'26 Little League Mid-Atlantic Region Tournament (8/9-14) thread

[Tom McAndrew]

The state champions have been established for each of the states in the Mid-Atlantic Region Tournament. They are:

Delaware: Naamans Little League (Wilmington, DE)
Maryland: Berlin Little League (Berlin, MD)
Pennsylvania: East Side Little League (West Chester, PA)
Washington, D.C.: Capitol Hill Little League (Washington, D.C.)

The four teams start competition on 8/9:

G1: Maryland vs. Washington, D.C.
G2: Pennsylvania vs. Delaware

A reminder that Regionals are the only tournament on the road to Williamsport in which the team that advances to the final from the Elimination Bracket does not need to beat the team that advances to the final from the Winner's Bracket two times to become the champion.

Pleas use this thread for all pre-tournament, in-tournament, and post-tournament discussion.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Results from Day 1:

G1: Washington, D.C. - 7, Maryland - 6
G2: Pennsylvania - 8, Delaware - 1

As such, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania advance in the Championship bracket, and Maryland and Delaware drop into the Elimination bracket.

Schedule for Day 2 ((8/10)

G3: Maryland vs. Delaware

 

[MtNittany]

Thanks as always Tom. It's a special time and ends in a special place. I'm glad that every year you appreciate it so much.

Creighton Hale was my neighbor and knew my Dad well. He gave us stretch fences for a whiffle ball field, neon orange and green balls, all sorts of cool stuff. Great man.

 

[Erial_Lion]

Unfortunately, lots of drama down in Tulsa with their region...after the Tulsa Little League girl's team was disqualified from their tournament due to illegal players last month, and now their boy's team at the Little League level was also disqualified due to using ineligible players...so the regional final was played today and a team from Texas won. But not so fast; Tulsa went to the courts to get an injunction that says the Regional final will be played tomorrow with Oklahoma (Tulsa) against Texas. But Little League says their decision was final.

What a "stuff" show. Reminds me of the awful court ruling down here last year allowing a kid from Haddonfield to play in the State tournament that was supposed to be suspended from the game due to an ejection in his prior game.

Will be really interesting to see where this one lands in the next 24 hours.

 

[DaytonRickster]

Crazyville!

 

[creamery freak]

Delaware eliminated Maryland today defeating them 12-4. Maryland's 1st baseman, Cooper Smith has ties to Hughesville, Pa through his Grandparents , Doug and Darl Smith. The family's big PSU wrestling fans.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Results from Day 2:

Elimination Bracket
G3: Delaware - 12, Maryland - 4

As such, Maryland is eliminated from the tournament.

Schedule for Day 3 ((8/11)

Winner's Bracket Final
G4: Capitol Hill vs. Pennsylvania

Delaware will play in the Elimination Bracket Final, on Day 4 (8/13) (no games on 8/12)

 

[Erial_Lion]

Sounds like the Texas team and Little League International are ignoring the court injunction and won't be showing up for tonight's game...quite the circus.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Results from Day 3:

Winner's Bracket Final
G4: Pennsylvania - 10, Washington, D.C. - 0*

* = PA ten-runned DC in 4 innings

As such, Washington, D.C. drops into the Elimination bracket.

The tournament takes a break for a day (calendar wise), as there are no games played until Thursday (8/13).

Schedule for Day 4 (8/13):

Elimination Bracket
G5: Washington, D.C. vs. Delaware

 

[BCS PSU]

Results from Day 3:

Winner's Bracket Final
G4: Pennsylvania - 10, Washington, D.C. - 0*

* = PA ten-runned DC in 4 innings

As such, Washington, D.C. drops into the Elimination bracket.

The tournament takes a break for a day (calendar wise), as there are no games played until Thursday (8/13).

Schedule for Day 4 (8/13):

Elimination Bracket
G5: Washington, D.C. vs. Delaware

I haven't been able to see the PA team play, but I watched the Delaware-MD game yesterday and wasn't impressed with the competition, especially compared to several of the other regions. It seems as if PA is a big fish in a small pond in that regional.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

I haven't been able to see the PA team play, but I watched the Delaware-MD game yesterday and wasn't impressed with the competition, especially compared to several of the other regions. It seems as if PA is a big fish in a small pond in that regional.

