WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – One victory down. Five more to go.
The Lake Mary All-Stars won its first game in the 2024 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
As one of only 20 teams from around the world to make it to the World Series, it was a big moment for the All-Stars, who went up against Midwest Champion Sioux Falls in the first round on Wednesday night.
The tournament is double elimination, meaning that teams must lose twice before they’re out of the running. But that wasn’t the case for Lake Mary in its initial matchup.
[MEET THE TEAM: Lake Mary All-Stars]
Lake Mary found themselves trailing behind Sioux Falls after the first four innings of the game, with the scoreboard at 1-0.
However, the team loaded the bases in the top of the fifth inning, which is when Liam Morrisey delivered, smoking a single up the middle to score Landon Bono, which tied the game at 1-1.
It wouldn’t stay that way for long, though. The bases remained loaded for the next batter, Luis Calo, and he sent a sacrifice fly to the right — deep enough for Garrett Rohozen to tag up and score the go-ahead run.
In the end, Lake Mary triumphed with a score of 2-1.
Lake Mary All-Stars’ starting pitcher, JJ Feliciano, was unflappable on the mound, allowing only one run on an infield single. After reaching the 85-pitch Little League limit, Calo came on relief to retire the final Sioux Falls batter.
Lake Mary moves into the winner’s bracket and will play their next match on Friday.
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
“When you’re sitting there, it’s usually just me and my pitcher,” Bono said after the match. “But you glance over a little bit, and you’re like, ‘Oh.’ You glance over to the other side, and it’s like, ‘Oh, that’s so many people.’ And then you’re in shock, like, ‘What do I do here?’ Then you start zoning back in. It’s super cool.”
Meanwhile, Lake Mary Head Coach Jonathan Anderson told News 6 this was a long time coming.
“I know that our community has rallied behind us. I know our community is watching. They’re loving this opportunity to just watch Lake Mary Little League play on a grand stage,” Anderson said. “We’ve been waiting for this for years now. For years, we’ve been waiting to get here. We had the opportunity last year, just missed it. We’re not going to miss our opportunity this year.”
He added that the All-Stars performed admirably.
“I think that team was a great team. They made some great throws and made some great plays,” Anderson said. “They were ready to play. They were ready for the big stage. They just happened to score one less run. Believe me, that was a great team.”
[READ: Lake Mary Little Leaguers get the rockstar treatment during World Series parade]
While the All-Stars were playing on Wednesday, Friendly Confines in Lake Mary was packed.
Michelle Rohozen and Stephanie Norton watched with excitement as they watched their sons take part in the match.
“This is our first experience of watching it on this side of the fence. Usually, we’re in the stands. We don’t get to see this side of it. I have to say that being a part of the other fans and watching them on TV is surreal,” Norton said.
The moms say that they also feel the pressure for a big win.
“I was nervous all day, knowing and counting down,” Rohozen said. “It’s emotional because I’ve been at every game since he was 3 years old.”
“He’s enjoying every minute of this. This has been a dream come true for him,” Norton added.
Family and supporters of the All-Stars said they will once again show their support on Friday.
Ahead of Wednesday’s match, News 6′s Justin Warmoth met with siblings and fans of the Lake Mary team for a traditional tumble down the hill overlooking the field at Lamade Stadium. To watch that, click here.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: