Familiar matchups await final four U.S., international teams in Little League Baseball World Series

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — Ohio’s Walker Osborne and Japan’s Shinnosuke Ijima tossed complete games in the Little League Baseball World Series quarterfinals on Thursday to lift their teams into Saturday’s United States and international championships, respectively.

Osborne, who hadn’t pitched more than 1 1/3 innings in either of his first two appearances, threw 86 pitches and allowed just one run on four hits in Ohio’s 7-1 win over Iowa on Thursday to set up Saturday’s U.S. Championship against Nevada.

“Walker’s a GOAT,” Ohio manager Timothy Nichting said. “Walker’s a tough dude and he paints the corner, and he gets his curveball going. He’s a tough, tough guy to hit.”

Meanwhile, Ijima had a lighter workload until Thursday's games, which started much earlier than initially planned with bad weather looming. The right-hander had thrown a combined four innings in two appearances before pitching all six frames in Japan’s 4-1 win over Latin America. Japan will face Curaçao in the international finale.

The winners of Saturday’s games will play for the overall championship on Sunday.

“I’m very glad and happy to contribute to the team win,” Ijima said. “I’m so happy to advance to the international championship. Curaçao is a tough team. I really want revenge on Saturday.”

Ohio and Japan had to battle back from early losses to the teams they’ll face on Saturday in the double-elimination tournament.

Nevada, which defeated Ohio 6-5 on a walk-off single from Hudson Cowley last week, will look to replicate the result this weekend. Curaçao, meanwhile, beat Japan 6-0 earlier in the week with Jaymiëll Martina and Giendry Ryan combining for a no-hitter.

The team from Willemstad, Curaçao punched its ticket to the international championship by edging past South Korea 1-0 and trouncing Nicaragua 12-3.

GAME TIME: Saturday at 12:30 p.m., Lamade Stadium

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Pitching has become the backbone for both teams playing for the international championship. After its tournament-opening loss to Curaçao, Japan has held opponents’ bats at bay and hasn’t allowed more than three runs since that game on Aug. 21.

Japan’s starting pitchers have helped steady the team, going at least three innings every game since Japan's first loss.

In its three games this tournament, Curaçao has notched shutouts against Japan and South Korea, including the aforementioned no-hitter.

Its offense also erupted against Nicaragua on Wednesday, plating 12 runs thanks to a 10-run second inning.

Both nations remain poised heading into Saturday, knowing how much it means to represent their countries.

“There is a lot of confidence, not here in the U.S. only, but at home too, the people at home,” Curaçao manager Railison Gijsbertha said. “I mainly wanted to be in the final from this day on."

Japan’s players feel like they’ve snapped out of the funk that saw them go hitless in their opening game against Curaçao.

“We may get no-hit again, but we’re really happy to play Curaçao again,” Japan manager Masanori Takeda said. “We’ll do our best next game.”

STARS AND STORYLINES: Rui Tobata has been a standout performer in Japan’s last two games. The two-way player delivered a go-ahead 2-run double on Thursday and was the winning pitcher against Canada on Wednesday.

Martina has been a bright spot on the mound. He is tied for a tournament-best two wins and pitched the first 4 2/3 innings of the no-hitter against Japan.

He has allowed no runs and one hit in a combined six innings of work.

“Nobody can hit my pitches,” Martina said.

GAME TIME: Saturday at 3:30 p.m., Lamade Stadium

HOW THEY GOT HERE: The win over Iowa was Ohio’s fifth in the loser’s bracket where the team from Hamilton, Ohio, has outscored its opponents 39-6.

Nevada beat Iowa 14-6 on Wednesday, scoring 14 unanswered runs after chasing Iowa starter Cooper Thissen out of the game.

“It feels great because everyone will know us,” pitcher and first baseman Brooks McFarland said. "Back home, we’ll be like famous and in our league we’ll for sure be remembered."

STARS AND STORYLINES: Nevada is the first team to make the semifinals without hitting a home run, though the team bats well over .300. According to manager Cory Edwards, Nevada prefers to beat teams with crafty baserunning, not big swings.

Over the last two games, Nevada has scored nine runs with two outs, including its first five runs against Iowa.

“Growing up playing, I was always taught about two-out nightmares and that two-out hits win ballgames," Edwards said. “And I think just ever since I became a coach, that’s the same approach I take.”

Boone Treadway threw 89 pitches Tuesday in Ohio’s 5-2 win over New Jersey. The Hamilton ace allowed two earned runs in a five-inning start. Treadway will not be eligible to pitch against Nevada due to Little League rules, but could pitch in the final if Ohio advances to the overall championship.

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Owen Cameros and Alex Harkins are students in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.