The Mid-Atlantic Region Little League Tournament used to be pretty wide open, in terms of which team (State) would win. In 2001 (when LL expanded the # of teams that went to Williamsport, and broke the East Region into the New England Region and the Mid-Atlantic Region), New Jersey and New York were in the Mid-Atlantic Region. New York won 6 times, PA won 5 times, NJ won 4 times, and Maryland and Delaware won the rest. (D.C. never won the Mid-Atlantic title). For the 2022 season, LL once again expanded the number of teams that advanced, and in doing so moved New York and New Jersey to the (new) Metro Region. Since then, PA has won each of the Mid-Atlantic Regional titles.

 

[MtNittany]

Sounds like the Texas team and Little League International are ignoring the court injunction and won't be showing up for tonight's game...quite the circus.

Good for LLB. They've learned over the years. Injunctions just mean allowing teams with non-eligible players the opportunity to advance. And then it's "well, we weren't sure at the time, so...tough darts."

I still remember State College LL getting screwed. Then the Chicago team that was basically made up of half of Cook County.

That judge has no business sticking his nose in this. None.

 

[Bison13]

I haven't been able to see the PA team play, but I watched the Delaware-MD game yesterday and wasn't impressed with the competition, especially compared to several of the other regions. It seems as if PA is a big fish in a small pond in that regional.

I agree, being from MD, the Berlin LL (near Salisbury) is one of the better ones in the state, but that team didnt seem to have the depth of talent they normally do.

Between the Ripken league and the travel ball teams here in MD you just dont quite have the talent they used to. I'd assume most states are similar but we are more so with the name 'Cal Ripken' taking a majority of teams to that league. Plus from a development standpoint, the bigger kids should be playing on 50/70 diamonds and taking leads at 12 like they do in Ripken.

 

[MtNittany]

I agree, being from MD, the Berlin LL (near Salisbury) is one of the better ones in the state, but that team didnt seem to have the depth of talent they normally do.

Between the Ripken league and the travel ball teams here in MD you just dont quite have the talent they used to. I'd assume most states are similar but we are more so with the name 'Cal Ripken' taking a majority of teams to that league. Plus from a development standpoint, the bigger kids should be playing on 50/70 diamonds and taking leads at 12 like they do in Ripken.

I don't recall a team from MD ever winning or even going deep in this tournament.

 

[Bison13]

I don't recall a team from MD ever winning or even going deep in this tournament.

I know a couple guys who played on the 86 ish Brunswick MD team that made it to Williamsport. Their team ace threw a no-no, maybe even a perfecto to win the game to get them to the LLWS.

Normally Hagerstown and Salisbury areas are the ones who really push LL rules and have lots of in house teams to where they can make AS teams to progress through the tournament process. Living here for 25 years, I've never known Anne Arundel County, which tends to have some of the better youth organizations, to have any teams even in the LL organization. There are other pockets of high level baseball like Olney (LionJim's stomping grounds) or Harford county MD that dont do LL rules.

Right now my son is almost 9 and he will play on 46/60 next year, but once he gets to 11, he goes to 50/70. The best 12 year olds are playing 50/70 for a second year. Those are the dimensions are at Cooperstown dreams park and then Cal Ripken (Babe Ruth league) has both 46/60 and 50/70, but the majority do the bigger field, so most kids decide to not go back to the smaller field for that 12u year just to try and get to Williamsport.

The other reason the MD rarely makes it is because PA has a lot more good baseball areas and usually if you win the PA state tournament, you are VERY good

 

[MtNittany]

I know a couple guys who played on the 86 ish Brunswick MD team that made it to Williamsport. Their team ace threw a no-no, maybe even a perfecto to win the game to get them to the LLWS.

Normally Hagerstown and Salisbury areas are the ones who really push LL rules and have lots of in house teams to where they can make AS teams to progress through the tournament process. Living here for 25 years, I've never known Anne Arundel County, which tends to have some of the better youth organizations, to have any teams even in the LL organization. There are other pockets of high level baseball like Olney (LionJim's stomping grounds) or Harford county MD that dont do LL rules.

Right now my son is almost 9 and he will play on 46/60 next year, but once he gets to 11, he goes to 50/70. The best 12 year olds are playing 50/70 for a second year. Those are the dimensions are at Cooperstown dreams park and then Cal Ripken (Babe Ruth league) has both 46/60 and 50/70, but the majority do the bigger field, so most kids decide to not go back to the smaller field for that 12u year just to try and get to Williamsport.

