History repeats itself. But honestly, it usually takes a while. For the kids from Tung-Yuan Little League out of Taipei, "a while" ended up being exactly 29 years.
If you tuned into the 2025 Little League Baseball World Series this past August, you saw something that felt like a throwback to the '70s and '80s. A team from Chinese Taipei didn't just win; they absolutely dominated. They cruised to a 7-0 victory in the championship game against Summerlin South Little League from Las Vegas.
It wasn't even close.
The Dominance of Tung-Yuan
Usually, these games are heart-stoppers. Last year was a walk-off thriller. This year? A pitching clinic. Lin Chin-Tse was basically a machine on the mound. He took a perfect game into the fifth inning of a six-inning game. Imagine being 12 years old and staring down a kid who hasn't let a single soul reach base for nearly the entire afternoon on national television.
The pressure is insane.
Most people get the "dynasty" part of Taiwan baseball wrong. They think it's just about rigid practice. But if you watched them in the dugout, they were loose. They were having fun. They just happened to be playing at a level that most high schoolers would envy. The offense chipped away early, scoring on a wild pitch and an error, but the five-run explosion in the fifth inning was the dagger. Chen Qi-Sheng came in to close it out, and just like that, the 18th title for Chinese Taipei was in the books.
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It’s their first since 1996. That is a lifetime in youth sports.
What Really Happened With the US Bracket
Las Vegas (Summerlin South) was the heavy favorite for a lot of folks. They had Garrett Gallegos. The kid is a highlight reel waiting to happen. In the U.S. Championship game, he was the hero, hitting a home run and pitching five solid innings to take down Fairfield, Connecticut.
But the U.S. side of the bracket was a total grind.
Take that August 20th game between Irmo, South Carolina and Sioux Falls. It was 1-1 going into the 7th. Then the wheels fell off in the best way possible. South Dakota put up five runs in the top of the 7th. Game over, right?
Nope.
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South Carolina answered with six runs in the bottom half. Andrew Bogan drove in the winner. It’s those kinds of "how is this happening" moments that make the 2025 Little League Baseball World Series so addictive to watch. You've got 12-year-olds showing more grit than most pro teams.
The Stars You Probably Missed
While everyone was focused on the big power hitters, the defensive plays this year were borderline ridiculous. In the International bracket, we saw Monica Arcuri from the Australia region (Brisbane North) pick up a hit, becoming the 11th girl in history to do so at the LLWS.
Then you had the "shutout kings" from Venezuela. Cardenales Little League went on a tear early, pitching three straight shutouts. Juan Reyes and Samuel Castillo were names everyone was talking about in the Howard J. Lamade Stadium concourse. They looked untouchable until they ran into the buzzsaw that was the Taipei lineup.
A Few Surprising Stats:
- 7-0: The final score of the championship game, a rare shutout in a final.
- 18: Total titles for Chinese Taipei, the most of any international region.
- 11-1: The overall season record for Tung-Yuan (their only loss was to a South Korean team in regionals).
- 11: Strikeouts for Maxen Snoozy (South Dakota) in a single one-hitter performance.
The MLB Little League Classic
Let’s talk about the vibe in Williamsport for a second. It’s not just the kids. On August 17th, the New York Mets and the Seattle Mariners rolled into town for the MLB Little League Classic.
The Mets won 7-3, but the score didn't matter. Seeing Francisco Lindor sitting in the stands eating a hot dog while watching a kid from Washington slide into second base is what this event is actually about. It bridges the gap between "playing for fun" and "playing for a living."
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Why This Tournament Still Matters
Some critics say the LLWS is too much pressure for kids. They point to the cameras and the bright lights. Maybe.
But if you saw the sportsmanship this year, you’d disagree. After the final out, the Nevada kids—who just lost the biggest game of their lives—were out there shaking hands and showing genuine respect. It’s a level of class that’s getting harder to find in sports.
The 2025 Little League Baseball World Series proved that the international game is back in a big way. For a few years, the U.S. teams seemed to have the edge. Not anymore. The world caught up, and they brought some serious heat.
Actionable Insights for Next Season:
If you’re a coach or a parent looking at how these teams reached South Williamsport, here is what the 2025 season taught us:
- Pitching depth is everything. You can't rely on one "ace" anymore. The pitch count rules and the schedule demand at least four kids who can throw strikes.
- Value the "small ball." Chinese Taipei scored their first two runs in the final on mistakes. They forced those mistakes by putting the ball in play and running hard.
- Mental resets. The South Carolina comeback happened because they didn't quit after giving up five runs in extra innings. Teaching kids how to flush a bad inning is as important as teaching them how to swing.
- Follow the Regionals. If you want to see who the next Tung-Yuan is, start watching the Asia-Pacific and Latin America regional qualifiers in June. That’s where the real scouting happens.
The road to the 2026 series starts almost immediately. Teams are already forming, and the dream of sliding down the hill at Lamade Stadium is alive for a whole new crop of players.