Tulsa National is no longer allowed to play Boerne in the Southwest Region tournament championship. A court ruling on Tuesday afternoon allowed Little League to uphold its disqualification.
The Texas judge’s decision should mark the end of this eligibility saga… for now.
Logistically speaking, the very first game of the Little League World Series will not be played until next Wednesday, August 19 and the Southwest representative will not play its first game until Friday, August 21. There is still time for the chaos to continue.
Tulsa National used an ineligible player.
This latest Little League scandal actually began on the softball side of the organization last year. Tulsa National’s third-place softball team was subject to widespread criticism for the use of ineligible players in 2025 but the governing body decided to ignore incriminating evidence during a failed cover-up.
The Oklahoma-based program showed up with a remarkably similar roster in 2026 and was disqualified. Tulsa National was removed from the Southwest Region softball tournament right before the championship game. The timing only raised more questions about Little League’s internal investigation.
And then the exact same thing happened with baseball…
Three of the six other teams at the Southwest Region baseball tournament filed a joint protest regarding Tulsa National. The complaint called for an investigation four specific rules violations. Little League ultimately ruled in favor of the complaint. Oklahoma was disqualified from the postseason on the day before it was set to play in the regional championship game.
Therefore, the semifinal game on Monday afternoon was used to determine the World Series representative from the Southwest region. Texas West defeated Louisiana. Little League ruled Boerne as the official champion. It was going to play in Williamsport.
Approximately 25 minutes later, Tulsa National was granted a temporary restraining order by Judge Ryan Luna of the 414th District Court in Waco. As first reported by Maren Angus-Coombs of Softball on SI, court documents showed that Tulsa National admitted to using an ineligible player during the Southwest Regional. However, the judge questioned the process used to determine the team’s eligibility because Little League did not cite a specific violation.
Judge Luna’s ruling allowed Oklahoma to be eligible in the tournament (on a temporary basis) and ordered the championship game to be played on Tuesday evening as originally scheduled. The winner would then advance to the World Series.
Because the official hearing was scheduled for August 25, the Southwest Regional result would be final and the LLWS would already be underway. Tulsa National thought it figured out a loophole to the disqualification. Little League decided to fight back.
Little League filed an emergency motion to dissolve the temporary restraining order.
Boerne did not have any intention of playing against Tulsa National in the rescheduled championship game as of Tuesday morning. Its players were already back home for the first day of school. Boerne Little League board president Jacob Myers told KSAT at he had not heard an update from Little League International about any schedule changes. The team is still planning to travel to Williamsport on Friday with games set to begin next week.
Boerne had the full backing of Little League International, which stood by its decision to declare Oklahoma as ineligible. A judge in Texas does not have jurisdiction over a baseball tournament in Pennsylvania. Or does it?
Little League filed an emergency motion to dissolve the temporary restraining order just after noon on Tuesday. The emergency motion provided additional context into the initial disqualification.
Tulsa National was removed from the tournament because of an ineligible player. The player qualified through an exemption that was based entirely on his younger sibling being seven years old or younger and participating in the Challenger Division — Little League’s adaptive baseball program for individuals with physical and intellectual challenges. As it would turn out, the player’s sibling was actually 10 years old and never practiced or played in the required Challenger Division. It was a farce!
As a result, Little League ruled the player as ineligible and disqualified Oklahoma from the regional tournament after a series of three separate protests. Texas West was declared as the regional champion because of its win on Monday.
The hearing took place at 1:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday afternoon and lasted approximately 75 minutes before the court went to recess.
Boerne will not play in the Southwest Region baseball championship.
Upon return to the court room, Judge Ryan Luna agreed to dissolve the temporary restraining order. As first reported by Maren Angus-Coombs, this case is still active.
Boerne will not be required to play the Southwest Region championship game on Tuesday night. Tulsa National is ruled ineligible by Little League. The 414th District Court will not block Little League’s ruling.
“We appreciate the Court’s timely and considered decision to vacate the Temporary Restraining Order, allowing enforcement of the Tournament Committee’s decision to remove Tulsa National Little League from the Southwest Region Tournament and declare its previous game a forfeit. The decision upholds our commitment to a fair and equitable experience for all children based on our Official Rules, Regulations, and Operating Policies.
“We empathize with the children of Tulsa National Little League and the likely disappointment this decision has caused. We recognize how memorable the Little League experience is for all children and the critical role that parents and adult volunteers are entrusted with to ensure that every child is cared for, treated fairly, and afforded a safe and positive experience. We sincerely hope that those entrusted with operating the Little League program recognize the responsibility they bear toward the children in their care and act accordingly—with integrity, fairness, respect, and a commitment to the mission of the Little League program.”
— Little League International statement
Texas West, which was not going to play on Tuesday regardless of the judicial outcome, will advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport as the representative of the Southwest. Oklahoma’s season is over.
Although this matter has been resolved, for now, it may not be over. There are still eight days until the official start of the World Series. Tulsa National could still seek alternative outcomes through other legal avenues. Little League could pursue additional punishment.
I would not be surprised if the sport’s governing body decides to ban Tulsa National from future competition. Its softball and baseball programs were both disqualified in the same year for the use of an ineligible player. That is grounds for banishment.