SC team punches ticket to Little League World Series in dramatic fashion
The Irmo Little League All-Stars are headed to Williamsport.
Brady Westbrooks hit a three-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning Wednesday as Irmo, the South Carolina champions, rallied to defeat defending Little League World Series champ Lake Mary (Fla.) 5-4 in a game played in Warner Robins, Georgia.
“He wasn’t doing anything else but fastballs so I just sat on it and ripped it,” Westbrooks said in a postgame interview on ESPN.
Irmo advances to the LLWS, which begins next week in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It’s the program’s first time in the Little League World Series after several trips to the regional.
Irmo is just the fourth team from South Carolina to advance to the Little League World Series and first since a Taylors team in 2015. The other S.C. teams to make are North Charleston (1949) and Clinton (1950).
Irmo’s win created a big reaction on social media including responses from U.S. Sen. Tim Scott and South Carolina football coach Shane Beamer.
“Congrats Irmo!!!!!! Good luck in Williamsport. Bring that championship back to SC,” Beamer posted on his X page.
Irmo faces the New England region champion on Aug. 14 at 3 p.m. All games will be carried on ESPN networks. The annual event is Aug. 13-24. It features 20 teams — 10 from the United States and 10 from the rest of the world.
The team boarded a plane on Thursday for Newark, NJ, and then will take a bus to Williamsport.
Irmo SC team advances to LLWS
Wednesday’s game was a rematch. Lake Mary defeated Irmo, 14-0, Sunday and came into the latest game outsourcing its opponents 106-4 in the state and regional tournament.
Lake Mary led 4-0 going into the bottom of the sixth. But Irmo loaded the bases. Preston Ware brought home Irmo’s first run with a bases-loaded walk.
Lake Mary intentionally walked Joseph Giulietti with the bases loaded, and the lead was cut to 4-2. Then, Westbrooks drilled a 2-2 pitch off the base of the wall in left field for the game-winning hit.
Westbrooks also was the game-winning pitcher, allowing two runs on three hits in two innings pitched. Giulietti started the game and struck out five, allowed one earned run on two hits in five innings.
Ware, Westbrooks, Andrew Bogan, Brody Miller and Brayden Gerard all had hits for Irmo in the game.
Irmo is 11-1 during the during the state and regional tournaments. They advanced to the championship game by defeating Virginia, 4-3, on Tuesday.
This story was originally published August 6, 2025 at 1:50 PM with the headline "SC team punches ticket to Little League World Series in dramatic fashion."
