July 28, 2006 – The Virgin Islands Little Leaguers advanced to the championship of the Caribbean Regional Tournament of Little League Baseball in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, with a 3-1 victory over Bonaire on Friday. The V.I. starting pitcher, Jamal Fleming, threw a one-hitter, dominating Bonaire.
Neither team scored in the first two innings. Bonaire then put one run on the board when Fleming walked the first batter in the third inning and then V.I. catcher, Agyai Gregory made an errant threw into left field that allowed the run to score.
The Virgin Islands quickly answered in the bottom of the third inning when Troy Richards hit a line drive that bounced off the pitcher's glove, allowing Jamal Fleming to score from third and Gregory to advance to third.
The shortstop picked up the ball and made a bad throw to third that allowed Gregory to score the second run.
The Virgin Islands offense added another run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Kaheel Correa, who had doubled earlier in the inning, scored on an error by the catcher.
The Virgin Islands faces Curacao, who defeated Puerto Rico, 8-0, in the other semi-final game.
V.I. manager Neville "Champie" Amey has scheduled Deshorn Lake to start in the championship game. Lake last pitched in the first games for the Virgin Islands and he held the Puerto Ricans scoreless last week Saturday.
The winner of Caribbean Regional Tournament advances to Little League World Series in Williamsport, Penn.
If the Virgin Islands wins it will be the first time that a Virgin Islands Little League team has advanced to the World Series. The World Series runs from August 18 –
27, and airs on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2.
