Canada loses LLWS game despite Matt Wilkinson’s 16 strikeouts in five innings

(LLWS) History was made on Friday as the Little League World Series opened with all 16 teams competing on the same day for the first time ever.

A record eight games were on the schedule after Thursday’s slate was completely wiped out by rain. That meant a lot of baseball was played and a lot of big moments took place in Williamsport, and no game featured more big moments or more great pitching than the international battle between Canada and Mexico.

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The star of the game was Team Canada left-hander Matt Wilkinson, who represents White Rock Little League. Wilkinson put forth the performance of a lifetime while posting a pitching line that will be difficult to duplicate.

In five scoreless innings, Wilkinson struck out 16 batters.

Yes, 16 strikeouts. You don’t have to double-check your math. There are still only three outs in an inning, which means Wilkinson recorded 15 outs officially. However, Wilkinson was credited with four strikeouts in the fifth inning after one Mexican strikeout victim, Ernesto Rios, reached first base on a dropped third strike. So the official number of strikeouts is 16.

Pretty crazy, right?

It actually gets crazier. After Wilkinson was removed from the game due to pitch count restrictions. Mexico scored a single run in the sixth inning and went to win the game 1-0. So the outing went for naught, and now Canada has to battle its way back into contention without Wilkinson being available to pitch for the next four days.

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That’s a painful way for White Rock to begin the tournament, but a tip of the cap is also due to Mexican pitcher Daniel Zaragoza. Zaragoza was nearly Wilkinson’s equal on the hill, striking out 10 over his five scoreless innings. He then played offensive hero as well, delivering an RBI single off White Rock relief pitcher Alen Sugimoto.

Whew. That was only one of the games on Friday. If this is any indication what this year’s Little League World Series will be like, then we’re in for a wild 10 days.

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