This is the first championship in nine tries for Florida, which also came from behind in its 10-7 semifinal win over Texas on Saturday, scoring five runs in its final at-bat.
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla.'s Hunter Alexander lays down a walk-off bunt, driving in the game-winning run in the eighth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game against Taiwan in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. Florida won in eight innings 2-1. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla. celebrates their 2-1 against Taiwan during the Little League World Series Championship game in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)
AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla.'s Hunter Alexander, left, is hugged by Chase Anderson, right, after Alexander's bunt single allowed the winning run to score from second base Taiwan to win the game during the eighth inning of the the Little League World Series Championship game in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)
AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla.'s Hunter Alexander, front, celebrates with teammate James Feliciano after laying down a walk-off bunt in the eighth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game against Taiwan in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024( AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla.'s Hunter Alexander, left, is hugged by Chase Anderson, right, after Alexander's bunt single allowed the winning run to score from second base Taiwan to win the game during the eighth inning of the the Little League World Series Championship game in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)
AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla.'s Lathan Norton slides past catcher Taiwan's Yu Chia-Jui scoring the winning run on Hunter Alexander's bunt during the eighth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)
AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Taiwan pitcher Chiu Wei-Che, right, ad catcher Yu Chia-Jui react after Lake Mary, Fla. scored the winning run during the eighth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)
AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla.'s Hunter Alexander, front, celebrates with teammates after laying down a walk-off bunt in the eighth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game against Taiwan in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla.'s Hunter Alexander, left front, celebrates with teammates after laying down a game-winning, walk-off bunt in the eighth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game against Taiwan in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Taiwan's Yu Teng-Hao reacts to losing the Little League World Series Championship game to Lake Mary, Fla., in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla.'s James Feliciano (14) takes a selfie of the team after their win against Taiwan during the Little League World Series Championship game in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)
AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla. takes a lap around Lamade Stadium after their 2-1 win against Taiwan during the Little League World Series Championship game in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)
AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla.'s Lathan Norton (9) scores behind Taiwan catcher Yu Chia-Jui for the walkoff winning run on a bunt by Hunter Alexander during the eighth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Members of the Taiwan team react after losing the Little League World Series Championship game to Lake Mary, Fla., in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla.'s Hunter Alexander puts down a bunt against Taiwan that scored the winning run during the eighth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)
AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla.'s Hunter Alexander, center, celebrates with teammates after laying down a game-winning, walk-off bunt in the eighth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game against Taiwan in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. Florida won in eight innings 2-1. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla. coaches Kyle Bone, rear left, and Paul Bibaud, second from left rear, hug players from the Taiwan team after the Little League World Series Championship game in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla.'s Chase Anderson , right,slides past Taiwan catcher Yu Chia-Jui, left, as he scores on DeMarcos Mieses' double during the sixth inning of the the Little League World Series Championship game in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)
AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla.'s Jacob Bibaud delivers during the first inning of the Little League World Series Championship game against Taiwan in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Taiwan's Hu Yen-Chun (15) hits a single off Lake Mary, Fla.'s Jacob Bibaud, driving in a run, during the first inning of the Little League World Series Championship game in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Taiwan lines the third baseline as Lake Mary, Fla., lines the first baseline during team introductions before the Little League World Series Championship game at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Taiwan's Ciou Zhi-Kai delivers during the first inning of the Little League World Series Championship game against Lake Mary, Fla., in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Taiwan's Yu Chia-Jui, right, tags out Lake Mary, Fla.'s Jacob Bibaud, left, who was attempting to score from third on a fielder's choice hit into by Teraj Alexander during the second inning of the Little League World Series Championship game in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar
LLWS Taiwan Florida Baseball Lake Mary, Fla.'s Hunter Alexander, left, celebrates with teammates after laying down a walk-off bunt in the eighth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game against Taiwan in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024. Florida won in eight innings 2-1. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — Lathan Norton was sick and didn’t play on Saturday at the Little League World Series. But on Sunday he scored the winning run in the championship.
Lathan raced home from second base on an overthrow at first as Lake Mary, Florida, rallied to beat Taiwan 2-1 in eight innings and claim the title.
“It was the greatest feeling ever,” said Lathan, who had a fever of 102 on Saturday but recovered before the championship. “I still haven’t had time to let it all sink in, but it feels like the most amazing thing ever.”
Taiwan clung to a 1-0 lead from the first inning until Florida’s last at-bat. The Southeast region representatives outhit Taiwan and had a runner on third in three separate innings, but couldn’t get a run across.
Then, in the bottom of the sixth, Florida got runners on first and second and DeMarcos Mieses, who struck out in his previous two at-bats, delivered. Hitting the gap in shallow left, he gave Chase Anderson enough time to sprint home and tie the game.
In the eighth, Lathan was placed by rule on second base to start the inning. Hunter Alexander bunted and the throw to first went into the outfield. Florida players poured out of the dugout while the Taiwan players crumpled.
“I was just thinking, ‘Stay fair, stay fair,’” Hunter said. “After that ball goes past me, I say, ‘Let’s go!’”
Taiwan drew two straight walks to start the game. After a bunt moved the runners over and a pop out, Hu Yen-Chun hit a ball toward third, which ricocheted off James Feliciano. Chiu Wei-Che scored easily. But it was Taiwan’s only run.
This is the first championship in nine tries for Florida, which also came from behind in its 10-7 semifinal win over Texas on Saturday, scoring five runs in its final at-bat.
“We came here to do something. We came here to do a job, and today we accomplished that job,” Florida manager Jonathan Anderson said. “We took a loss to Texas, we battled all the way back and here we are to talk about how we won this whole thing.”
Taiwan was a dominant team at the LLWS from 1969, when it won its first championship, to 1996, when it claimed its 17th. But it had only made the title game once since, in 2009, a loss to California, before Sunday. Lee Cheng-Ta managed both that team and this year’s club, Kuei-Shan Little League from Taoyuan, Taiwan. Last season, he led the same team — with a completely different roster — to a third-place finish.
Coaches for Taiwan, representing the Asia-Pacific region, declined to attend the postgame news conference.
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Amanda Vogt is a student in the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State.
