The all-star team from El Segundo will resume play in the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on Monday, four victories away from the championship.
El Segundo will face the all-star team from the Needville (Texas) Little League, the Southwest Region champion, which was a 6-2 winner Friday over its counterpart from the Fargo (North Dakota) Little League, the Midwest Region champion, to improve to 2-0 in the 20-team, modified double-elimination tournament.
El Segundo won its tournament opener Thursday, defeating the all-star team from the New Albany (Ohio) Little League, the Great Lakes Region champion, 4-3, in a planned six-inning game called after four innings because of inclement weather and Little League curfew regulations.
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Louis Lappe hit the tie-breaking homer in the bottom of the third immediately following Brody Brooks' two-run homer, which went off the glove of Eddie Bloch, the New Albany center fielder, over the fence at Howard J. Lamade Stadium.
New Albany scored twice in the second without hitting the ball out of the infield. Bloch led off with a walk, prompting El Segundo manager Danny Boehle to replace starter Ollie Parks with Declan McRoberts, who began the game playing third base.
Lincoln Luffler sacrificed and was safe at first on McRoberts' error. New Albany loaded the bases on Alex Behaein's bunt single. Bloch scored on Austin Sturmi's infield single. Jake Gilmer drove in Luffler with a ground out.
Brooks drew a full-count walk from Kevin Klingerman leading off the first, moved to third on Lucas Keldorf's one-out double and scored on Max Baker's ground out.
New Albany drew four walks for a run in its half of the first.
Both teams had three hits.
McRoberts was credited with the victory, allowing one run and three hits in three innings, striking out five.
Klingerman pitched a complete game for New Albany, allowing four runs and three hits in four innings, striking out six and walking five.
Ahead of the game, Boehle told KNX Thursday morning that some of his players have been afflicted with a stomach virus.
El Segundo is 15-1 in five tournaments this summer. It lost to the all-star team from the Sherman Oaks Little League, 4-3, in the opening game of the championship series of the Southern California State Tournament July 31, then won the rematch, 3-2, later that day, beginning a five-game winning streak.
