Max Baker, Lucas Keldorf playing key roles in El Segundo’s Little League World Series run – Press Enterprise

They’re just a couple of 12-year-olds from the South Bay running around Williamsport, Pa.

Max Baker and Lucas Keldorf have played understated yet key roles this summer for El Segundo Little League’s baseball team, which takes on Needville (Texas) in the Little League World Series United States Championship Game today at 12:30 p.m. (ABC).

“It’s pretty crazy. I’ve been dreaming about it since the first year of all-stars in 10-U,” Baker said. “Now we just have to focus up and play our best and hopefully win this whole thing.”

Baker, the team’s center fielder and No. 5 hitter, has patrolled the most powerful alleys Little League has on offer.

Keldorf, El Segundo’s catcher and cleanup hitter, has dazzled defensively as El Segundo’s anchor for every inning behind the plate.

“You can’t take any of this for granted,” Keldorf said. “Every pitch matters here.”

Brody Brooks, Louis Lappe and Jaxon Kalish have received the most attention from opponents and the media, and so Baker and Keldorf have benefitted further down the lineup.

“They’ve definitely taken the pressure off the team although we know we can’t really rely on them to always do their thing,” Keldorf said.

Baker was 2 for 6 with two RBIs as El Segundo captured the West Region in San Bernardino and has continued to produce on the East Coast with multiple multi-hit games.

“Having them at the top is pretty awesome,” said Baker, who was the only player with two hits in a 3-1 loss to Texas on Monday.

“It’s easier on the rest of the lineup because they’re just getting on base and hitting home runs and setting up everybody else,” Baker said.

Keldorf was 3 for 7 with four RBIs in San Bernardino and has had scattered success at the plate in Williamsport, going 2 for 3 with two RBIs against Rhode Island’s Smithfield Little League as SoCal bounced back with a win on Tuesday.

“It’s definitely about our pitching and our defense,” Keldorf said. “Our pitching is the best in the country. We have the most guys hitting 70 mph consistently.”

Baker also has pitched well in a number of relief appearances, earning a win in Williamsport for a one-inning spot against Nolensville (Tennessee) Little League on Wednesday as the SoCal champions stayed alive with a 3-1 victory.

“When (Lappe) hit that home run it took a lot of pressure off of everyone,” Baker said.

A tight 2-1 win over Northeast Seattle Little League on Thursday night continues their season to Saturday’s U.S. championship game and a rematch against Texas.

“We’ve already faced the Texas pitcher so we know what he looks like and we know how to attack their lineup,” Keldorf said. “We only got two runs against pretty good pitcher versus Washington but we have to do better.”

Now 7-1 since the regionals, Baker still is waiting to see another pitcher as talented as the best he faced in San Bernardino.

“(Northern California’s) Jay Murai is probably one of the best pitchers to ever play Little League,” Baker said. “We haven’t faced anyone like him yet, but maybe the Taiwan pitcher.”

Murai’s fastball electrified crowds in San Bernardino. Taiwan pitcher Fan Chen-Jun’s fastball has reached 80 mph in Williamsport.

The International Championship game is 9:30 a.m. Saturday. The Little League World Series Championship Game is scheduled for noon Sunday. (ABC).

Little League World Series U.S. championship

Who: El Segundo vs. Texas

When: 12:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Lamade Stadium, Williamsport, Pa.

How to watch: Ch. 7