WHITESTOWN – Illinois scored 8 runs in the bottom of the first inning en route to a 13-1 victory over Bedford’s 12U Little League All-Stars in the first round of the Great Lakes Regional on Saturday night.
Bedford dropped into the consolation bracket and will meet Michigan (which fell to Ohio 12-2 in the first round) in an elimination game on Sunday at 7 p.m. Ohio advanced to face Kentucky in the five-team tournament. The winner of the regional will advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
Illinois (from Elmhurst) will meet the Kentucky-Ohio victor in the winner’s bracket semifinal on Monday.
Bedford’s only run came in the fourth inning as Saxton Pennycuff hit a triple to center and later scored on a passed ball. Bedford totaled three hits, including singles by Jay Hout and Cale Prince.
