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SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Little Leaguers everywhere dream of a moment like this.

Louis Lappe hit a walk-off homer and California beat Curacao 6-5 in the Little League Baseball World Series championship Sunday, despite giving up a four-run lead.

Louis flipped his bat and threw his arms in the air as he trotted around the bases, leaping onto home plate as he was greeted by his teammates surrounding the batter’s box. The leadoff hitter in the bottom of the sixth inning, Louis lofted the second pitch he saw just beyond the left field fence.

“This is a unique feeling that maybe only five or less people experience in their lifetime,” said Louis, who finished the tournament with five homers, the most of any player. “I feel great. It’s hard to beat this feeling. I don’t know what would make me feel happier.”

Curacao tied the game in the fifth on Nasir El-Ossais’ grand slam to center, setting off a frenzied celebration by the players, coaches and Curacao fans down the third-base side of Lamade Stadium. Nasir also drove in a run in the third.

Jaxon Kalish and Lucas Keldorf drove in two runs each for California.

“The five guys that I have in the top of the lineup, they’re as good as anyone in this tournament,” El Segundo manager Danny Boehle said. “I stand by that full heartedly.”

It was the first trip to the final for the team from El Segundo, a community in the Los Angeles area. California’s eight titles are the most by any U.S. state.

Curacao, a small island off the coast of Venezuela that is home to just 150,000 residents, has represented the international side of the bracket in the championship the last three times non-U.S. teams have competed — in 2019, 2022 and this year — but has lost each time.

There was no tournament in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 tournament was limited to American teams because of travel restrictions.

Curacao returned five players and its coaching staff from the team that lost 13-3 to Hawaii in the 2022 final.

“I ate the cake already last year. I ate the cake this year, too, but I ain’t take the cherry home,” Curacao manager Zaino Everett said after the game with tears in his eyes.

Both California and Curacao took a loss during the tournament and had to work their way through the elimination bracket to the final. With pitch counts mounting across the rosters, each turned to less experienced LLBWS starters.

Crew O’Connor drove in a run for El Segundo in the fourth with a single to left field that followed Max Baker’s triple, giving California a 5-1 advantage. It got bumpy from there, but California came out on top.

“What we did may never happen again in the history of El Segundo,” Boehle said.

HELLO, GOVERNOR

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was on hand for the game, joined by 2014 LLBWS pitching sensation Mo’ne Davis. Next August will mark 10 years since Davis became the first female pitcher to win a tournament game, helping Philadelphia’s Taney Little League make it to the U.S. semifinal.

“We’re really proud of her in Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said.

STUART SCOTT HONORED

The late Stuart Scott was the 62nd person to be enshrined in the Little League’s Hall of Excellence before Sunday’s tournament final. Scott was recognized for his support of the Little League World Series while he was at ESPN.

ESPN is the broadcast partner for Little League and carried 337 games across all divisions of play this season.

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Sources: Cuse QB Angeli has torn Achilles tendon

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Sources: Cuse QB Angeli has torn Achilles tendon

Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his Achilles in the Orange’s authoritative win at Clemson on Saturday, sources told ESPN.

An MRI revealed the Achilles tear, which will end Angeli’s season. Despite leaving in the third quarter on Saturday, Angeli ranks No. 2 in the country in passing yards; his 1,316 yards are four yards behind Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson.

With the injury coming in the fourth game of the year, he’s expected to be able to apply for an additional year of eligibility via a medical redshirt. That would give him two more years of eligibility.

Angeli is a first-year starter at Syracuse after transferring from Notre Dame following spring practice, winning the job in fall camp in a close battle with Rickie Collins.

Angeli took over an offense that led the nation in passing last year with Kyle McCord under center and transitioned seamlessly. He has 10 touchdown passes, two interceptions and his 156 attempts are third in the country.

