Long Beach Leaves It to Beaver's Bat

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. Ryan Beaver broke up a no-hitter, won a gameand moved his team into the championship game of the Little LeagueWorld Series.

The 12-year-old shortstop hit a ball the opposite way justinside the right-field foul pole to break up Adam Famoso's no-hitterin the top of the sixth inning Thursday and Long Beach, Calif., beatHamilton Square, N.J., 1-0 in the U.S. bracket championship game. Itwas Beaver's fourth home run of the tournament.

Long Beach will play Zamboanga City, Philippines on Saturday forthe title. Zamboango City, behind the pitching of Robert Placious,defeated Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 5-1 on Thursday in theinternational division championship game.

"Beaver's come up in some incredible spots and delivered," LongBeach manager Larry Lewis said. "He's been a tremendous clutchplayer throughout."

Famoso, who finished with a two-hitter, hung his head as Beaverrounded the bases before jumping on home plate for emphasis.

Hamilton Square came up empty in the bottom of the final inning.

"I really wanted this badly. I told the kids we had a chance towin this. We did everything possible," Hamilton Square manager JerryConti said.