Little League World Series: North State Throws Combined Perfect Game

GREENVILLE, NC — The North State Little League team, representing the Southeast region, threw a combined perfect game against the Midwest regional champs in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

North State defeated the South Dakota-based Sioux Falls team 6-0 Friday. Both teams went a perfect 4-0 in their respective regional tournaments.

North State pitchers Chase Anderson, Matthew Matthijs and Carson Hardee combined to strike out 10 batters and allowed no baserunners over a perfect six innings. Anderson needed just 37 pitches to get through three innings and Matthijs threw just 35 pitches to get through 2 2/3 innings.

Sioux Falls starting pitcher Marcus Phillips labored into the third inning, finishing with 48 pitches and allowing four runs, all earned, on three hits and three walks. Jack Radel came in to pitch for the team in the third after Phillips loaded the bases without recording an out. Radel pitched 2 1/3 innings, giving up three hits and an earned run. He also struck out a batter. Mason Riley and Leo Hueners finished the game for Sioux Falls, allowing one unearned run between them. (For more information on this and other North State stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

North State's offense was carried on the backs of Thomas Barrett, Drew Fields, and Ashton Byars, who combined for five hits, three runs and four RBIs between them.

After the big win, North State moves on to play the California-based Rancho Santa Margarita All Stars on Sunday. Santa Margarita, champions of the West region, on Friday defeated Washington-based Walla Walla Valley 9-0 in the Little League World Series. (For more information on this and other North State stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Inning by inning recap below:

1st Inning

Sioux Falls pitcher Marcus Phillips induced a pop out and a ground out before giving up a double to Thomas Barrett. The threat ended though when Phillips got the next batter to pop out to third base.

North State pitcher Chase Anderson needed just seven pitches to induce three groundouts in the bottom of the first inning.

2nd Inning

North State's Chase Anderson drew a walk off Phillips to lead off the second inning, later advanced to second on a wild pitch and then reached third on a Cameron Greenway single. Another wild pitch from Phillips allowed Anderson to score and Greenway to reach second base. Greenway advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, but was stranded there after a subsequent fly out to left-center field.

Sioux Falls went down in order again against Chase Anderson, who struck out two in the inning and induced a ground out to first base.

3rd Inning

North State batter Matthew Matthijs drew a leadoff walk against Phillips in the top of the third inning and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He advanced to third on an infield single by Carson Hardee, who later stole second base. Phillips then walked Thomas Barrett to load the bases. Sioux Falls coach Jeff Riley pulled Phillips from the game and handed the ball over to Jack Radel.

Radel immediately gave up a single to Drew Fields, scoring one run. With the bases still loaded, Radel threw a wild pitch to Chase Anderson, scoring another run and putting North State up 3-0. Radel struck out Anderson, then gave up a double off the base of the center field wall to Ashton Byars, scoring two. Byars was subsequently substituted for Will Casey. In a bizarre double play, Luke Lambert hit a ball on the ground into left field, but a great throw from Ty Naaktgeboren nailed Casey at the plate. A subsequent throw to third nabbed Lambert.

North State pitcher Anderson breezed through the bottom of the frame, striking out two more and inducing a pop out.

4th Inning

Sioux Falls pitcher Radel sailed through the top of the fourth, inducing a pop out and a pair of ground outs.

North State fireballer Matthew Matthijs, who has a 76 mph fastball (roughly equal to 99 mph in the MLB), took the mound in the bottom of the fourth and promptly struck out the side. Catcher Jacob Calder took a pitch off his arm during the first at-bat of the inning and had to be looked at by medical staff. He remained in the game.

5th Inning

Mason Riley took the mound for Sioux Falls in the top of the fifth inning. After getting a quick fly out, Riley gave up a rocket single to Thomas Barrett, who advanced to second when the ball got by the centerfielder and went to the wall. North State's Fields subsequently doubled to deep right-center field, bringing another run home. Riley walked Casey, but escaped further damage by getting Byars to ground into a double play.

Sioux Falls nearly got its first hit in the bottom of the fifth. After Sullivan Schlimgen hit a hard ground out to second base, Mason Riley hit a line drive that would've been a base-hit if not for a diving catch by North State shortstop Carson Hardee. Radel struck out to end the inning.

6th Inning

Sioux Falls pitcher Riley needed just five pitches to get the first two batters out in the top of the sixth inning. He was relieved by Leo Hueners, who quickly induced a ground out to third.

Matthijs quickly struck out the first batter, but was relieved after inducing a subsequent ground ball so he could keep his pitch count at 35 and pitch again on Sunday. Carson Hardee came in to pitch and struck out Hueners to complete the combined perfect game.

Final score: 6-0

You can track the tournament at the Little League World Series and print your own bracket.

Other teams in the tournament include:
U.S. Teams

• New England defeats Mid-Atlantic 7-6
• Southwest defeats Great Lakes 5-1
• West defeats Northwest 9-0
• Southeast defeats Midwest 6-0

International Tournament Teams

• Latin American defeats Mexico 4-1
• Canada defeats Europe 12-2
• Japan defeats Australia 8-0

Sioux Falls lineup:

• Cohen Henry

• Griffin Wilde

• Marcus Phillips

• Ethan Bruns

• Mason Riley

• Jack Radel

• Beau Giblin

• Ty Naaktgeboren

• Jaxsen Grevengoed

• Treyse Eastman

• Leo Hueners

• Sullivan Schlimgen

• Logan Boom

• Bennett Dannenbring

North State lineup:

• Matthew Matthijs
• Carson Hardee
• Thomas Barrett
• Drew Fields
• Chase Anderson
• JoeJoe Byrne
• Cameron Greenway
• Jacob Calder
• Cash Daniels-Moye
• Will Casey
• Ashton Byars
• Luke Lambert

Photos courtesy of Little League Baseball and Softball; Rob Carr/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images