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SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Trevor Tallent hit a three-run homer in the second inning to put Morganton, N.C., ahead for good in a 10-4 victory over Davenport, Iowa, in Friday's opening game of the Little League World Series.
Down 3-2 with two outs, Aaron Attaway and Chris Fine singled to set up Tallent's shot over the center-field wall. It was a bit of redemption for Tallent, who allowed the game's first home run to bounce off his glove and over the wall a few feet from where his own homer crossed.
Iowa pulled within 5-4 in the fourth when Tyler Woody stole second, then scored on two errors. But Fine padded the North Carolina lead with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth. Tallent scored on a wild pitch, making it 8-4 at the end of the inning. Nick Chapman and Attaway scored on a fielding error in the fifth to provide the final margin.
Eli Lawson earned the win for North Carolina. Trevor Kenyon took the loss.
Iowa took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Jacob Gibson's fly to center field bounced off Tallent's glove and over the wall, driving in Cody Lambert.
North Carolina came back to tie the game in the bottom of the inning, with Attaway scoring on a bases-loaded walk and Fine coming home on a passed ball. Iowa took its last lead in the second when Joseph Black doubled, then scored on Cody Perreault's RBI single for a 3-2 lead.
PLAYER QUARANTINED: A player from Taiwan was quarantined after being diagnosed with chickenpox. Little League officials would not identify the player, but pitcher-outfielder Lee Chen-Hsing was the only one who did not attend Friday's opening ceremony. Taiwan's players and coaches were being monitored by health officials, as were members of the Richmond, Texas, team, which shares bathroom and shower facilities with Taiwan.