Little League World Series 2021 results: Jackson Surma's big hits lead Michigan over Ohio

Edward Sutelan

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Little League World Series 2021 results: Jackson Surma's big hits lead Michigan over Ohio image

The rivalry matchup between Ohio and Michigan lived up to the hype.

Taylor (Mich.) North Little League went into the top of the sixth inning with a four-run lead, but the Hamilton (Ohio) West Side Little League team brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the frame after drawing a bases-loaded walk with two outs. But for the third time Sunday, Michigan kept them loaded to stifle the rally. Taylor clinched the state's first Little League World Series title since 1959 with the 5-2 victory.

Michigan third baseman Jackson Surma was the catalyst for his team's offense. He drove home the game's first two runs in the first inning and then came around to score on a groundout later in the frame. In the bottom of the fifth, he provided two crucial insurance runs with another two-RBI hit, which made the score 5-1. He finished the day 2 for 3 with four RBIs and a run scored.

Right-hander Ethan Van Belle picked up the win. Michigan's ace dodged trouble when he stranded the bases loaded in the first and the third. He lasted four innings and allowed one run on five hits, with three walks with eight strikeouts. Gavin Ulin got the save, allowing a run, a hit and three walks over two innings with a pair of strikeouts. He also recorded two hits and scored two runs on offense.

For Ohio, Gavin Saylor came off the bench and recorded a pair of hits while Chase Moak scored both his team's runs.

Sporting News provided live updates and inning-by-inning highlights from Ohio vs. Michigan. Read below for complete results from the Little League World Series championship game.

MORE: Watch the Little League World Series live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

Little League World Series live updates, highlights from Ohio vs. Michigan

5:16 p.m. End of Game: Retherford flies out to center, and Michigan has won the 2021 Little League Baseball World Series.

5:15 p.m. Ohio scoring play: Vogel walks to bring in a run. Retherford up to bat. Michigan still leads 5-2.

5:13 p.m.: Harden is hit by a pitch to load the bases. The tying run is coming to the plate in the form of JJ Vogel.

5:12 p.m.: The first base umpire says Brown went around on strike three. Michigan is one out away from claiming the championship.

5:11 p.m.: Tyler Donges walks and Ohio has a pair of runners on with one away for Brown.

5:08 p.m.: Moak is hit by a pitch to put a runner on with one away in the top of the sixth.

5:07 p.m.: One away in the top of the sixth as Baumann grounds out to second.

5:01 p.m. End of Fifth: Ohio escapes the inning without any more damage as Adkins pops out to second. 

5:01 p.m.: Furkas pops out for the second out of the frame.

5:00 p.m.: Another passed ball moves Surma up to third with still only one out.

4:57 p.m. Michigan scoring play: Add on to Surma's big day at the plate. He singles up the middle to score both runners and collect his third and fourth RBIs. Michigan extends lead to 5-1.

4:57 p.m.: Passed ball moves both runners into scoring position.

4:56 p.m.: Ohio gets a huge out as Thorning pops out to the infield for the first out.

4:53 p.m.: Ulin singles to left to put runners on first and second with no one out.

4:52 p.m.: Farner grounds a base hit up the middle to give Michigan a leadoff base runner.

4:46 p.m. End Top Fifth: Jones grounds into a 6-4-3 double play. Michigan continues escaping danger. It leads 3-1.

4:43 p.m.: Saylor singles up the middle to put runners on first and second.

4:43 p.m.: Retherford strikes out swinging, the umpires confirm on review.

4:39 p.m.: Vogel walks to lead off the inning. It's the fifth time Ohio has kicked the frame off with a baserunner.

4:37 p.m.: Ulin is the new pitcher for Michigan.

4:33 p.m. End of Fourth: Kale Harris pops out to the catcher for the third out of the inning.

4:33 p.m.: LaForest is called out on strike three up and in. Two outs now.

4:29 p.m.: Van Belle swings at a high pitch and ropes it between third and short for a base hit. Runners on first and second.

4:28 p.m.: Chauncey Adkins lines a base hit into left field to give Michigan a base runner with one away.

4:27 p.m.: Furkas pops out to shortstop.

4:22 p.m. End Top Fourth: Van Belle's 85th and final pitch is a swinging strike three to end the inning. His final line: four innings, five hits, one run, three walks and eight strikeouts.

4:20 p.m.: Van Belle gets Brown looking for strike three on a breaking ball. He's up to 80 pitches though, so he's nearing the end of his afternoon.

4:19 p.m.: Clay is called out on strike three. One away.

4:14 p.m. End of Third: Surma lines out to left to end the frame. Ohio will bat in the fourth trailing Michigan 3-1.

4:12 p.m.: Thorning with a loud flyout to right field. 

4:11 p.m.: Ulin hits a sharp grounder to third that is stopped by a diving attempt, but he makes it down the line for the infield single without a throw.

4:10 p.m.: Harden fans Farner for the first out.

4:09 p.m.: Harden is the new pitcher on the mound for Ohio to start the bottom of the third.

4:04 p.m. End Top Third: Retherford, standing on third, thought the second strike to Clay was strike three and started to head to the dugout. Thorning throws down to third and Retherford is tagged out for the final out of the inning. Van Belle again escapes damage with the bases loaded.

4:03 p.m.: Moak also takes a look at strike three on the outside. Van Belle is one out away from stranding the bases loaded for the second time in three innings without any damage.

4:02 p.m.: Maggard strikes out looking at pitch on the corner. One away.

4:00 p.m.: Jones walks to load up the bases again for Ohio. Van Belle's pitch count is up to 58. He can only get up to 85, and there's no one out in the third.

3:58 p.m.: Gavin Saylor also takes a hack at the first pitch he sees, and he too lines it into right over the second baseman. Runners on the corners for Jones.