The other reason the MD rarely makes it is because PA has a lot more good baseball areas and usually if you win the PA state tournament, you are VERY good

PA is a surprisingly fertile baseball area and has been for sometime. Even the Susquehanna Valley. I recently watched a Tom O'Malley video interview. I remember playing Senior League against him. My Dad called the Giants a year or so later, and got him signed. He played for like 5 MLB teams but wound up in Japan where he won league MVP over Ichiro and others one year.

He was Montoursville's star before anyone had heard of Mussina.

 

[BCS PSU]

PA is a surprisingly fertile baseball area and has been for sometime. Even the Susquehanna Valley. I recently watched a Tom O'Malley video interview. I remember playing Senior League against him. My Dad called the Giants a year or so later, and got him signed. He played for like 5 MLB teams but wound up in Japan where he won league MVP over Ichiro and others one year.

He was Montoursville's star before anyone had heard of Mussina.

Also, WPA, which has generally lousy weather even in the good weather months, has several current MLB players like David Bednar, J.J Weatherholt, Ian Happ, Mason Miller, and Cole Young.

 

[Nitt1300]

Best baseball of the year- every year.

 

[BCS PSU]

Best baseball of the year- every year.

Especially if you’re a fan of a certain MLB team that plays in an unnamed city in Western PA.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

I know a couple guys who played on the 86 ish Brunswick MD team that made it to Williamsport. Their team ace threw a no-no, maybe even a perfecto to win the game to get them to the LLWS.

Normally Hagerstown and Salisbury areas are the ones who really push LL rules and have lots of in house teams to where they can make AS teams to progress through the tournament process. Living here for 25 years, I've never known Anne Arundel County, which tends to have some of the better youth organizations, to have any teams even in the LL organization. There are other pockets of high level baseball like Olney (LionJim's stomping grounds) or Harford county MD that dont do LL rules.

Right now my son is almost 9 and he will play on 46/60 next year, but once he gets to 11, he goes to 50/70. The best 12 year olds are playing 50/70 for a second year. Those are the dimensions are at Cooperstown dreams park and then Cal Ripken (Babe Ruth league) has both 46/60 and 50/70, but the majority do the bigger field, so most kids decide to not go back to the smaller field for that 12u year just to try and get to Williamsport.

The other reason the MD rarely makes it is because PA has a lot more good baseball areas and usually if you win the PA state tournament, you are VERY good

- Annapolis Area Little League (previously South Maryland LL)

 

[Nittering Nabob]

Good for LLB. They've learned over the years. Injunctions just mean allowing teams with non-eligible players the opportunity to advance. And then it's "well, we weren't sure at the time, so...tough darts."

That judge has no business sticking his nose in this. None.

He properly vacated his TRO.

 

[Bison13]

- Annapolis Area Little League (previously South Maryland LL)

MD Districts

Yeah, not really. They just rebranded their name last year as Anne Arundel county when in reality those teams were the far southern tip and mostly played in southern Maryland.

a couple of those town names like Davidsonville arein the county, they always played with the Greenbelt/laurel or Calvert area teams. As an official Anne Arundel County league up until the renaming of this one, they all play Cal Ripken rules.

Gambrills, Millersville, Severna Park, Pasadena, etc. rec leagues at 12u have been 50/70 for over 25 years.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Results from Day 4:

Elimination Final
G5: Delaware - 7, Washington, D.C. - 2

As such, Washington, D.C. is eliminated, and Delaware advances to the Championship Final.


Schedule for Day 5 (8/14):

Championship Final
G5: Pennsylvania vs. Delaware

A reminder, as I noted in the OP, the Regions are the only tournament in the LLWS process where the team coming out of the Elimination Bracket does not need to beat the team that won the Championship Bracket two times to be the champion. The Championship Final is a winner-take-all game for the right to advance to Williamsport.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Results from Day 5:

Championship Final
G5: Pennsylvania - 3, Delaware - 1

As such, East Side Little League (West Chester, PA) is the 2026 Little League Mid-Atlantic champion. By virtue of the win, they advance to the 2026 Little League World Series, which starts on Wednesday, August 19.

Congrats to Delaware (Naamans Creek Little League) on a fine season. They came up just a win short of making it to Williamsport.

FWIW, this was the only game in the Region that the PA team didn't dominate. They have some talent, especially at pitcher, but I don't think they are one of the better PA teams in reason years to win Regions. But then, perhaps the seriousness of the game affected them, and they'll be more relaxed at Williamsport.

Unless there are weather issues, the rest of the US Region tournaments should be determined by the end of today.

 

[Alphalion75]

Go East State!! My old stomping grounds before I moved south.