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AT BAT — The only girl playing in the Little League World Series this year can do it all.
Stella Weaver singled, scored a run, and was hit by a pitch in helping Tennessee to an 8-1 win over Rhode Island in the team's World Series opener Friday, and the 12-year-old right-hander has a cannon for an arm, too.
Weaver is the 22nd girl to play in the Little League World Series in the history of the tournament that dates back to 1947. She became just the 10th girl in LLWS history to score when her hard grounder to short beat the tag against Rhode Island, then later hustled home on an RBI single to finish with a sliding score.
"She's a baseball player," said Randy Huth, who manages the Southeast winners from Nolensville, Tennessee, of the standout who also plays first base. "She's not just a girl who's here. She can really play the game, and she's very, very good."
Stella Weaver — the only girl in this year's Little League World Series — struck out her first batter, then singled in her first at-bat.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) August 21, 2023
She's the 22nd girl ever to play in the LLWS.pic.twitter.com/wRyaS2buHL
A girl has played in the Little League World Series in each of the past four tournaments, but Weaver recorded a hit for the first time since Ella Bruning in 2021. They're the only two girls to score a run since 2009.
Weaver also started on the bump in Tennessee's game Monday against Seattle in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The 5-foot-8 hurler struck out the first batter she faced, and also singled in a 6-2 loss to the Northwest Region champions, according to the Seattle Times.
"She can throw it, man," Huth told the Associated Press. "She can really pitch."
Tennessee will face the Mountain Region champion in an elimination game Tuesday at 1 p.m. MDT.
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