It could not have ended any better.
The El Segundo 12U All Stars won the Little League World Series on Sunday afternoon in the most dramatic style possible: a walk off home run.
Louis Lappe stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning to deliver the game-winning home run; he led the entire Little League World Series with 5 home runs throughout the tournament.
El Segundo, Calif.’s Louis Lappe, right center, celebrates with manager Danny Bole, left center, and teammates after hitting a solo walk-off home run off Curacao’s Jay-Dlynn Wiel during the sixth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023. California won 6-5. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) 
El Segundo, Calif.’s Louis Lappe, center, celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo walk-off home run off Curacao’s Jay-Dlynn Wiel during the sixth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023. California won 6-5. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) 
El Segundo, Calif.’s Lucas Keldorf (9) follows through on a double off Curacao’s Sean Serverie, driving in two runs, during the first inning of the Little League World Series Championship game in South Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) 
El Segundo, Calif.’s Louis Lappe and Finley Green (4) touch the bust of Howard Lamade as the team celebrates after defeating Needville, Texas 6-1 during the United States Championship baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar) 
El Segundo, Calif., fans cheer the team on against Needville, Texas, during the second inning of the U.S. championship baseball game at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar) 
El Segundo, Calif.’s Louis Lappe (19) celebrates with teammates on the way back to the dugout after his three-run home run against Needville, Texas, during the fifth inning of the U.S. championship baseball game at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar) 
El Segundo, Calif.’s Brody Brooks (14) is greeted by teammates after hitting a solo home run off Needville, Texas’ DJ Jablonski during the first inning of the United States Championship baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) 
El Segundo, Calif.’s Brody Brooks (14) celebrates after hitting a solo home run off Needville, Texas’ DJ Jablonski in the first inning of the United States Championship baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)
“I knew immediately it was gone … I didn’t even see where it landed, I just bat-flipped and started running around the bases,” Lappe said during an interview with KTLA just hours after the game.
While the boys from SoCal got off to a hot start – leading 5-1 by the bottom of the fourth inning – Curaçao’s Nasir El-Ossais hit a grand slam in the 5th to tie the game at 5 runs each.
El Segundo Team Manager Danny Boehle told his players to keep positive, “You know you’re never out of it with this team … Eleven of the kids on this team can hit home runs at any given time.”
Watch the full interview with Boehle and Lappe on the player below
And while the Caribbean-based team seemed to be heating up, Lappe’s walk-off home run nullified any chance of a comeback in extra innings.
“It’s been in Ohio as early as the mid-1850s at least, brought in as an ornamental plant because of its unique foliage and white flowers,” Gardner said. “It was actually planted in people’s landscaping, and it has been spreading.”
“The whole town is excited and we can’t even imagine what the families and the boys and the coaches feel … it’s just an amazing experience,” said El Segundo Little League Spokesperson Anna Braff.
The boys will return home on Monday, and a parade is set to be held in downtown El Segundo following their arrival.
“So proud of them. These little guys, I’ve loved watching them every step of the way. We couldn’t be prouder for them and the team. They’re such great examples,” a fan at a packed outdoor watch party in El Segundo said.