Syracuse will turn to Collins, an LSU transfer who played well in place of Angeli in the second half. He threw a touchdown pass and completed 3-of-8 passes for 34 yards as Syracuse played conservative to salt away the 34-21 win.

Angeli had torched Clemson for 244 yards and two touchdowns before his injury.

Syracuse hosts Duke on Saturday, which will be the first career start for Collins.

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Canes leap to 2; OU to 7th; IU, Texas Tech surge

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Canes leap to 2; OU to 7th; IU, Texas Tech surge

Miami jumped LSU and Penn State into the No. 2 spot behind Ohio State in the Associated Press college football poll Sunday, while Oklahoma climbed into the top 10 for the first time in two years.

Indiana and Texas Tech also made big moves after lopsided wins over Top 25 opponents.

The Hurricanes have beaten two ranked opponents, and they turned in another complete performance in a 19-point home win over Florida to earn their highest ranking since 2017.

The last time Miami was ranked as high was in back-to-back polls in November 2017, when Mark Richt’s Hurricanes were 9-0 and 10-0. That team lost three straight to end the season.

Penn State, which had been No. 2 since the preseason, was idle and slipped to No. 3. LSU fell one spot to No. 4 after an easy win over FCS Southeastern Louisiana.

No. 5 Georgia and No. 6 Oregon held their positions and were followed by No. 7 Oklahoma, which beat previously ranked Auburn at home and returned to the top 10 for the first time since it started 7-0 in 2023.

Florida State, Texas A&M and Texas round out the top 10.

Ohio State had an open date and received 52 of 66 first-place votes from the media panel. Miami got seven first-place votes, four more than a week ago. Penn State had five first-place votes, and Oregon and Oklahoma each received one.

The Sooners are the lowest-ranked team to receive a first-place vote in a regular season since then-No. 7 Washington got one on Sept. 24, 2023.

Indiana had played one of the softest schedules in the country through three games before raising eyebrows with its 63-7 hammering of then-No. 9 Illinois. The Hoosiers made the biggest move up, climbing eight spots to No. 11.

Illinois’ 56-point loss was the most lopsided in coach Bret Bielema’s five seasons and caused the Illini to tumble from No. 9 to No. 23.

Texas Tech got a five-rung promotion to No. 12 for its 24-point win at Utah. The Red Raiders won easily despite playing backup quarterback Will Hammond most of the second half in place of an injured Behren Morton.

It is the Red Raiders’ highest ranking since Kliff Kingsbury’s first team was No. 10 following a 7-0 start in 2013.

No. 24 TCU beat SMU to go 3-0 and earn its first regular-season ranking since it was a fixture in the top 10 the second half of the 2022 season. The Horned Frogs, beaten 65-7 by Georgia in the national title game that season, were No. 17 in the 2023 preseason poll and hadn’t been back since.

No. 25 BYU, which finished last season No. 13, picked up a road win at East Carolina and is ranked for the first time this season.

Utah (16) and Auburn (22) dropped out.

CONFERENCE CALL

SEC (10): Nos. 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20
Big Ten (7): Nos. 1, 3, 6, 11, 19, 21, 23
Big 12 (4): Nos. 12, 14, 24, 25
ACC (3): Nos. 2, 8, 16
Independent (1): No. 22

RANKED VS. RANKED

No. 4 LSU at No. 13 Ole Miss: They have split the past four meetings. Garrett Nussmeier dealt the Rebels a crushing overtime loss last year, throwing the tying touchdown with 27 seconds left in regulation.

No. 6 Oregon at No. 3 Penn State: It’s a rematch of last year’s Big Ten championship game, a 45-37 Oregon win that made the Ducks 13-0 and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. The Ducks have beaten four overmatched opponents by an average of 41.5 points per game. Penn State’s schedule has been even easier.

No. 17 Alabama at No. 5 Georgia: The Crimson Tide have won nine of 10 meetings since 2008. The loss was the 2021 season’s national championship game. Georgia has won 33 straight at home, the nation’s longest active streak.

