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North Carolina combines for first perfect game at LLWS since 2008

Mark Townsend
·Yahoo Sports Contributor
Chase Anderson was the starting pitcher as Greenville, N.C. made history with a combined perfect game at the LLWS. (AP)
Chase Anderson was the starting pitcher as Greenville, N.C. made history with a combined perfect game at the LLWS. (AP)

History was made at the Little League World Series (LLWS) Friday night as three pitchers representing the Southeast Regional winners from Greenville, N.C. combined to throw a perfect game in their 6-0 win against Sioux Falls, S.D. of the Midwest.

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Chase Anderson, Matthew Matthijs and Carson Hardee set down all 18 batters they faced as they completed the first perfect game at the LLWS in Williamsport since 2008, when Jesus Sauceda of Mexico was perfect against Italy in a game shortened to four innings due to the mercy rule.

According to ESPN Stats and Info, the perfect game was the fifth at the LLWS since 1970 and the first involving teams from the U.S. during that time frame.

Chase Anderson, who shares a name with the Milwaukee Brewers pitcher but is not related, started the game for Greenville and racked up four strikeouts over this three innings. He was relieved by Matthew Matthijs, who struck out five of the eight batters he faced. That put the pressure on Carson Hardee to close it out, and close it out he did with the team’s tenth strikeout of the game.

Ironically, the six-run difference was the smallest margin of defeat among the four games that were played on Friday.

Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., representing the West, walked away with a 10-1 win against Walla Walla, Wash., from the Northwest. In the international bracket, Japan topped Australia 8-0 while Asia-Pacific bested the Caribbean 10-1.

Greenville’s win sets up what appears to be a heavyweight matchup with Rancho Santa Margarita on Sunday. The Northeast champions from Fairfield, Conn., and the Southwest champions from Lufkin, Texas will also meet in the winners bracket.

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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!