Mill Creek Little League seeks rebound

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Scott Mahlum never hesitated.

About less than a second after being asked about Mill Creek's Little League World Series run has meant to him, the team's manager gave his answer.

"It's been a dream come true," he said. "I wouldn't trade the world for it."

Now Mill Creek just hopes that run lasts a little bit longer.

Mill Creek needs to defeat Hagerstown, Md., at 9 a.m. PDT today at Lamade Stadium or else its quest for a world championship likely will end. Mill Creek lost its first game, 5-1 to Lake Charles, La., in its Series debut Saturday and needs a win to move into a tie with Maryland (1-0).

"We have to get out and win Monday and Tuesday," Mahlum said. "We're a better team than we showed [Saturday]. I don't know what happened."

While Mill Creek made three errors, the main reason it lost was because it ran into a dominant pitcher. Louisiana's Kennon Fontenot threw as hard as 79 mph and had command of his off-speed pitches, striking out 15 and allowing just three hits against a team that had not scored fewer than five runs in a game this summer.

Mill Creek won't run into anyone that dominant today. Maryland used hard-throwing ace Andrew Yacyk in its 3-2 win over Jeffersonville, Ind., and likely will go to Zane Schreiber. Schreiber was 2-0 at the Mid-Atlantic Regional, but allowed four runs in three innings against Washington, D.C., which was 1-3 in pool play.

While Mill Creek ace Jason Todd also is unavailable, Mill Creek possesses plenty of pitching depth and likely will go with Derrick Mahlum.

Joakim Soderqvist, who threw well in relief Saturday, also could pitch.

Mill Creek is in new territory, having to bounce back from a defeat for the first time. Saturday's loss also was the first one for Scott Mahlum in 71 games, a stretch that includes regular-season and all-star games.

"I expect us to be ready to go out and play hard," Mahlum said. "I saw Maryland play [Saturday] and they won without getting a hit, so you never know what's going to happen."

Mill Creek concludes pool play Tuesday when it faces Jeffersonville Ind., at 11 a.m. at Volunteer Stadium. The U.S. semifinals begin Wednesday.