Phenix City pitcher ties Little League World Series strikeout record for girls
Kinley Rasmus matched Mo'ne Davis' record with eight strikeouts in a six-inning Little League World Series game, helping Phenix City aim for its first championship.
Kinley Rasmus of Phenix City, Alabama, recorded eight strikeouts over six innings in a Little League World Series matchup against Washington, tying the record set by Mo'ne Davis for the most strikeouts by a girl in a single game. The performance came as the Phenix City team seeks its first championship appearance.
Rasmus is part of a family with deep ties to the tournament; her uncle, former MLB outfielder Colby Rasmus, played in the 1999 series, and both he and her uncle Case Rasmus serve as coaches for the team. Case, a former minor-league player, also has a son on the roster.
"I just always hear my dad talking about [Williamsport] and how much fun he had, and I just want to do the same thing," Rasmus said, according to an ESPN report.
The achievement highlights the growing presence of female pitchers in the Little League World Series, following Davis' historic 2014 winning start.