Snohomish Little League is officially repping the Northwest in the 2026 Little League Softball World Series, kicking off an incredible tournament from August 2-9! Our local squad is heading to Greenville, N.C., ready to battle it out on Stallings Stadium, which is hosting this event for the sixth year in a row. This isn’t just some local tournament, folks, this is the big one for these young athletes, a true youth sports premiere.
Our Northwest Stars Are Ready for the Purple Bracket Grind
Twelve teams are in the mix for the World Series crown, with eight coming from the United States and four international powerhouses. Snohomish Little League is front and center, locked into the Purple Bracket. They’ll be facing off against teams like Lake Mary out of Florida, Greater Helotes from Texas, Johnston County in North Carolina, and international contenders like On Field LLS from Quebec and Emilia Romagna from Italy. The Orange Bracket is loaded too, featuring Toms River from New Jersey, Kinki Softball from Japan, and Live Oak from California, just to name a few. It’s a double-elimination format on both sides, which means our Snohomish crew will need to be on top of their game every single pitch. Win that Purple Bracket, and they’ll get to play for the whole dang championship. You know the whole state of Washington will be watching!
Age Limits, Pitching Rules, and Even More Local Connections!
These young phenoms competing in the World Series are between 10 and 12 years old. That’s right, players who hit 12 before January 1 of the tournament year are still eligible, showing off some serious talent at such a young age. And get this: while these younger stars are making waves, players aged 12 to 14 are eligible for the Junior League in Kirkland, Washington, giving us another awesome local connection to the Little League scene! Older players, 13 to 16, compete in the Senior League World Series in Delaware.
When it comes to pitching, there are strict rules to protect these young arms. A pitcher can throw a maximum of 12 innings in one day. If they pitch seven or more innings in a single day, they get a mandatory calendar day of rest. Even just throwing one pitch in an inning counts as a full inning. If they pitch less than seven innings, they can be back on the mound the next day. The diamond itself is 60 feet, with the pitching rubber set at 40 feet. It’s all about fair play and keeping our future pros healthy!
So, Emerald City, let’s rally behind our Snohomish Little League! They’re hitting the field on August 2nd, and they’ve got the whole state cheering them on as they chase that championship. Go get ’em, Snohomish!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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