LLWS: South Carolina rallies for stunning walk-off win after trailing 6-1 in final inning, stays alive for U.S. championship game

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Facing elimination at the Little League World Series Wednesday night, South Carolina appeared to be done.

But the team from the Columbia suburb of Irmo didn't quit after giving up five runs to South Dakota in the top of the extra seventh inning to dig a 6-1 deficit. South Carolina responded with six runs of its own in the bottom of seventh to secure a 7-6 walk-off win and stay alive in the LLWS. 

Now it's three wins away from a LLWS championship.

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South Carolina had to mount multiple rallies to advance. South Dakota held a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, the final half-inning of regulation. 

South Carolina was down to its final out with runners on first and second. A Ryder Tillitz line-drive single loaded the bases, but didn't score a run. But Jacob Gibson worked a full-count walk to secure the game-tying run, ultimately sending the game to extras tied at 1-1.

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There, chaos ensued. South Dakota scored a one-out run to take a 2-1 advantage before a Connor Felderman line drive for the second out. From there, South Dakota scored four two-out runs to seemingly take control of the game.

But South Carolina scored three runs before recording its first out of the bottom of the seventh, cutting South Dakota's lead to 6-4 on a bases-loaded walk. Then, with one out, Brady Westbrooks secured another bases-loaded walk on five pitches to cut the deficit to 6-5, setting Andrew Bogan for his walk-off heroics. 

Bogan sent a 2-2 pitch down the right-field line that snuck just under the glove of diving right fielder Grayson Rehfeldt. Two runs scored, and the South Carolina benches cleared as players rushed to the field to celebrate the walk-off win.

The stunning rally spelled heartbreak for South Dakota, whose LLWS is over with the elimination-game loss. South Carolina advances to another elimination game on Thursday against Las Vegas, Nevada.

The winner of that game advances to face Fairfield, Connecticut for the U.S. championship. The winner between those two teams will advance to face the International winner for LLWS championship.