After more than a week of intense competition, the 2023 Little League World Series reaches the championship stage this weekend in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
The tournament started with 20 teams (10 United States regional champions, 10 international regional champions) but now there are only two teams left that have a chance to go home with the LLWS title. Here's everything you need to know for the 2023 LLWS championship game:
The final event of the 2023 Little League World Series is the LLWS championship game. Here are the details of the showdown.
What: 2023 Little League World Series championship game
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Who: California vs. Curacao
When: Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Where: Williamsport, Pennsylvania
TV Channel: ABC
You can live stream the LLWS championship games this weekend on ABC.com and the ABC app when you sign in with your current TV provider. LLWS games are available on ESPN+ but that method requires an ESPN+ subscription, as does streaming through ESPN3. You can stream all the LLWS games on Sling TV via a subscription, on FuboTV with a free trial and on DirecTV Stream via a subscription as well.
A pitcher in the LLWS may throw a maximum of 85 pitches per day with a few exceptions.
If that pitcher reaches the pitch limit while facing a batter, according to Little League, "the pitcher may continue to pitch until any one of the following conditions occurs: (1) that batter reaches base; (2) that batter is retired; (3) the third out is made to complete the half inning or the game; or (4) the pitcher is removed from the mound prior to the batter completing his/her at bat."
A complete game in the LLWS means 6 full innings are done or just 5½ innings if the home team is already winning.
An official game is when at least 4 full innings are completed or 3½ innings if the home team is already winning and the game is halted for bad weather.
A suspended game happens when at least one full inning is complete but the game hasn't gone a minimum of 4 full innings or 3½ innings if the home team isn't already ahead.
Little League refers to the common phrase "mercy rule" as the 10-run rule and the 15-run rule for tournament play.
Here are scenarios that either "run rule" will come into play.
The 10-run rule comes into play when a game is official (either 4 full innings or 3½ innings if the home team is already winning) and one team leads by 10 or more runs.
The 15-run rule comes into play when a game has gone either 2½ innings (if the home team is already winning) or 3 full innings. In that scenario, the game concludes immediately.
Sherlon Christie is a social media editor for USA TODAY Sports. You can reach him at [email protected]