SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- California hit a pair of home runs and took full advantage of four errors, pulling away to an 11-3 victory on Tuesday night that eliminated Kentucky from the Little League World Series.
The team from Bonita, California will play the loser of the game on Wednesday night between Texas and Pennsylvania. The winner of that game advances to the championship of the U.S. bracket.
Bowling Green, Kentucky, managed only six hits and self-destructed with fielding miscues. Bonita scored three times in the first with the help of two throwing errors and a wild pitch. Levi Mendez hit a two-run homer in the second for a 5-0 lead.
"We were playing with four 11-year-olds on our roster and some of these teams are loaded with 13-year-olds, so there's a huge difference there," Bowling Green manager Rick Kelley said.
Bonita starter Dante Schmid allowed only two hits through 3⅔ innings.
Antonio Andrade homered in the fifth, and Bonita scored four times in the sixth with the help of a pair of errors and a wild pitch.
Mexico 11, Taiwan 1
Mexico catcher Raul Leon, three teammates and their manager were waiting in the narrow hallway for their turn at the interview room inside Lamade Stadium. They spotted one of baseball's greatest players walking toward them.
Yes, it was Mariano Rivera. They had to get a photo. But who would take it?
Just then, the manager of the Taiwan team they had just eliminated with an 11-1 victory on Tuesday afternoon exited the interview room and offered to snap the group shot.
Perfect.
"That's what it is all about," the record-setting Yankees closer said. "Competition. Nothing personal, just competition."
Rivera hung around to get inducted into the Little League Hall of Excellence, throwing a ceremonial first pitch to Bowling Green, Kentucky catcher Jonah Thurman -- a perfect strike, of course -- before the night game. By that time, Mexico was relaxing and waiting to find out who comes next.
They hope it's Japan.
Leon, the cleanup hitter for Mexicali Baja California, had three hits and drove in five runs as Taipei, Taiwan was eliminated. Mexico gets a day off before playing the loser of a game between undefeated Japan and Venezuela on Wednesday afternoon. Mexico lost to Japan 3-1 early in the tournament.
Asked which team he'd rather face, manager Jorge Joel Armenta didn't flinch: "We want to play Japan. We want the revenge."
Their catcher played the biggest role in getting them in position for a possible rematch, playing a bit like his hero in the major leagues.
Leon drove in only one run during Mexicali's first three games. On Tuesday, he homered in the first inning for a 3-0 lead, spreading his arms in celebration as he rounded the bases. In the second inning, he came up with the bases loaded and singled sharply to center field for two more runs during a four-run rally. He finished 3-for-3 overall.
The catcher who led the way was asked which catcher he admires most in the majors. "Yadier Molina, because he's the best catcher in MLB," he said quickly, referring to the St. Louis Cardinals' All-Star.
As Mexicali celebrated the big early lead, Taiwan started to feel the pressure.
"It made our players nervous, giving up those hits to Mexico," manager Min Nan Lai said. "We became anxious and that was the biggest reason we could not win this game."
Armando Verdugo allowed one earned run and six hits in five innings, striking out six.
It wasn't all hitting and pitching. Mexicali second baseman Andres Villa made a smooth play when he scooped a grounder with his glove to the shortstop to start a double play in the second inning.
Villa hit a two-run homer in the fifth, and Ernesto Rios followed with another drive.
"This was like a final for us," Villa said. "I knew I had to win it."
Missouri 18, Canada 6
Devrin Weathers pitched into the fifth inning and hit a two-run homer on Tuesday, leading Webb City, Missouri, to an 18-6 victory over Canada in a consolation game at the Little League World Series.
Webb City completed its first victory with a nine-run sixth inning. Cole Gayman had a two-run double, and Jaystin Smith hit a two-run homer.
Weathers gave up four runs and three hits in 4⅓ innings, striking out six.
Webb City went ahead for good with five runs in the third on only two hits -- Cale McCallister's RBI single and Gayman's run-scoring double. Webb City took advantage of an error, three walks and five wild pitches.
Webb City showed a little defense, too, pulling off a double play in the second inning. Second baseman Mekhi Garrard had an impressive pivot to complete the play.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.