Play ball
The 10-team field for the Pony League World Series, which begins Friday night at Lew Hays Pony Field in Washington Park, has been determined.
The final two clubs to punch tickets to Washington were South Zone champion Brownsville, Texas, and West Zone champion Hilo, Hawaii. Each scored zone-clinching wins Monday.
Also in the field are host team Washington, Mon-Yough (Host Area), Chesterfield County, Va. (East), Bay County, Mich. (North), Paderborn, Germany (European), Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico (Mexico), Bayamon, Puerto Rico (Caribbean) and Okinawa, Japan (Asia-Pacific).
The series has been condensed to six days this year. It begins with a doubleheader Friday and concludes July 14.
The opening-night matchups have Brownsville playing Bayamon at 5:30 p.m., and following the opening ceremonies, Mon-Yough will play Bay County at approximately 8 p.m.
Washington will play its first game Saturday (5:30 p.m.) against Paderborn. The game will be part of a tripleheader.
Brownsville won the West Zone Monday in Burleson, Texas, by overcoming a three-run deficit and defeating St. Landry, La., 8-3. Brownsville won seven consecutive games after losing its opening game in the zone tournament.
Hilo needed an extra inning in the championship game to win the West Zone, edging Lakeside, Calif., 6-5 in eight innings in Whittier, Calif.
Lakeside had forced the “if necessary” game by defeating Hilo 8-6 earlier in the day. Hilo ended a string of eight consecutive West Zone champions from California.
World Series activities begin Friday morning with the Home Run Derby and Fastest Baserunner competitions starting at 11 a.m.
Hilo is the first team from Hawaii to qualify for the World Series since 2004, when Mililani was the runner-up to East Cobb, Ga.
This will be the 62nd Pony League World Series and the 51st played in Washington.