International and US Championship games today

It's come down to 4 teams:  Chinese Taipei vs Venezuela and US East vs US SouthEast.  Venezuela overpowered Australia in the first game yesterday, winning 9-0 in 7 strong innings for the kids from Latin America.  The US elimination game was very competitive, with North Carolina hanging on for a 5-3 victory over the team from Encinitas LL.  I was on the right field line for the US game - no critical calls, but a great vantage point to see the game unfold.  West took the lead early, only to give it back in the 3rd or 4th inning on a 2-run throwing error.  They had a lot of runners on bases, but just couldn't get the right hit at the right time - and SouthEast held on.

Today's (Saturday) games will be at 3:00 EDT (International) and 6:00 EDT (US), with the winners moving on to the World Series Championship on Sunday at noon EDT (on ESPN2).  I will be on 3rd base for the International game which is still streamed at www.ustream.tv/channel/jlws.
 
The most important thing, at least in my life, that happened on Friday, is that Marilyn arrived for the last 3 days of the series.  She arrived at the field just before game time and so was able to watch me for the first time here in Taylor.  It made the game just a bit more significant for me - it was more emotional for me knowing that she was here. I'm glad that she will have a couple days to enjoy the series and meet the great group of people that have been MY team over the past week.  She took these pictures of me in Right Field during the US game.

One last item for today - in the umpire room, they have created a series of plaques in the ceiling with the umpires for each of the 38 years that the tournament has been running.  I took pictures of the plaques for the other D12 umpires who have been to Taylor - Ralph Gianini in 2004 and Dan Campagnolo in 2006

And here is my plaque, with the names of of the entire crew.  The picture is even more special because in the reflection of the plaque you can make out Orland King - who is known as the Legend of Taylor.  At 93, he still umpires (a pitch or two), has been umpiring for 53 years, and was at the first Junior League World Series, and at every series since then.