California rolls to Junior League World Series title in Taylor

California scored in five out of six innings and defeated Puerto Rico, 8-3, Sunday in the championship game of the Junior League World Series at Heritage Park in Taylor.

Kyle Kim pitched 6.2 innings in relief, allowed one run on six hits and struck out three for California.

Kim and D.J. Garcia each had two hits and an RBI for California.

California took advantage of four errors by Puerto Rico to score five unearned runs. Conor Sunderland had California’s only other RBI.

Puerto Rico took the quick lead in the top of the first with a run on an error and another on a fielder’s choice, but California bounced back with a run in the first, then two in the second to take a 3-2 lead.

Eric Jeon scored on an error to put California on the scoreboard in the first inning, then Kim singled in a run to tie the score and later scored on a passed ball to give California the lead in the second inning.

California extended its lead in the third inning when Sunderland singled home Jack Bender, and again in the fourth on an error by the catcher.

Jomar Bermudez cut the lead to 5-3 in the top of the sixth with an infield single, but California pulled away with three runs in the bottom of the inning.

Garcia singled in a run to make the score 6-3, and two more runs scored on an error later in the inning to complete the scoring.