Most of the time, the interactions at the Little League World Series are wholesome and fun. That's what the tournament in Williamsport, Penn., is all about.
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One play that took place in Monday's game between Venezuela and Curacao was hardly wholesome if you ask fans. With two outs in the top of the third inning, a Curacao runner tried scoring from second on a base hit. Venezuela center fielder Leonard Contreras fired a strike home to catcher Adrian Soto, who applied the tag for the out. Then, Soto let the runner know exactly what the call was.
It was the type of move that starts fights at higher levels of baseball. Have a look for yourself:
Play at the plate and the catcher lets the runner know the call pic.twitter.com/RtKDtVfgXT
— Jomboy (@Jomboy_) August 21, 2023
El perreo de Adrián Soto 🇻🇪 a Jay-Dlynn Wiel 🇨🇼 tras ponerlo out en el plato 😳🤯#LLWS pic.twitter.com/V1ekSF3vIu
— 𝓒𝓪𝓻𝓵𝓸𝓼 𝓜𝓸𝓻𝓪𝓵𝓮𝓼 (@C_MoralesD) August 21, 2023
Look, I'm all for celebrating a great play, but that's not what this was. Fist pumping directly in the runner's face, inches away from it, is not the right way to celebrate. I'm sure this Little League catcher just got caught up in the moment, but it's not a great look in the sportsmanship department.
Fans online chimed in, too:
Definitely not good sportsmanship there by the Venezuela catcher - taunting in the kids face is NOT ACCEPTABLE #LLWS
— dawnie2424 🏀 (@dawnie2424) August 21, 2023
Venezuela Little League catcher just celebrated in Curacao runners’ face at home plate play
Know they are 12, but HIT HIM NEXT AT BAT
You don’t do that to my teammate
— Mitch Weiler (@MitchWeiler) August 21, 2023
Have to love (NOT) the @espn #LLWS announcer encouraging the unsportsmanlike actions by the Venezuela catcher on that play at the plate! And we wonder why morals aren't what they used to be. 🤮😡
— Bryant Higgs (@MrRightMSUBozo) August 21, 2023
Curacao's Nasir El-Ossaïs didn't let the play affect his team for long, because he blasted the game-winning home run in the sixth inning.
"I GOT US" 😱
In a full count with 2 outs in the 6th Nasir El-Ossaïs blasts Curacao into another win #LLWS pic.twitter.com/enKQ7bQUoJ
— Little League (@LittleLeague) August 21, 2023
The Little League World Series is full of moments that will make you smile. Everything from Stella Weaver dominating against her male counterparts to the interviews and diving catches are part of what makes it great.
Hopefully we see more of those moments than the one that took place at the plate between Venezuela and Curacao.
