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The 2023 Little League Baseball World Series in South Williamsport, PA, has been thrilling from start to finish. And, Sunday’s championship game featuring California and Curaçao was an absolute classic, as the boys from El Segundo won, 6-5, on a walk-off home run by Louis Lappe.
It’s the first walk-off home run to win the World Championship since Dalton Carriker did it for Warner Robins, Georgia in 2007. Take a look at Lappe’s sweet swing.
CALIFORNIA WINS THE #LLWS WITH A WALK-OFF HOME RUN FROM LOUIS LAPPE 😱 pic.twitter.com/5iPMjaaBWj
— ESPN (@espn) August 27, 2023
It was his fifth home run of the tournament. Lappe and teammate Brody Brooks carried the boys from California all tournament long, as they fought through the losers’ bracket for most of the event before avenging a loss to Texas yesterday and beating Curaçao today.
For much of Sunday’s contest, it looked like the Little League World Series Championship Game would be somewhat of a snooze fest. California built a 5-1 lead heading into the top of the fifth, and looked to be in full control. But, a two-out grand slam by Nasir El-Ossaïs tied the game, setting up the late dramatics.
GRAND SLAM IN THE #LLWS CHAMPIONSHIP! 😱
We are tied entering the 6th, thanks to Nasir El-Ossaïs pic.twitter.com/b3TX9Wt3JQ
— Little League (@LittleLeague) August 27, 2023
It’s California’s eighth Little League World Series Championship, the most of any US State. Curaçao was looking for their second-ever title. The country also lost on a walk-off home run in the title game in 2005 to Hawaii. That Curaçao team featured major-leaguers Jurickson Profar and Jonathan Schoop.