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By Paul Chasko

The Dick’s Sporting Goods Pony League World Series (PLWS) was played out in a double-elimination tournament at the Lew Hays Pony League Field in Washington, Pennsylvania during the second week of August. Taipei County, Chinese Taipei once again outlasted the competition and took the Pony League trophy back home to Chinese Taipei.

Pitcher Simon Baeumer - Paderborn, Germany

This was the 65th year that the Pony League World Series has been played. From 1952 through 1993, qualifying teams were selected from the Lower Continental United states. Beginning the following year and beyond, the PLWS took on an international flavor due to the spread and interest of youth baseball outside the borders of the US. Teams from Chinese Taipei, Puerto Rico, Japan, Korea, and Mexico have joined the State of Hawaii in traveling to Washington , PA for the ultimate Pony League Tournament, deciding the world champion team on the field named for Lew Hays, who began Pony League Baseball. The teams qualifying for the 2016 PONY League World Series were:

Europe: Paderborn, Germany
Mexico: Los Mochis, Sinaloa
Asia-Pacific: Taipei County, Chinese Taipei
North Zone US: Bay County, Michigan
South Zone US: Laredo, Texas
East Zone US: Chesterfield, Virginia
West Zone US: Maui, Hawaii
Host Area North: Johnstown, PA
Host Area South: Peters Township, PA
Host: Washington County, PA

Of local Interest, Washington County lost to Paderborn, Germany 12-0 in game 4 and was relegated to the loser bracket. They were eliminated in game 8 by a 12-5 loss to Bay County, Michigan.

Johnstown tries to pick-off a Peters Twp. runner at first base

Peters Township was also relegated to the loser bracket by a 4-1 loss to Los Mochis , Mexico in the opening game of the tournament. They won over Johnstown in a close game 6-5 but met up with Los Mochis again in game 9 and were eliminated by losing that one 13-9.

Johnstown had lost game 2 to Chesterfield Virginia prior to their loss to Peters Township and they also were eliminated.

As the week progressed it became clear that the strongest teams taking the field on the strength of offense and strong pitching were; Los Mochis, ChineseTaipei, and Maui, Hawaii. Los Mochis faced ChineseTaipei in games 5 and again in game 15 and lost both games 5-0 and 9-2. In the end, Maui and Taipei faced each other in the Championship game on August 10.

Pitcher Kaipo Haoli - Maui, Hawaii

This was the second year that teams representing the US Pacific West Zone and Asia Pacific had faced each other in the championship game and the outcome was the same. Maui pitching could not hold down the strong hitting of the Chinese Team. Trouble began for Maui in the second inning with a solo home run by Taipei catcher Lin, Chen Hsun. Taipei tacked on five more runs in the third inning. Maui’s Konnor Palmeira put one over the center field wall making it 6-1 Taipei. Taipei tacked on another run in the fourth building their lead to 7-1. Hauoli Caliva cut the lead to 7-2 iin the sixth inning with another Maui solo home run. A walk-off win for Taipei in the sixth was assured by a two run homer by Lin, Chen Hsuan that tied the all-time record for home runs (6) in a PONY World Series Tournament. He shares the honor with Javier Lopez of Los Mochis (2013) and Mario Feliciano of Bayamon, Puerto Rico (2013).

As the mist was settling over Lew Hays Field Taipei was awarded the 2016 PONY League trophy with the final score at Taipei 12- Maui 2.

 Click on “Gallery” for more photos of this event by Paul Chasko

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