Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores headed to Little League World Series

The Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores team won the Great Lakes Region over the team from Hinsdale, Ill., 6-3, today in Westfield, Ind., to advance to the Little League World Series.

Joseph Wisniewski and Jack Jones each had two hits for Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores and Jordan Arseneau drove in two runs.

The annual Little League World Series begins Thursday in Williamsport, Pa.

Grosse Pointe took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but Hinsdale score a run in the second and third innings, respectively, to take a 2-1 lead. But a five-run fifth inning proved to be the difference.

Will Pflaum pitched four innings in relief and struck out four for Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores.

The only time a team from Michigan has won the Little League World Series was the team from Hamtramck in 1959.

This is a return visit for Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores, which made the World Series in 2013. They are the eighth team from Michigan to reach the prestigious tournament.

The Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores will open their Little League World Series schedule on Thursday against the Southwest team from Lufkin, Texas, 7 p.m., ESPN2. The tournament is double elimination until the U.S. championship game on Aug. 26 and the world title game on Aug. 27.

According to the ESPN telecast, the Grosse Pointe team won't return home before Thursday but instead head straight to Williamsport.