SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - The numbers speak volumes.
In 6.1 innings against all other pitching at the Little League World Series, West champion Chula Vista, Calif., has 15 hits and scored 27 runs.
Against Peabody West's Matt Hosman, they managed just three hits and two runs with only one earned.
Hosman's performance against a murderer's row of sluggers is without a doubt the highlight of Peabody West's trip to Williamsport thus far despite the team ultimately falling 14-0.
"Hoz was great. He kept us in the game and pretty much all he was doing was throwing fastballs," said Peabody West manager David Batchelor. "There wasn't much thinking about it for him — he just went out there and fired the ball."
Hosman's gas helped him fan 10 batters and keep the New England champions in the game most of the night. The lone blemish was a deep shot by Chula Vista's Seth Godfrey.
"He just challenged us. He hit his spots and when he threw the high fastball we went fishing for it," said Chula Vista manager Oscar Castro. "We wanted to make it as hard for him as possible to get him to 85 pitches so we'd have an inning or two against somebody else."
In truth, the first inning cost Hosman because he threw 25 pitches while striking out the side and working around a pair of walks. He reached the maximum 85 in the fifth and once he left the hill the wheels came off for Peabody West.
"You have to give him his props because he came right after us," said Godfrey. "We wanted him out of there as soon as possible."
That his outing was not as long as he'd have liked doesn't lessen what Hosman did last night. For the better part of the game he kept the New England champs with a team that ultimately might end up the best Little League squad in the world.
Hosman fanned big slugger Luke Ramirez twice. He was amazingly poised for a youngster and got stronger as the game went on.
"We almost pulled it off, we almost got it done and that was thanks to Hoz," said Batchelor.
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Batchelor again reported that second baseman Mike Petrosino was OK after he had a rough collision with 6-foot-2, 212 pound Luke Ramirez.
It was the second straight game Petrosino shook off being run into and showed his mettle by staying in the game.
"I guess the big guy kind of stepped on him there. He's OK. He's a tough kid," said Batchelor."
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Matt Correale might be called "The Rat" because of his undersized, slay Goliath and scurrying ways. But he is not the smallest player involved in the Little League World Series.
That distinction belongs to Japan's smooth fielding shortstop, Kenya Kawashima. Correale is listed at 56 inches tall (4-foot-8) and 84 pounds while Kawashima checks in at 54.5 inches (4-foot-6 ¬½) and 72 pounds.
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The seven homers hit by Chula Vista in Saturday night's rout of Russellville, Ky., is a Little League World Series single game record. Luke Ramirez hit two blasts while Bradley Roberto, Isiah Armenta, Seth Godfrey, Andy Rios and Kiko Garcia all went deep in a 15-0 win.
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Pool B co-leader San Antonio, Texas got a huge message of support via Twitter - literally. Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal wrote this on his Twitter account: "uncle shaq says good luck 2 john shull and san antonio (southwest us) in LLWS. Im proud of u and will b watchin."
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Last night's first pitch was thrown out by Betty Speziale Becht, who in 1989 was the first woman to be an umpire in the Little League World Series. She was joined by her grandson Matthew Christopher, and Peabody West's Traverse Briana and Sean McGrath caught the ceremonial first tosses.
