UPDATE: 3:30 p.m., August 19, 2016
The all-star team from the Chula Vista-based Park View Little League lost its first game of the 2016 Little League World Series on Friday. The team was defeated by Johnston Little League from Iowa by a score of 5-1.
But the loss doesn’t mean the team is out of the Little League World Series. Park View, which had won 11 consecutive games since losing its opener in the Southern California South Subregional July 23, will play an elimination game Saturday at 5 p.m.
The team will face the loser of Friday night's match between teams representing the Southwest and Great Lakes. Park View will head home if it doesn’t win that game.
Park View is the 12th team from San Diego County to reach the Little League World Series and fourth from the South Bay in eight years. It won the 2009 Little League World Series.
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The all-star team from the Chula Vista-based Park View Little League is scheduled to begin play in the Little League World Series on Friday, facing its counterpart from the Johnston Little League of Johnston Iowa.
Park View Little League official Dennis Diaz said the kids are focused on the game.
“Our mentality is that Iowa has a great team,” Diaz said. “We gotta go in and win that game because they’re not going to give it to us.”
He believes the pressure of Friday’s game hasn’t gotten to the players.
“The pressure of the TV and the amount of fans, that can get to some of the kids once and while,” Diaz said. “But I think once after that first pitch happens, the kids are just kids and they’re there to play baseball.”
A viewing party for ESPN's 1 p.m. telecast of the game from Howard J. Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania will be held at BJ's Restaurant in Chula Vista Center, 555 Broadway. Doors open at 11 a.m.
Park View assured itself of a berth in the Little League World Series Saturday by winning the West Regional tournament with a 1-0 victory over the all-star team from Las Vegas' Mountain Ridge Little League, the Nevada state champion.
Park View has won 11 consecutive games since losing its opener in the Southern California South Subregional July 23 and is 18-2 in its four tournaments.
Park View is the 12th team from San Diego County to reach the Little League World Series and fourth in eight years. It won the 2009 Little League World Series.
If Park View defeats Johnston, the Midwest Regional champion, it will next play Sunday against the winner of today's game between the all-star teams from the McAllister Park American Little League of San Antonio, Texas, the Southwest Regional champion, and the Bowling Green Eastern Little League of Bowling Green, Kentucky, the Great Lakes Regional champion.
A loss would force Park View to play Saturday against the loser of the game between the Southwest and Great Lakes champion. The loser of that game would be relegated to the consolation bracket, ineligible to win the Little League World Series.
