SC team dominates, wins opener in Little League World Series
![South Carolina’s Ryder Tillitz [#5] runs to first base in the 2nd inning at the Little League World Series on Thursday.](https://www.thestate.com/public/latest-news/ecz2yw/picture311707446/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1140/MDRP1400.jpg "South Carolina’s Ryder Tillitz [#5] runs to first base in the 2nd inning at the Little League World Series on Thursday.")
The Irmo All-Stars came out swinging in their Little League World Series debut.
The Southeast Region champion defeated New England Region champ Braintree American, 13-0, on Thursday at Lamade Stadium in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
The victory by the South Carolina team was the largest shutout win in a United States bracket opening game since 2015.
“That’s a great stat,” S.C. coach Dave Bogan said.
Irmo will play the Northwest vs. Mountain winner on Monday at 3 p.m. The Northwest-Mountain game was set to be played Friday.
Irmo is the first South Carolina team to make it to the LLWS since Taylors in 2015 and just the fourth all-time from the Palmetto State.
Joe Giulietti hit a grand slam as Irmo scored eight runs in the first two innings to take control of Thursday’s game.
“I’m just trying to hit it hard somewhere,” Giulietti said of his grand slam. “I thought it was going to hit the fence. In my mind I was like, ‘Please get over the wall.’ ”
Giulietti, who moved to South Carolina two years ago from Texas, also picked up the win on the mound. He struck out eight, gave up no hits and walked three over 3.1 innings, with Brody Miller pitching the final two-thirds of an inning and allowing one hit.
Irmo wasted no time in taking the lead by scoring twice in the first inning. Andrew Bogan’s sacrifice fly scored Preston Ware, who led off the inning with a single. Ryder Tillitiz added a two-out single to score Giulietti, who doubled earlier in the inning, to make it 2-0.
In the second inning, Irmo added six more runs to lead 8-0. Ware had an RBI single as Irmo loaded the bases. Giulietti then ripped a 2-1 breaking ball for the grand slam to make it 8-0.
Ware and Giulietti each had two hits to lead Irmo. Eight different players scored at least one run.
“The game was in general what we have done most of the summer,” Bogan said. “We had some really nice deep at-bats. That helps gets pitchers tired and frustrated. It really worked out well today.”
Little League World Series tournament format
There are 10 teams in the United States bracket and 10 teams in the International bracket. Each bracket uses a double-elimination format until teams make it to the bracket championship games.
The U.S. and International championships are single, winner-take all games, and so is the Little League World Series championship game.
The U.S. and International championship games will be played Aug. 23. The Little League World Series finals are Aug. 24.
This story was originally published August 14, 2025 at 4:54 PM.
