dp4:52 pm ET
New Jersey can’t rally, Kentucky wins
It’s New Jersey’s last chance to tie and send the game into extra innings or go ahead for the win.
Gia Gatto had a ground out to start the side. Mischa Koeppen struck out for Michaela Knight’s sixth K of the game. Shaelyn Seaman saw three straight strikes for the last out of the game.
Kentucky wins 2-1 and will play in their first championship game.
4:47 pm ET
Kentucky maintains lead
Hunter Sparks started the top of the sixth and final inning with a fly ball out that Mischa Koeppen slid to grab. Avery O’Bryan then hit the ball straight to Gia Gatto, who easily grabbed the out. Presley Roberts got a double after a solid hit into centerfield. Paisley Edge popped the ball straight up for an easy catch for pitcher Jaelyn Brown.
4:37 pm ET
New Jersey can’t answer
Juliana Florek-Doslik hit a fly ball out to start the bottom of the fifth inning with New Jersey down 2-1. Franki Velardi was also out after a fly ball was caught. Sophia Tolentino was walked after a full count facing nine pitches. Leiana Gay struck out after her own full count at-bat to end the inning.
4:25 pm ET
Kentucky takes lead
Avary Emmick sent the ball toward third base and it was caught by the defender for the out at the top of the fifth inning. Michaela Knight smacked the ball deep for a double. Jenna Ball got a single. Hailey Warren did a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third. Evelyn Chelstrom hit a single toward right field to send Knight’s courtesy runner home and take the 2-1 lead.
Brinley Bishop hit a pop fly out to end the top of the inning.
4:15 pm ET
New Jersey remains tied
Aviana Gay was walked to start the bottom of the fourth inning. Jaelyn Brown bunted to send Gay to second and was called out at first. On a full count, Briella Bognar launched the ball to center field and the defender threw it home to keep Gay at third. Bognar rounded to second base and was called safe. Kentucky challenged and the call was reversed to an out because Bognar was tagged. Kentucky then challenged a tag at third where the catcher threw the ball to third base and Gay slid back onto the bag and was called safe. The call stood. Pitcher Michaela Knight snatched Carly Leonard’s hit out of the air for the last out of the inning.
3:59 pm ET
Kentucky ties the game
Hunter Sparks started the top of the fourth inning with a flyball out. Avery O’Bryan followed with a ground out. Presley Roberts gave Kentucky some life with a single. Paisley Edge smacked the ball over the infield and it fell into centerfield. She got an RBI double to tie the game 1-1.
Finley Beaven sent a dart toward third base where the defender snatched it out of the air for the last out of the inning.
3:55 pm ET
New Jersey also goes 1-2-3
Mischa Koeppen gets the bottom of the third inning started with a pop fly out. The third strike of Shaelyn Seaman’s at-bat fell from the catcher’s glove, but she was called out at first. Analeise Curley sent the ball flying into centerfield, but Jenna Ball was ready to catch it for another three up, three down.
3:48 pm ET
Kentucky goes three up, three down
Hailey Warren starts the top of the third inning with a ground out. Evelyn Chelstrom also had a ground out with a similar play sending the ball just inside first base that was easily grabbed by the defender. Brinley Bishop struck out for the 1-2-3 inning.
3:41 pm ET
New Jersey has quiet inning
Franki Velardi starts the bottom of the second by sending the ball toward first base, where it bounces off the bag and allowed Velardi to snag a single. Michaela Knight threw a wild pitch that sent Velardi to second. Sophia Tolentino struck out. Leiana Gay smacked the ball into centerfield and Velardi was signaled to run home, but she was tagged out while she was sliding into the base. Gay made it to second base. Gia Gatto hit a pop fly for the last out of the inning.
3:30 pm ET
What is a courtesy runner in Little League Softball?
A courtesy runner is used strictly for the pitcher or catcher of record. That courtesy runner can enter only when there are exactly two outs in the half-inning. Also, the courtesy runner is in the continuous batting lineup and must be the player who made the last official out.
3:30 pm ET
Kentucky seeks to answer
Avary Emmick drilled the ball toward third base dancing just along the foul line for a leadoff single in the top of the second inning. Leiana Gay expertly read Emmick’s stolen base attempt, chucked the ball to Franki Velardi at second base and Emmick was called out. Jaelyn Brown struck out her fellow pitcher Michaela Knight. Jenna Ball sent the ball dribbling toward first base and was easily out to end the top of the inning.
3:20 pm ET
New Jersey scores first
Analeise Curley hit a fly ball and was out for New Jersey’s first at-bat of the day. Aviana Gay got herself on second after sending the ball dribbling toward third base. The defender struggled to pick it up and then tossed it over the first base defender’s head, which gave her the extra base. Jaelyn Brown knocked the ball deep into centerfield, which sent Gay home and put New Jersey up 1-0.
