Irmo Little League stuns Midwest in dramatic 7-6 walk-off, reaches LLWS US semifinals
Irmo, the Southeast Region champion, pulled off a late, rally-filled victory over Midwest to advance to the United States semifinals of the Little League World Series. Trailing 6-1 entering the bottom of the seventh, Irmo scored six unanswered runs to win 7-6 in a thriller.
The dramatic finish unfolded after Midwest seemed to take control in the top of the seventh. Midwest plated six runs to push the lead to 6-1, with Connor Felderman delivering six strikeouts on the mound. Irmo’s offense sparked in the bottom of the sixth when Ryder Tillitz’s bases-loaded single set up a game-tying sequence. Jacob Gibson drew a walk to force in the tying run, and the inning ended with a flyout that sent the game to extra innings at 1-1.
In the bottom of the seventh, Irmo’s rally continued. Sutton Gravelle walked to load the bases after a sequence that featured two walks following an RBI by Palmer Steele, and Brayden Gerard followed with a run-scoring double, bringing in Ethan Bennett to make it 6-3. A walk again loaded the bases with no outs, and Irmo capitalized further as back-to-back walks forced in two more runs. The capstone came when Andrew Bogan lined a two-run double to bring home two more and seal a remarkable 7-6 walk-off victory.
With the win, Irmo advances to the US semifinals for a rematch against the Mountain region on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Other recent Irmo notes from LLWS action:
– Tuesday: Irmo defeated the West region champions from Hawai‘i 3-0. A bases-loaded walk by Sutton Gravelle opened the scoring in the second, and pitcher Brady Westbrooks struck out six to hold Hawai‘i scoreless. An RBI single by Andrew Bogan in the sixth extended Irmo’s lead, with Preston Ware and Bubba McQuilkin crossing on the hit.
– Monday: Irmo’s Joe Giulietti threw a six-inning no-hitter with 12 strikeouts on 88 pitches, while Mountain’s Garrett Gallegos matched him with 12 strikeouts over six innings but yielded five hits. The game went to extra innings after a late Irmo miscue, giving Las Vegas a walk-off win.
What it means: Irmo’s resilience and clutch hitting in the late innings underscored a character-filled team capable of closing out tight games on a global stage. The triumphant win sets up a high-stakes rematch with the Mountain region, keeping Irmo’s LLWS run alive and exciting for their supporters. If you’re a fan, this momentum could carry into the next round as the team chases a potential historic deeper run.
Summary: Irmo погes a dramatic comeback, scoring six runs in the bottom of the seventh to beat Midwest 7-6 and advance to the LLWS US semifinals, following earlier wins that showcased strong pitching and timely hitting.