No. 21 USC at No. 23 Illinois: Two teams on different tracks. The unbeaten Trojans are averaging 52.5 points per game. The Illini were riding high until they gave up 63 at Indiana. First meeting since the 2008 Rose Bowl.

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AP Week 4 poll reaction: What’s next for each Top 25 team

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AP Week 4 poll reaction: What's next for each Top 25 team

The latest AP poll is out.

With some enormous matchups next week, Week 4 was light on ranked matchups. The Ohio State Buckeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, Georgia Bulldogs and Texas A&M Aggies were off this week.

The Oklahoma Sooners, now ranked No. 7, opened their SEC schedule with a 24-17 win over the Auburn Tigers. The Sooners’ defense was outstanding, finishing with 10 sacks and holding the Tigers to just 67 yards rushing.

In the Big 12, the now-No. 12 Texas Tech Red Raiders pounded the Utah Utes to stake an early claim as the best team in the conference. Texas Tech backup QB Will Hammond was exceptional while filling in for an injured Behren Morton. Hammond went 13-of-16 passing and had 230 total yards and two scores in the 34-10 win.

The week’s only other ranked matchup was the No. 11 Indiana Hoosiers crushing the then-No. 9 Illinois Fighting Illini. In the win, QB Fernando Mendoza became the first Indiana player with at least four passing touchdowns in three straight games.

What does it all mean for the AP Top 25? Let’s break down the rankings.

Stats courtesy of ESPN Research.

All times Eastern

Previous ranking: 1

2025 record: 3-0

Week 4 result: Idle

What’s next: Saturday at Washington


Previous ranking: 4

2025 record: 4-0

Week 4 result: Defeated Florida 26-7

Stat to know: Miami had both more rushing yards and passing yards than Florida had total yards.

What’s next: Oct. 4 at Florida State


Previous ranking: 2

2025 record: 3-0

Week 4 result: Idle

What’s next: Saturday vs. Oregon, 7:30 p.m., NBC


Previous ranking: 3

2025 record: 4-0

Week 4 result: Defeated Southeastern Louisiana 56-10

Stat to know: LSU has held all four of its opponents this season to 10 points or fewer, its longest such streak to start a season since 2006.

What’s next: Saturday at Ole Miss, 3:30 p.m., ABC


Previous ranking: 5

2025 record: 3-0

Week 4 result: Idle

What’s next: Saturday vs. Alabama, 7:30 p.m., ABC


Previous ranking: 6

2025 record: 4-0

Week 4 result: Defeated Oregon State 41-7

Stat to know: Oregon has had consecutive wins by at least 30 points against Oregon State for the third time in series history (2018-19, 1898-99).

What’s next: Saturday at Penn State, 7:30 p.m., NBC


Previous ranking: 11

2025 record: 4-0

Week 4 result: Defeated Auburn 24-17

Stat to know: OU sacked Auburn QB Jackson Arnold 10 times, the most in a game in program history.

What’s next: Oct. 4 vs. Kent State, 4 p.m., SEC Network


Previous ranking: 7

2025 record: 3-0

Week 4 result: Defeated Kent State 66-10

Stat to know: FSU had eight rushing touchdowns against Kent State. The Seminoles had eight rushing scores in 2024.

What’s next: Friday at Virginia, 7 p.m., ESPN


Previous ranking: 10

2025 record: 3-0

Week 4 result: Idle

What’s next: Saturday vs. Auburn, 3:30 p.m., ESPN


Previous ranking: 8

2025 record: 3-1

Week 4 result: Defeated Sam Houston 55-0

Stat to know: The 55-point win was Texas’ largest margin of victory since its 58-0 win over Rice in 2021.

What’s next: Oct. 4 at Florida


Previous ranking: 19

2025 record: 4-0

Week 4 result: Defeated Illinois 63-10

Stat to know: Indiana’s 63 points against Illinois was its most ever against a ranked opponent.