Briella Bognar smacked the ball deep into the outfield for a double that advanced Brown to third. Carly Leonard struck out after a long at-bat with a few wild pitches from Michaela Knight. Juliana Florek-Doslik hit the ball deep, but it was caught by Hailey Warren to end the inning.
3:10 pm ET
Kentucky – New Jersey underway
Kentucky and New Jersey are now playing! The winner tops the Orange bracket and gets a spot in the championship game.
Kentucky is up to bat first. They started with a throw out at first. Avery O’Bryan is the first player to get on base. She smacked the ball between third and second base and trotted easily into first. She then stole second. Presley Roberts was walked. Paisley Edge got a single and Roberts was tagged out at second. Edge casually stole second. Jaelyn Brown struck out Finley Beaven to end the inning.
3:00 pm ET
How many video replay challenges do teams get in the Little League Softball World Series?
Team managers get up to two unsuccessful video replay challenges during a regulation six-inning game in the Little League Softball World Series. Also, managers are granted one additional video replay challenge specifically for use during extra innings, regardless of whether they used their challenge allocation during regulation play.
2:40 pm ET
Are there extra innings in the Little League Softball World Series?
Yes, there can be extra innings – if a regulation Little League Softball World Series game is still tied after six innings. According to Little League, the tiebreaker will begin immediately in the seventh inning by placing the player who is scheduled to bat last in that respective half inning on second base to begin each extra inning.
2:20 pm ET
Who won the 2025 Little League Softball World Series?
The 2025 Little League Softball World Series champion was West Suburban Little League from Johnstown, Pennsylvania. That program isn’t in the LLSWS this year − so there will be a new champion crowned on Sunday, Aug. 9. Here are some of the most recent champions:
- 2025: West Suburban Little League – Johnstown, Pennsylvania
- 2024: Pitt County Girls Softball Little League – Winterville, North Carolina
- 2023: Massapequa International Little League – Massapequa Park, New York
- 2022: Midway Little League– Hewitt, Texas
- 2021: Green Country Little League– Muskogee, Oklahoma
2:00 pm ET
How many innings are in a Little League Softball World Series game?
A regulation Little League Softball World Series game is typically six innings long – as long as neither team amasses a 10-run lead or more before the sixth inning.
1:30 pm ET
When is the Little League Softball World Series Championship game?
The 2026 Little League Softball World Series Championship game is Sunday, Aug. 9 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.
The 2026 LLSWS consolation third-place game is also on Sunday, but at 10 a.m. ET on ESPN.
1:00 pm ET
How to watch Little League Softball World Series on TV and stream
LLSWS games on Saturday, Aug. 8 will be broadcast on ESPN with the Orange bracket championship game at 3 p.m. ET and the Purple bracket championship game at 6 p.m. ET. Fans can also stream both games on Fubo.
12:30 pm ET
Is there a ‘mercy rule’ in the Little League Softball World Series?
Yes, but Little League refers to it as the “Run Rule,” and that’s how you’ll hear it announced on television during the event. Here’s how the 10-Run Rule and 15-Run Rule works in postseason games.
- The 15-Run Rule: If a team has a lead of 15 runs or more after three complete innings (or two and one-half innings if the home team is ahead), the manager of the team with fewer runs must concede the victory, according to Little League.
- The 10-Run Rule: If a team has a lead of 10 runs or more after four complete innings (or three and one-half innings if the home team is ahead), the game is officially ended and the trailing manager concedes, according to Little League.
12:00 pm ET
What time is the Little League Softball World Series today?
Coverage of the Little League Softball World Series begins at 3 p.m. ET with the Orange bracket championship on ESPN. The Purple Bracket championship game will follow at 6 p.m. ET, also on ESPN.
11:30 am ET
What does ‘continuous batting order’ mean?
The continuous batting order (CBO) in the Little League Softball World Series is a tournament mandate where every eligible player on a team’s roster must be placed in the batting order to hit sequentially throughout the entire game.
11:00 am ET
Little League Softball World Series schedule, bracket
- Dates: Aug. 2-9
- TV: ESPN | ESPN2 | ABC
- Stream: ESPN+
- Location: Greenville, North Carolina
Stream Little League Softball World Series on Fubo
Orange Bracket
- Asia-Pacific Regional Champion
- Kinki Softball Little League (Sango, Japan)
- Central Regional Champion
- Latin America Regional Champion
- Guayama Softball Little League (Guayama, Puerto Rico)
- Mid-Atlantic Regional Champion
- New England Regional Champion
- West Regional Champion
Purple Bracket
- Canada Regional Champion
- OnField Little League (Repentigny, Quebec)
- Europe & Africa Regional Champion
- Emilia Romagna Little League (Bologna, Italy)
- North Carolina Regional Champion
- Northwest Regional Champion
- Southeast Regional Champion
- Southwest Regional Champion
Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.
Information in this article was imported automatically into a template written and reviewed by a USA TODAY Sports editor. You can send feedback using this form.
