SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Sean McIntyre drove in the go-ahead run in the fifth inning and finished with two RBIs, leading Conejo Valley Little League of Thousand Oaks, Calif., to a 3-1 victory over South Caroline of Preston, Md., Thursday night and into the U.S. championship of the Little League World Series.
With two outs in the fifth, Maryland third baseman Ryan Hood dropped a popup, allowing Danny Leon to reach second base. McIntyre's line drive to centerfield brought Leon home to make it 2-1.
John Lister hit a solo homer in the sixth to pad the lead for California (4-0), which faces Richmond, Texas, in Saturday's U.S. championship. The world championship is Sunday.
California went up 1-0 in the third when McIntyre's line drive to rightfield scored Timmy Ginther.
Maryland (1-3) tied the score in the fourth on Thomas Howe's infield single. With two outs and Ben LaNeve on third base, McIntyre fielded Howe's hit but lost the foot race to first base, allowing LaNeve to score.
McIntyre (2-0) also struck out five, and Cody Thompson struck out two in the sixth to earn the save. Robbie Payne (0-2) took the loss.
MEXICO 6, PANAMA 2 (10): Alan Camarillo's first homer of the series - a three-run shot - came at a perfect time, helping end the longest game in Little League World Series history and propelling Mexico into the international championship.
"I made great contact with it, and there it went," said Camarillo, who hit only the fourth homer of the series for Mexico.
Mexico plays Willem Willemstad, Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, in the international championship Saturday.
The game lasted 3:50, breaking the record of 3:11 in a game between New Jersey and Michigan in 1998.
That game - and one between Kentucky and Texas in 2002 - set the record for innings played with 11.
In the 10th, Daniel Loranzo reached on an error and Oscar Garza singled to left. Camarillo followed with a homer to center off Brian Rodriguez (0-1), giving Mexico a 5-2 lead.
Victor Gonzalez added a run-scoring single to cap the inning.
Panama (3-1) threatened in the bottom of the 10th, putting runners on first and second before Garza came back to strike out the next three batters.
"I had a high level of confidence in Oscar," manager Geraldo Leal said.
Garza (2-0) and starter Walter Montemayor combined for 25 strikeouts.
