The Ankeny Intermediate All Stars achieved a milestone victory on Tuesday at the Little League World Series in Livermore, Calif.
Ankeny posted a 9-3 win over the East Region squad from the Commack (N.Y.) North Little League, becoming the first Central Region team to win a game at the Intermediate World Series. The loss eliminated Commack North from the tournament.
Ankeny took a 3-0 lead in the first inning before Damin Churchman took the mound. Churchman got only two outs before being replaced in the bottom of the inning, but then later returned in the sixth and got his team out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam by allowing just one run.
Greg McClure hit a two-run double in the seventh inning to give Ankeny an 8-3 lead. Noah Staab then added an RBI double to provide the final margin.
“Damin was great, and we hit again,” said Cory McClure, who is one of the team’s three coaches. “We have it lined up to do damage again–or it can all be over (Wednesday).”
Ankeny will play another elimination game on Wednesday at 2 p.m. CT. Its opponent will be the host team from the Livermore Little League.
Livermore stayed alive with a 7-2 win on Tuesday over the West Region squad from the Scripps Ranch Little League in San Diego, which had posted a 7-0 victory over Ankeny on Sunday.