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Anthony Johnson Jr. pitches gem at LLWS, ties record with Iowa teammate
Austin Curtright
Anthony Johnson Jr. put on a show in Iowa’s 6-0 win over New Jersey at the Little League World Series on Sunday, Aug. 23, tying a record that was just set by his teammate in the opening game of the tournament.
The left-handed pitcher struck out a whopping 15 batters in the win, tossing 5 and 2/3 scoreless innings while allowing only one hit. Johnson Jr. also launched a monster 300-foot, 3-run home run in the top of the sixth inning, on top of an RBI single earlier in the game.
His 15 strikeouts in a game are the second-most in a LLWS game since 2013, tied with Cooper Thissen, a left-hander catcher and his teammate. Thissen struck out 15 hitters and produced the game’s only run on a home run in Iowa’s 1-0 opening win over California.
Johnson Jr. combined with Thissen for Iowa’s no-hitter against California, coming in late in the fifth inning after Thissen hit the 85-pitch limit. The two left-handers give Iowa a one-two punch that makes it one of the most-dangerous teams in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Johnson Jr. and Thissen are clearly a level above the competition at their age range, and are clearly two of the best pitchers at the LLWS.
Anthony Johnson Jr. stats
- Pitching: No runs on one hit and one walk with 15 strikeouts across 5 and 2/3 innings pitched
- Hitting: 2 for 4 with a single, home run and four RBIs
Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/sports/


