Little League World Series, how Alabama won SE Region to go to Williamsport

In about a week, youth baseball fans, teams and players will descend upon Williamsport, Pennsylvania for the start of the 2026 Little League World Series.

The International bracket is almost set with just the Canada Region winner to be named. 

Meanwhile, the United States bracket teams will begin qualifying this week. In all, 20 teams will eventually claim their spot in the coveted global tournament, which will occur from August 19-30 and be shown on ESPN family of networks, in addition to ABC.

USA TODAY Sports will have updates on the US Region Tournaments as they unfold this week, and you can watch the action on the ESPN networks and stream on ESPN+ and the ESPN app.

Here is the full Little League World Series schedule for Aug. 12 and how to watch all the games.

Watch LLWS games with Fubo

Alabama 4, Tennessee 0(FINAL)

• TN | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | = 0 | 3 | 2
• AL | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | x | = 4 | 6 | 0

It will be in Williamsport next week. Phenix City Youth Baseball Little League will play in Game 2 of the LLWS against the Northwest champion at 3 p.m. ET on Wednesday, August 19 on ESPN.

Well. It will be a moment that was 27 years in the making. If you are having flashbacks of that 1999 Phenix City National Little League team that made that dramatic run in the Little League World Series. You guessed right. Kinsley Rasmus' dad (Cory) and uncle (Colby) powered that team to the United States championship and to a 5-0 loss to Hirakata Little League (Osaka, Japan) in the 1999 Little League World Series championship game.

Rasmus had a complete game shutout and had a sparkling final pitching line: 6IP, 3H, 0ER, 0BB, 8K and kept the Tennessee batters off balanced with her fast ball and her curve ball, which she attributed to her dad, Cory Rasmus in a postgame interview on ESPN.

Alabama's Kinsley Rasmus had a perfect game through three innings and finished with a three-hitter and her power arm guided Alabama to the Little League World Series. Final: Alabama 4, Tennessee 0.

Alabama is just three defensive outs away from a Williamsport berth.

Easton Allen's sacrifice fly to right field brought home the fourth run. It is now 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Alabama's Kinsley Rasmus got a ground out to end the top of the fifth inning. Rasmus has a shutout through five innings.

The leadoff single by Williams gave Nolensville Little League some momentum. However, Rasmus got her sixth strikeout for the first out. A potential inning-ending double play turned into a fielder's choice out at second and safe call at first base as the runner beat out the relay throw. The play was challenged by Alabama and reviewed. The call on the field stood. After that play, it was one on and two outs.

Van Horn came on in relief, faced one batter and struck out that hitter. After four innings, Alabama leads 3-0 over Tennessee.

Van Horn takes over for Frazier, who went 3 2/3IP, 5H, 3R, 3ER, 3BB, 4K.

Tennessee's Julian Frazier day is done. He almost got out of the inning with no damage but he fielded the 87th pitch of the day and threw the ball into center field. There was miscommunication if the shortstop or second baseman was going to take the throw to second base. Now there are runners on second and third after the miscue with two outs.

Cameron took the 75th pitch from Tennessee's Julian Frazier and sent the ball into center field. It is one on, one out now.

Now, it is strategy time for the Tennessee manager on how much longer you leave Fraizer in there. Frazier looks dialed in after striking out the first batter of the bottom of the fourth on his 70th pitch. Daily maximum is 85 pitches.

Tennessee's Hollis Smith turns a bunt attempt into an infield single to take away a perfect game opportunity from Alabams' Kinley Rasmus. But that's the only blemish so far.

It was a 3.5 hour rain delay that held up the start of this game, which was originally scheduled for 3 p.m. ET

We are through three innings and Rasmus has faced nine Tennessee hitters and no one has been able to reach base yet.

Takes an elevated curve ball on a 2-1 count and launches it into center field to bring home another run. It is 3-0 Alabama now in the bottom of the third. It is his sixth RBI during the regional tournament.

Something to monitor is Frazier's pitch count as the daily maximum is 85 pitches.

Rasmus has an impressive stat line thus far: 3IP, 0H, 0ER, 0R, 0BB, 4K.

During that historic 1999 run, the Phenix City National Little League team won the United States Championship before ultimately finishing as the world runner-up after a loss to Hirakata, Japan in the international final. Notably, that 1999 roster featured future Major League Baseball players Colby Rasmus and Cory Rasmus.

Frazier gave up a triple that was almost a home run to right field but was able to get another strikeout (two in total for the game) to defuse the threat.

Quintero hammered a breaking down down the right field line that almost left the field but it hit the wall and he turned it into a two-out triple. He gets stranded at third base. The fences are 225 feet all the way around.

Right now, the pitcher that has recorded two straight 1-2-3 innings for Phenix City Youth Baseball Little League. Phenix City is trying to get back to the Little League World Series for the first time since 1999, according to ESPN.

Alabama gets two runners in scoring position with one out. A wild pitch pushed across the first run and moved that second runner to third base. It is 1-0, Alabama. Casen Smith later walked putting runners on the corners with one out. With Cam Lee at the plate, runners take off and the runner from third beats the tag as the runner on first moved to second. 2-0, Alabama. Brooks Cameron walked putting runners on first and third again - now with two outs. Tennessee picks off Casen Smith off third to end the inning. After one full inning, 2-0, Alabama.

Alabama pitcher Julian Frazier got two strikeouts and one ground out for an easy inning.

Play is underway after a lengthy delay.

The Southeast title game is currently in a weather delay.

Watch LLWS games with Fubo

• Wisconsin 3, Minnesota 2 (Midwest Region)
• Pennsylvania 10, Washington D.C. (Mid-Atlantic Region)
• Nevada 4, Utah 3 (Mountain Region)
• 3 p.m. - Tennessee at Alabama (Southeast Region Championship) - ESPN (game is delayed due to weather)
• 5 p.m. - Washington at Idaho (Northwest Region) - ESPN
• 6:20 p.m. - Kentucky at Indiana (Great Lakes Region) - ESPN
• 9:30 p.m. - Hawaii at S. California (West Region) - ESPN

• Dates : Aug. 19-30
• TV : ESPN | ESPN2 | ABC
• Stream : ESPN+
• Location : Williamsport, Pennsylvania

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Little League World Series, how Alabama won SE Region to go to Williamsport