The 2012 Little League World Series is really heating up as the tournament field that started with 16 teams from across the country and the globe has been narrowed down to four.
The tournament has seen some incredible and dramatic action already, but these kids still have some great baseball left to play as the four best teams match up to find out who will win the world championship. Here's what you need to know about the final four teams in the hunt as we approach the championship games in the U.S. and International brackets before the World Championship Game.
California
Region: West
Location: Petaluma
Tournament Record: 4-1
Larges Margin of Victory: 11-1 over Texas
The boys of Petaluma, California find themselves heading into the U.S. championship game with all kinds of momentum and a chance at redemption.
The team is coming off of an offensive explosion against Texas that gave them their largest margin of victory all tournament. They'll need the momentum to continue as the team will be taking on a team in Tennessee that beat them in the second round of the tournament already.
California is led by a potent offense as the team has averaged 6.6 runs per game throughout the tournament and has scored no less than five runs in each game.
Player to Watch: Danny Marzo, 1B/P
A great pitcher has the ability to swing an entire game in his team's favor, and when California has Marzo on the hill they become a really dangerous team. They've already shown they can score runs in bunches, but Marzo has pitched so well they could go cold from the plate and still put in a solid showing.
He's only pitched 7.2 innings in the World Series thus far, but he's racked up 17 punch-outs during that time and could play a huge role for the team going forward.
Tennessee
Region: Southeast
Location: Goodlettsville
Tournament Record: 3-0
Largest Margin of Victory: 12-1 over Nebraska
Tennessee comes into the U.S. championship match with the confidence of knowing that they've already beaten their opponent once—they won the second-round matchup with California 9-6 in a closely contested game.
However, they'll have to overcome the momentum of California as the West squad beat Texas by 10 runs shortly after the Tennessee team narrowly beat Texas by a run.
This team has shown they have guts in their few appearances, beating the best teams in the American field in back-to-back games that depended on clutch performances from their players.
Player to Watch: Brock Myers, SS/P
Myers has been an absolute stud at the plate for Tennessee. Anytime his team has needed offense he has stepped up and he has now homered in every game of the tournament.
In three games, Myers has made 10 appearances at the plate and hit three home runs, that means he is hitting .300 on home runs alone. Throw in that he has three more hits to his name, and Myers is batting .600. If this team had played more games to this point Myers would be leading nearly every category.
He will definitely play a huge role in his team's title chances.
Japan
Region: Japan
Location: Tokyo
Tournament Record: 3-0
Largest Margin of Victory: 7-0 over Caribbean
Japan comes into the international final as the only team unscathed in the winner's bracket.
The boys from Tokyo have rode solid pitching all the way to the final and should have a ton of confidence having already beat their opponent, Panama, in the semifinal game.
Through three games Japan has surrendered just one run. If they continue that impressive streak of defense and pitching, they should be the favorites to win the whole thing.
Player to Watch: Noriatsu Osaka 2B/SS/P
Clearly Japan has a few kids that can pitch, they have the lowest team ERA in the tournament by far. However, it's Osaka that has been a secret weapon for them.
Osaka has served as a closer of sorts, making an appearance as a pitcher in all three of the team's games but not starting any of them. He has been dominant when on the hill, earning 13 strikeouts in just 7.2 innings and maintaining an ERA of 0.00.
Region: Latin America
Location: Aguadulce
Tournament Record: 3-1
Largest Margin of Victory: 9-3 over Germany
Panama has had a great run in the tournament and earned their spot in this semifinal game with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Mexico soon after losing to Japan in the winner's bracket.
This team will get a chance to redeem themselves but they'll need a great showing from the mound and the offense as no one has been able to figure out the pitchers for Japan.
Panama scored nine and eight runs in their first two games before being held to one and two against Japan and Mexico respectively so it will be interesting to see if they find a way to create more offense.
Player to Watch: Edisson Gonzalez 1B/P
If anyone can match the Japanese pitchers in a duel, it's Gonzalez.
He came up huge for the team in his two starts in the tournament, surrendering just two earned runs while striking out 19 batters in 10 innings.
Having Gonzalez on the mound gives Panama a distinct advantage, but his availability may be in question as he just pitched six innings in the team's elimination game against Mexico.
Source : Minor League Globe Sequence 2012: Breaking Down the Last four Teams - Bleacher Report
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