After their originally schedule trip to compete in the Little League Challenger Division® Exhibition Game was cut short in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Mason (Ohio) Youth Organization Little League and Cambrian Park Little League (San Jose, Calif.) will head to Williamsport to play in the once-in-a-lifetime game on Saturday, August 27, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. ET.
“After two years of not being able to host our Challenger Exhibition game, we are thrilled to be able to bring it back for this year’s event and honored to welcome back the two teams that were set to play in the event in 2020,” said Sam Ranck, Little League Director of League Development and Challenger Division. “The dedicated volunteers and players at Mason Youth Organization Little League and Cambrian Park Little League are beyond deserving of this opportunity, and we look forward to welcoming them to Williamsport this summer for an experience they will never forget.”
The Little League Challenger Division Exhibition Game has been a part of the Little League Baseball World Series schedule since 2001. Little League® International supports the participating leagues with a $15,000 grant to help offset the costs for the teams to participate in the Exhibition Game. The game will also be broadcast live on northeastern Pennsylvania’s and the Central Susquehanna Valley’s PBS Station, WVIA.
Meet the teams playing in the 2022 Little League Challenger Division Exhibition Game:
Mason (Ohio) Youth Organization Little League
Since it officially launched in 2013, Mason Youth Organization Little League has proudly provided children with physical and intellectual challenges the unique opportunity to experience the game of baseball and create new friendships with other members of their community. After starting with 30 players on two teams back in 2013, the league has since grown to offer this great opportunity to more than 100 children within the community in both a Majors and Minors division. In addition to the regular season offerings, the league also works with nearby Mason High School Baseball and Softball to offer a free Fall clinic for all the league’s members to give additional opportunities throughout the year.
Located just northeast of Cincinnati, Mason Youth Organization Little League also finds additional ways to get the community involved throughout the year, including the opportunity for organizations to “Adopt-A-Team.” This program is a one-week commitment by a local community organization to support one of the league’s teams as that team’s unique group of fans, bringing signs and snacks to the game as well as creating a human tunnel at the conclusion of the game to share their love of the game with the league’s Challenger athletes. In addition to their efforts on the field, the league also works with local organizations to support a variety of initiatives focused on providing opportunities to those children with physical and intellectual challenges throughout the community.
Cambrian Park Little League (San Jose, Calif.)
A member of the Little League Challenger Division for a decade, Cambrian Park Little League has grown sixfold since it began in the spring of 2010. Located in the southwest part of San Jose as part of California District 12, the league has also served as an instrumental resource for other leagues throughout the district to successfully operate a challenger program over the past decade.
As part of the program, current members from the league’s Major and Junior baseball divisions step in each season to volunteer their time as Buddies for every game. Along with the support of the league’s current members, a number of alumni from the league continue to come back and volunteer their time as buddies, or even just to come out and support the members of the Challenger program.
For more information about the 2022 LLBWS, as well as the six other World Series events and their respective Region Tournaments, be sure to visit LittleLeague.org/WorldSeries.