little league world series.

Four teams are set for Saturday’s semifinals at the Little League World Series. In a runaway, none have sparked interest and conversation quite like the team from Connecticut. Fairfield’s club representing the Metro Region is relentless on offense. It has outscored opponents 26-5 in four games while pushing the limits of Little League’s extra-bases — a move that can be seen as either clever or sneaky or both. In Little League, when the ball is in play, runners cannot advance if it is returned to the pitcher and he is back on the mound with the catcher in the catcher’s box. But until then, the runners can keep moving.

South Carolina snuck into the Little League World Series with a five-run rally over the defending champs. But the club from Irmo is showing it belongs at the tournament, thanks in part to slugger-pitcher Joe Guiletti. Joe threw 3 1/3 hitless innings when South Carolina made its world series debut Thursday against Braintree, Massachusetts. With the bases loaded in the second inning, he also smoked a line drive to left-center field that cleared the fence for a grand slam, giving his club an 8-0 lead. South Carolina went on to win 13-0 as blowouts and shutouts were common in opening games of the tournament.

The Little League World Series features players from Venezuela who got visa exemptions to make the trip to central Pennsylvania, an American team that knocked off the defending champ and once-dominant Taiwan trying for a title run. It all starts with a new ESPN film to get youth baseball fans excited for the annual tournament. Airing the night before the LLWS begins Wednesday, ESPN is releasing the Little League documentary “Big Dreams: Little League World Series 2024.”