![\"Blake](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NHS-L-CaliforniaTaylorNorthJLWS-0815-46.jpg\")
Blake Greear allowed three runs on eight hits over 3.2 innings for Taylor North in what was a 16-0 loss vs California in the U.S. championship game of the Junior League Baseball World Series on Aug 15, 2026. (ALEXANDER MULLER — MediaNews Group)<\/p>\n
The starting hurler for La Mirada pitched into the seventh inning, allowing just one run and three walks with nine strikeouts over 6.1 innings of work.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Valdez) did a fantastic job,\u201d Stubbe said. \u201cHe did a good job of mixing things up and keeping us off balance. Hats off to that young man. It just wasn\u2019t our night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite their offensive woes throughout the night, Taylor North was very much still in the game late.<\/p>\n
California scratched across single runs in both the third and fourth innings. The latter of those chased Taylor North starter Blake Greear from mound.<\/p>\n
Greear ended up going 3.2 innings, scattering eight hits as well as one free pass.<\/p>\n
\u201cBlake was a little down on himself early,\u201d Stubbe said. \u201cI kept telling him, \u2018you\u2019re still throwing a good ball.\u2019 It was just a couple of bonehead mistakes. And even then, we were still playing good ball.\u201d<\/p>\n
That 3-0 score remained true heading into the seventh inning. That is when California opened things up considerably, exploding for 13 runs and doing so incredibly on just a handful of hits. The biggest of those knocks was a grand slam from Jerimiah Ortega, which was his second homer of the evening.<\/p>\n
California finished with 13 total hits versus just one for Taylor North.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese boys came in hungry,\u201d Stubbe said. \u201cI knew they would be ready. Then some things don\u2019t go your way, and it was hard to get them re-motivated. They\u2019d get up and then would get down. And then in that seventh inning, it just completely crumbled.\u201d<\/p>\n
California will now advance to the 21st and final game of this week\u2019s Junior League Baseball World Series \u2014 that being the world championship game \u2014 which takes place at 12 p.m. on Sunday, Aug 16.<\/p>\n
![\"California](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/NHS-L-CaliforniaTaylorNorthJLWS-0815-45.jpg\")
California players celebrate after Jerimiah Ortega (6) clubs a home run in the U.S. championship game vs Taylor North at the Juniot League Baseball World Series on Aug 15, 2026. (ALEXANDER MULLER — MediaNews Group)<\/p>\n
La Mirada will square off with Chinese Taipei, which has won four consecutive and 10 of the last 11 JLWS titles. Taipei has won all three of its games in this year\u2019s tournament by a combined score of 20-0.<\/p>\n
As for Taylor North, the loss wraps up what was a busy week of baseball. It\u2019s the third time in four years that the program has reached at least the U.S. final of the tournament. The five total games also ties the most played by a host team, matching the 2024 squad.<\/p>\n
\u201cTaylor North is the best little league in the world,\u201d Stubbe said. \u201cIf anybody says otherwise, come up here on a Saturday during the season, or just throughout the year. It\u2019s a real family, and I would not want to be part of any other family.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stubbe talked about the continued support from the city throughout the week during the team\u2019s run. This was the fifth consecutive year that Taylor North has represented Michigan District No. 5 at the JLWS.<\/p>\n