LLWS: Maine’s Path To Get Easier [VIDEO]

While Louisiana is the big winner of the 2019 Little League World Championship in Willamsport, Pennsylvania, LL officials also announced changes to the LLWS that just might make it easier for a Maine team to play in the World Series.

Little League will expand the numbers of teams earning a spot at the LLWS from 16 to 20. Part of the plan calls for taking some states from New England Region and Mid-Atlantic Region to form the new Metro Region.

In other words, the New England Regional will now be just four teams - Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Connecticut and Rhode Island will become part of the new Metro Regional.

Lewiston was the 2019 Maine LL champ and played in the six-team New England Regiional tourney earlier in the summer and finished with a 1-2 record. Maine has had just three teams make it to Williamsport.

Rhode Island won the 2019 New England title. In fact, a team from Rhode Island or Connecticut has won the last 10 New England tournaments.

The new regional format begins in 2021, the 75th anniversary year of the Little League.

United States Regional Breakdown: Baseball

• New England Region: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts
• Metro Region: New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Rhode Island
• Mid-Atlantic Region: Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C.
• Southeast Region: West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama
• Southwest Region: Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas East, Texas West, Colorado, New Mexico
• Great Lakes Region: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky
• Midwest Region: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas
• West Region: Hawaii, Northern California, Southern California, Arizona
• Northwest Region: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
• Mountain Region: Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada

The expansion of Little League Softball World Series in Portland, Oregon includes adding two more United States teams and it should help increase chances for a Maine team to play in the World Series.

Instead of have one 12-team Eastern Regional Tournament, there will be a six-team New England tourney and a six-team Mid-Atlantic Regional tourney. Each tournament will sent a team to the World Series.

United States Regional Breakdown: Softball

• New England Region: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
• Mid-Atlantic Region: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C.
• Southeast Region: West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama
• Southwest Region: Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas East, Texas West, Colorado, New Mexico
• Central: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas
• West Region: Arizona, Hawaii, Northern California, Nevada, Southern California, Utah
• Northwest Region: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming