Japanese Girl Makes History in Victory

Wearing the standard uniform jersey and a cap pulled over black hair, the center fielder from Japan looked like any other little leaguer.

But Sayaka Tsushima was not the average Japanese little leaguer.

The 12-year-old made history Sunday as the first girl to play for the Far East team in the Little League World Series. It was a successful debut, as she went one for two with a single, walk and two runs to help Kashima, Japan, defeat the defending champions from Guadalupe, Mexico, 6-1.

How did it make her feel?

“Very happy,” she said through an interpreter.

Starting pitcher Tetsuya Furukawa had a big day in the field and at the plate. He gave up four hits and struck out seven. He also had a double and triple and drove in a run.

Japan scored two runs in the second inning on a passed ball and two wild pitches by Mexican pitcher Daniel Lopez. Two throwing errors on an otherwise routine sacrifice bunt in the fifth made it 3-0, and Furukawa followed with a run-scoring double.

A passed ball and Tomoyuki Okawa’s run-scoring single gave Japan a 6-0 lead in the fifth.

Cypress plays Tom’s River, N.J., today in the United States pool. Tom’s River beat Jenison, Mich., 13-9, Sunday when Brad Frank capped the longest game in series history with an RBI single in the 11th inning.

The 3-hour, 11 minute-game topped in both time and innings the 2-hour, 51-minute, nine-inning marathon in 1971 between Tainan, China, and Gary, Ind.

Championship games in the four-team international pool and four-team United States pool will be played Thursday.

The tournament championship game is Saturday.