Davenport Northwest hammered by Nevada at Little League World Series

Davenport Northwest rolled the dice during its Aug. 26 Little League World Series game against Nevada, and the gamble backfired.

Iowa pitcher Cooper Thissen was in control through 3 2/3 innings Wednesday, striking out 10 batters and allowing no hits or runs. His coaches elected to take him out of a scoreless game to keep him eligible for Sunday's LLWS championship game, and Nevada took full advantage.

Nevada immediately scored four runs in the fourth inning after Thissen left the game. The Mountain Region champions continued to pile on in the fifth and sixth innings and won 14-6 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Iowa scored six runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth (final) inning to build some momentum for its next game.

Thissen has been dominant in this event, allowing no runs or hits in nine innings of work. But when he reached 65 pitches, Iowa coaches decided to pull him to keep him eligible for Sunday's LLWS title game should Davenport make it that far.

Iowa will play an elimination game at 8 a.m. CT Thursday, Aug. 27 against the winner of Ohio vs. Alabama. The winner of Thursday's game will advance to Saturday's 2:30 p.m. CT U.S. championship game.

Davenport's No. 2 pitcher, Anthony Johnson Jr., is not eligible to pitch Thursday due to pitch-limit rules (he threw 86 pitches on Sunday, striking out 15 New Jersey batters in Iowa's victory).

Johnson Jr. could pitch Friday if Thursday's game is pushed back a day (there's rain in the forecast) or Saturday if Iowa can win its Thursday elimination game without its two best pitchers.

The winner of Saturday's U.S. championship game will play the international champion on Sunday.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Davenport Northwest hammered by Nevada at Little League World Series