South Mission Viejo Completes Title Quest

South Mission Viejo won the Junior League World Series, defeating Midland of Waco, Texas, twice Saturday in Taylor, Mich.

Ashton White drove in three runs in a 9-6 victory in the second game, helping South Mission Viejo become the first team in the 18-year history of the Junior League tournament to win the title after losing its first game. Midland defeated South Mission Viejo, 3-0, Tuesday.

After that loss, South Mission Viejo won six consecutive games, including a 5-0 victory over the team from Guadalupe, Mexico, that beat it in last year’s Little League World Series final.

Ryan O’Donovan, who was 3-0 in the tournament, got the victory in Saturday’s second game, pitching a complete game and giving up eight hits.

White, who was 2-0 in the tournament, won the first game--a 6-2 victory. He struck out nine and had two hits.

White got himself out of a second-inning jam by picking off a runner at third base. Midland led, 1-0, in the inning and had runners on first and third.

White faked a throw to first, then threw to third and caught Midland’s Jay Cox off-guard. Cox was tagged out at the plate after a rundown for the third out.