One of the great things about the Little League World Series is watching kids having fun playing baseball.
However, these are also some of the top Little League teams in the world, and the games get competitive and exciting—none more so than the final weekend of action in Williamsport, Pa.
The four remaining teams in this year's Little League World Series are set to face off Saturday, with Japan and Curacao playing in the international title game and Hawaii and Louisiana competing for the United States title.
The winners from the two sides of the bracket will then play in Sunday's Little League World Series championship game.
Ahead of this weekend's action, here's a closer look at these four teams, as well as some of their top players so far in the tournament (with stats courtesy of GameChanger).
Remaining Teams
International: Chofu City, Japan (Japan Region)
Top Hitters
Yuto Kakeba (7-for-11, HR, 2 2B, 8 RBI, 4 R)
Taishi Kawaguchi (5-for-10, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, 3 R)
Yuto Misaki (4-for-10, HR, 2B, 5 RBI, 3 R)
Top Pitchers
Yuto Misaki (3 G, 1-0, 2 SV, 5.1 IP, 1 H, 0.00 ERA, 1 BB, 9 K)
Ritsu Nishikawa (2 G, 1 GS, 1-0, 4.2 IP, 4 H, 0.00 ERA, 0 BB, 7 K)
Yuto Kakeba (2 G, 1 GS, 1-0, 4.1 IP, 1 H, 0.00 ERA, 0 BB, 9 K)
Japan has been dominant while going 3-0 in this tournament. In those three victories, it has outscored its opponents 32-2. It didn't allow a run until its most recent win over South Korea.
None of Japan's three pitchers with the most innings have allowed a run in the Little League World Series, as the trio have combined to toss 14⅓ frames.
Chofu City is looking to win Japan its sixth Little League World Series championship in the last nine years. Since 2020, the country has won the international title at the LLWS six times.
International: Willemstad, Curacao (Caribbean Region)
Top Hitters
Curley Martha (8-for-13, 2 HR, 2B, 6 RBI, 7 R)
Jurdrick Profar (6-for-13, 2B, RBI, 6 R)
Nathan Castillo (5-for-13, 2B, 5 RBI, 4 R)
Top Pitchers
Jurdrick Profar (3 G, 2 GS, 1-0, SV, 9.1 IP, 7 H, 1.93 ERA, 4 BB, 12 K)
Keven Rosina (1 GS, 1-0, 6 IP, 3 H, 0.00 ERA, 1 BB, 7 K)
Shendrion Martinus (2 GS, 1-0, 6 IP, 0 H, 1.00 ERA, 4 BB, 3 K)
Curley Martha (3 G, 1-1, SV, 5 IP, 3 H, 1.20 ERA, 4 BB, 8 K)
Curacao is 4-1 this tournament, and it has won three straight games since losing to South Korea. However, it avenged that defeat with a 5-3 victory in the rematch between the two teams, which moved Curacao into the international title game.
The team has scored five or more runs in all but one of its LLWS games. It has been led by Jurdrick Profar, the younger brother of Oakland Athletics infielder Jurickson Profar, who has excelled both on the mound and at the plate.
Curacao is looking to win the international title for the first time since 2005, while its only previous Little League World Series championship came in 2004. Jurickson Profar played for both of those teams.
United States: Wailuku, Hawaii (West Region)
Top Hitters
Isaac Imamura (3-for-9, 2 R)
Jaren Pascual (3-for-9, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, 4 R)
Nakea Kahalehau (3-for-10, 2B, 4 R)
Top Pitchers
Jaren Pascual (1 GS, 1-0, 6 IP, 9 H, 0.00 ERA, 2 BB, 2 K)
Bransyn Hong (1 G, 1-0, 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0.00 ERA, 2 BB, 2 K)
Logan Kuloloia (1 GS, 1-0, 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0.00 ERA, 2 BB, 3 K)
Isaac Imamura (1 G, 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0.00 ERA, 1 BB, 4 K)
On the United States side of the bracket, Hawaii has been dominant. It was won all three of its games, outscoring its first two opponents 11-2 before notching a 12-9 victory over Virginia to reach the United States title game.
None of the team's top four pitchers have allowed an earned run, with that quartet combining to toss 15⅓ innings.
Hawaii is looking to win the Little League World Series championship for the second straight year after Honolulu claimed the 2018 title.
United States: River Ridge, Louisiana (Southwest Region)
Top Hitters
Reece Roussel (13-for-17, HR, 5 2B, 7 RBI, 5 R)
Derek DeLatte (6-for-13, RBI, 2 R)
Marshall Louque (4-for-16, 3 2B, 7 R)
Ryan Darrah (4-for-13, RBI, 3 R)
Top Pitchers
Marshall Louque (3 GS, 2-1, 9.2 IP, 5 H, 0.00 ERA, 3 BB, 16 K)
Egan Prather (3 G, 2 GS, 1-0, 8.1 IP, 5 H, 1.44 ERA, 4 BB, 13 K)
William Andrade (3 G, 4.1 IP, 3 H, 0.00 ERA, 0 BB, 2 K)
Louisiana lost its first game of the Little League World Series, falling to Hawaii 5-2. It then won four straight matches, outscoring its opponents 27-3, to advance to the United States title game, where it will get a rematch against Hawaii.
Reece Roussel has been one of the top hitters in the tournament, as he's gotten out only four times in 17 plate appearances. He also hit a grand slam in Louisiana's last win over Virginia, a 10-0 victory in five innings.
Louisiana has never been to the Little League World Series championship game, so if this team could win the United States title, it would be a historic feat.
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