3:57 p.m.: Retherford helping his own cause with a leadoff base hit to right center. 

3:53 p.m. End of Second: Six-pitch inning for Retherford. He gets Jaxon Shufeldt to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to end the frame.

3:53 p.m.: Hard grounder to third and subsequent throw to first can't be dug out as Max LaForest reaches first. 

3:52 p.m.: Clay makes an impressive sliding grab to field a Van Belle grounder and nab him at first. 

3:47 p.m. End Top Second: Van Belle paints the low-outside corner with a fastball to strike out Vogel. He limits the damage and sends his team back to the bat rack with a 3-1 lead.

3:46 p.m.: Harden is caught looking at strike three for the second out.

3:44 p.m.: Krew Brown flies out to right for the first out of the second.

3:43 p.m. Ohio scoring play: Cooper Clay snaps an 0-for-13 skid with his first hit and RBI, lining a base hit to left to put Ohio on the board. Michigan still leads 3-1.

3:42 p.m.: Chase Moak drops a hit down the left field line. His slide gets him into third for a triple.

3:38 p.m. End Bottom First: Noah Boren strikes out to end the inning, but the damage is done. Michigan leads 3-0.

3:37 p.m. Michigan scoring play: Jakob Furkas grounds out to shortstop, but it's deep enough to allow Surma to score from third. Michigan extends lead to 3-0.

3:36 p.m.:  Wild pitch moves Surma up to third.

3:35 p.m. Michigan scoring play: Surma lines a base hit into left, scoring both Ulin and Thorning. Surma moves up to second on the throw. Michigan takes a 2-0 lead.

3:34 p.m.: Thorning steals second base, but Ulin holds up at third. 

3:34 p.m.: Thorning is able to beat out an infield single to second base. An errant throw allows Ulin to advance to third, which puts runners on the corners for Jackson Surma.

3:31 p.m.: Gavin Ulin walks to put a runner on first with one away for Cameron Thorning, who has been arguably the best hitter during the LLWS.

3:30 p.m.: Lucas Farner grounds out to shortstop. 

3:24 p.m. End Top First: Van Belle gets Maggard to chase a high fastball to strike out and strand the bases loaded. Michigan bats now coming up to bat in the bottom half of the inning.

3:23 p.m.: Maddox Jones pops out to short in an infield fly. Gage Maggard comes to the plate with two out and the bases loaded.

3:21 p.m.: Noah Davidson walks to load up the bases with only one out. Van Belle is up to 24 pitches in the inning. The Little League pitch count limit always plays a factor.

3:19 p.m.: Retherford flies out to center for the first out of the inning.

3:18 p.m.: JJ Vogel lines a base hit past the third baseman to put runners on first and second with no one out.

3:16 p.m.: Kaleb Harden takes a five-pitch walk to lead off the game.

3:15 p.m.: Van Belle's first pitch is a strike, and this game is underway.

3:13 p.m.: Here are the starting lineups for the game.

3:06 p.m.: It's going to be Ohio's Chance Retherford on the mound starting against Michigan's Ethan Van Belle.

3:00 p.m.: The teams are getting ready to take the field. 

2:40 p.m.: A few rival baseball teams weigh in on the LLWS. The game is scheduled to start in 20 minutes.

2:00 p.m.:  Michigan is going for its second Little League World Series championship and first one since 1959, while Ohio is going for the state's first-ever title. Which Midwest team will come out on top?

Little League World Series start time today

The matchup between Ohio and Michigan will take place at 3 p.m., five hours after the start of the consolation game between Hawaii and South Dakota. The championship will be carried by ABC as ESPN wraps up its coverage of the Little League World Series. It can also be streamed on ESPN+ or fuboTV, which offers a 7-day free trial.

Karl Ravech will be in the booth calling the play-by-play with Jessica Mendoza and Kyle Peterson providing analysis. Julie Foudy will be the reporter for the game.

MORE:  15 sports stars who played in the Little League World Series

Little League World Series rosters

Here's a look at the players on each team that will be fighting to be the latest squad crowned Little League World Series champion.

Ohio

Number Player Position Bats/Throws
3 Chase Moak OF L/R
5 Gage Maggard 2B R/R
6 Cooper Clay 3B/SS R/R
7 Brady Baumann C/2B/RF R/R
8 Krew Brown CF R/R
9 Levi Smith SS/P R/R
10 Kaleb Harden OF/P L/L
12 Gavin Saylor LF/P/3B L/R
13 Maddox Jones 1B/3B/C R/R
15 Tyler Donges P/3B R/R
16 Noah Davidson C/P R/R
18 Chance Retherford RF/P R/R
23 JJ Vogel 1B/P R/L
24 Cooper Oden P/1B R/R

Coaching Staff:  Ken Coomer (Manager), Danny Adams, Chris Craft

Michigan

Number Player Position Bats/Throws
3 Gavin Ulin 2B/P R/R
6 Jaxon Shufeldt CF/P R/R
8 Chauncey Adkins RF/P R/R
9 Lucas Farner SS/P R/R
13 Ethan Van Belle C/P R/R
17 Max LaForest 1B/P R/R
18 Jakob Furkas CF/P L/R
22 Jackson Surma 3B/P R/R
23 Cameron Thorning C/P L/R
24 Kale Harris LF/P R/R
27 Noah Boren LF/P R/R

Coaching Staff:  Rick Thorning (Manager), Guido Ulin

Edward Sutelan

Edward Sutelan Photo

Edward Sutelan joined The Sporting News in 2021 after covering high school sports for PennLive. Edward graduated from The Ohio State University in 2019, where he gained experience covering the baseball, football and basketball teams. Edward also spent time working for The Columbus Dispatch and Cape Cod Times.