What’s next: Saturday at Iowa, 3:30 p.m., Peacock


Previous ranking: 17

2025 record: 4-0

Week 4 result: Defeated Utah 34-10

Stat to know: This was Texas Tech’s first win as a ranked team since 2008, and the Red Raiders have started the season 4-0 for the first time since 2013.

What’s next: Oct. 4 at Houston


Previous ranking: 13

2025 record: 4-0

Week 4 result: Defeated Tulane 45-10

Stat to know: Trinidad Chambliss, who had 307 yards passing and 112 yards rushing against Tulane, became the fourth player in school history with 300 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in a game, joining Archie Manning, Chad Kelly and Jordan Ta’amu.

What’s next: Saturday vs. LSU, 3:30 p.m., ABC


Previous ranking: 12

2025 record: 4-0

Week 4 result: Idle

What’s next: Saturday vs. Arizona, 7 p.m., ESPN


Previous ranking: 15

2025 record: 3-1

Week 4 result: Defeated UAB 56-24

Stat to know: Joey Aguilar, who had 218 yards and three touchdowns Saturday, has had at least 200 passing yards in all 28 of his career starts, the longest active streak in the FBS.

What’s next: Saturday at Mississippi State, 4:15 p.m., SEC Network


Previous ranking: 18

2025 record: 4-0

Week 4 result: Defeated Temple 45-24

Stat to know: This is Georgia Tech’s first 4-0 start to a season since 2014.

What’s next: Saturday at Wake Forest, noon, ESPN


Previous ranking: 14

2025 record: 2-1

Week 4 result: Idle

What’s next: Saturday at Georgia, 7:30 p.m., ABC


Previous ranking: 20

2025 record: 4-0

Week 4 result: Defeated Georgia State 70-21

Stat to know: This is Vanderbilt’s first 4-0 start since 2018.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Utah State, 12:45 p.m., SEC Network


Previous ranking: 21

2025 record: 3-1

Week 4 result: Defeated Nebraska 30-27

Stat to know: Justice Haynes, who rushed for 149 yards and a score against Nebraska, is the first Michigan player in the past 30 seasons with a rushing score in each of his first four games.

What’s next: Oct. 4 vs. Wisconsin


Previous ranking: 23

2025 record: 4-0

Week 4 result: Defeated South Carolina 29-20

Stat to know: Missouri held South Carolina to minus-9 rushing yards, the fewest it has allowed since 2009 when it held Colorado to minus-14 rushing yards.

What’s next: Saturday vs. UMass, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU


Previous ranking: 25

2025 record: 4-0

Week 4 result: Defeated Michigan State 45-31

Stat to know: USC has scored 210 points through four games, the fourth-highest total in program history.

What’s next: Saturday vs. Michigan State, 11 p.m., Fox


Previous ranking: 24

2025 record: 1-2

Week 4 result: Defeated Purdue 56-30

Stat to know: Notre Dame has scored 122 points in its past two games against Purdue. That’s the most over a two-game span against a single opponent in the AP poll era (since 1936).

What’s next: Saturday at Arkansas, noon, ABC


Previous ranking: 9

2025 record: 3-1

Week 4 result: Lost to Indiana 63-10

Stat to know: The loss to Indiana was its worst-ever loss as an AP-ranked team.

What’s next: Saturday vs. USC


Previous ranking: NR

2025 record: 3-0

Week 4 result: Defeated SMU 35-24

Stat to know: Against SMU, wide receiver Eric McAlister became the second player in school history to record 250 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns in a game.

What’s next: Friday at Arizona State, 9 p.m., Fox


Previous ranking: NR

2025 record: 3-0

Week 4 result: Defeated East Carolina 34-13

Stat to know: BYU has allowed 16 total points through the first three games of the season, its fewest since 1948.

What’s next: Saturday at Colorado, 10 p.m., ESPN

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