WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – It was a moment to remember from the Lake Mary All-Stars’ second win in the Little League World Series, a strong victory secured by JJ Feliciano’s solo home run in the sixth inning.
News 6 Anchor Justin Warmoth rushed to retrieve the home run ball from a security guard and deliver it — as well as a hearty hi-five — to the batter’s biggest fan: his mom.
“I’m holding back the tears. I don’t want to cry, but I’m super excited,” she said. “We have a thing that I tell him, ‘Lock in.’ He doesn’t need that from me but I just, I tell him how much I love him and how much his family is cheering for him back home.”
The Lake Mary All-Stars took the game 6-1 Friday over Puyallup, Washington, sending the Seminole-based Southeast U.S. team to their third game in the World Series, currently scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday against the Southwest champs from Boerne, Texas.
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At a post-game news conference, Warmoth asked JJ how it felt not only to have hit a home run, but that his mom got to see him do it.
“It made me feel great. I mean, rounding the bases is, like, a really great moment,” Feliciano said.
“And she got the ball, too. How cool is that?” Warmoth asked.
“Really cool,” Feliciano replied.
The Lake Mary All-Stars opened the Little League World Series on Wednesday with a 2-1 win over Sioux Falls, South Dakota, meaning Lake Mary is now 2-0 for the League. During Wednesday’s match, Feliciano pitched and recorded 11 strikeouts.
Twenty teams are competing in the Little League World Series: 10 regional champions in the U.S. and 10 international champions from across the world.
U.S. teams:
- Great Lakes: Hinsdale Little League from Hinsdale, Illinois
- Metro: South Shore Little League from Staten Island, New York
- Mid-Atlantic: Council Rock Newtown Little League from Newtown, Pennsylvania
- Midwest: Sioux Falls Little League from Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Mountain: Paseo Verde Little League from Henderson, Nevada
- New England: Salem Little League from Salem, New Hampshire
- Northwest: South Hill Little League from Puyallup, Washington
- Southeast: Lake Mary Little League from Lake Mary, Florida
- Southwest: Boerne Little League from Boerne, Texas
- West: Central East Maui Little League from Wailuku, Hawaii
International teams:
- Asia-Pacific: Kuei-Shan Little League from Taoyuan City, Chinese Taipei
- Australia: - Hills Little League from Sydney, New South Wales
- Canada: Whalley Little League from Surrey, British Columbia
- Caribbean: Aruba Center Little League from Santa Cruz, Aruba
- Cuba: Santa Clara Little League from Villa Clara, Cuba
- Europe-Africa: South Czech Republic Little League from Brno, Czech Republic
- Japan: Johoku Little League from Tokyo, Japan
- Latin America: Cardenales Little League from Barquisimeto, Venezuela
- Mexico: Matamoros Little League from Tamaulipas, Mexico
- Puerto Rico: Radames Lopez Little League from Guayama, Puerto Rico
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