New Jersey Little League wins World Series opener, who they play next

Bayonne Little League opened tournament play with a dramatic 2-1 walk-off victory over Bridgewater, Massachusetts, Wednesday night.

Mason Rincon was the hero on the mound and at the plate, striking out eight batters then hitting a walk-off home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to send Bayonne Little League to Friday, Aug. 21, game vs. Pennsylvania's East Side Little League.

Little League Baseball World Series continues Thursday with Day 2 action. Four more teams will open tournament play Thursday in Williamsport after Bayonne's walk-off win, South Korea's shutout victory and a U.S.-bracket extra-innings thriller highlighted opening day. Weather has impacted Thursday's schedule, with all four Little League World Series games moved later into the day.

Searching for LLWS games today, Little League World Series scores, today's schedule or the updated 2026 bracket? Here's everything fans need to know heading into Thursday's slate.

LLWS games today: What games are on today in the Little League World Series?

The Little League Baseball World Series continues Thursday with four opening-round games in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Weather pushed all four games later into the day.

Australia vs. Mexico, 3 p.m. ET
Great Lakes vs. Mountain, 3 p.m. ET
Japan vs. Curaçao, 6 p.m. ET
West vs. Midwest, 6 p.m. ET

All eight teams are making their first appearances of the Little League World Series 2026.

What channel is LLWS on today? How to watch Little League World Series games today

Thursday's Little League World Series games will air on ESPN and ESPN2.

Fans can also stream the games through:

Fubo
Hulu + Live TV
YouTube TV
Sling TV
DirecTV Stream
ESPN app (with a participating TV provider login)

Watch the LLWS 2026 on Fubo

LLWS scores today: What are today's Little League World Series scores and results?

Opening day winners were:

Latin America (Nicaragua) defeated Caribbean (Dominican Republic), 2-1
Northwest (Washington) defeated Southeast (Alabama), 2-0
Asia-Pacific (South Korea) defeated Canada, 7-0
Metro (New Jersey) defeated New England (Massachusetts), 2-1

Fans can follow live Little League World Series scores and bracket updates through ESPN, LittleLeague.org and GameChanger throughout the tournament.

Is the Little League World Series double elimination?

Yes. The Little League Baseball World Series uses a double-elimination format in both the United States and international brackets. Teams remain alive until they lose twice.

A first loss sends a team to the elimination bracket. A second loss ends its tournament run. The winners of the U.S. and international brackets advance to the Little League World Series championship game.

LLWS 2026 bracket: What does the Little League World Series 2026 bracket look like?

The updated Little League Baseball World Series bracket below shows every team's path through the United States and international tournaments as the championship race continues in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. For a printable bracket, head to the official Little League website.

When does East Side Little League play in the LLWS?

East Side Little League of West Chester, Pennsylvania, opens its 2026 Little League World Series run on Friday at 7 p.m. ET against Bayonne in the United States winner's bracket.

The winner of the Bayonne vs East Side game (NJ vs PA) advances to a Sunday, Aug. 23 winners' bracket game, while the loser drops into the elimination bracket, playing Tuesday, Aug. 25.

When is the 2026 Little League World Series championship game?

The 2026 Little League Baseball World Series championship game is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 30, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

The United States champion will face the international champion for the Little League World Series title.

Little League World Series age limit, innings

For more information about how old Little League World Series players are and how many innings are played in the Little League Baseball World Series 2026, check out more LLWS coverage below:

Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based reporter covering trending news with USA TODAY Network's Mid-Atlantic Connect Team. She covers news in the Northeast, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Reach her at LComstock@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: New Jersey Little League wins World Series opener, who they play next

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