said Mathew

Matthew:

Had the tournament been a "true" double elim tourney, I wonder whether California would've taken their starting pitcher out after only 50 pitches on Wednesday.

Cali's pitcher from Wednesday is available again on Saturday if needed. Big Sky's pitcher threw 85 pitches Wednesday and can't pitch for the rest of the tourney.

Cali has only given up 1 run the entire tourney and looks like the better team - but the better team doesn't always win! Maybe Big Sky can scrap another one out tomorrow!

Anybody else troubled by the change in the tournament format? In the middle of the tournament? This WAS a double elimination tournament. Not anymore. If we lose to Cali on Saturday, they advance to the final against the international bracket winner. Yet we will have only one loss, as will Cali.

I have to admit, this doesn't seem right to me at all. Should Cali win, they should have to play a rubber match game to determine who plays the international champ. Too bad it doesn't work that way.

I'm really pround of the Billings boys!...and yet, at the same time I'm reminded of a South Park episode from a couple years ago - the one where the boys were playing baseball in the summer and they kept trying to lose so they wouldn't have to keep playing and go to the LLWS. They wanted to be done with baseball so they could play video games, go swimming and stuff like that. I wonder if these boys have been missing doing other stuff? I would guess not as they're still winning.

ANYWAY, good luck against Cali!

Someone asked in the thread earlier if there was going to be a parade. They just said on TV there would be a parade in Billings on Sept. 3.

Rickenhawk analysis of today's game:


"Billings flat didn't come to play. I don't think the extra day off did them any favors. Offense looked like it did during the first game."

Rickenhawk analysis of today's game:


"Billings flat didn't come to play. I don't think the extra day off did them any favors. Offense looked like it did during the first game."

If only Tebow was pitching.


I think it really cool that they made it this far. I don't understand why there isn't a game three.