Phenix City Returns to Little League World Series After 27-Year Absence
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
Kinley Rasmus leads the Alabama squad back to Williamsport with a dominant regional performance.
Phenix City, Ala., has secured a spot in the 2026 Little League Baseball World Series, marking the program's first appearance since 1999, as MLB.com first reported.
Kinley Rasmus, the daughter of former MLB pitcher Cory Rasmus, played a pivotal role in the team's 4-0 victory over Tennessee in the Southeast Region final. Rasmus pitched a six-inning complete-game shutout, recording eight strikeouts and allowing three hits. Throughout the regional tournament, where Phenix City went 4-0, Rasmus pitched in three games without surrendering a run and hit out of the No. 2 spot. She finished the tournament with a 6-for-8 batting record, four walks, four runs scored, and two RBIs.
The 2026 squad features deep family ties to the program's previous success. Tony Rasmus, who coached the 1999 team that won the United States Championship, is the grandfather of Kinley. His sons, Cory and Colby, were part of that 1999 team and went on to play in the major leagues. For the 2026 campaign, Case Rasmus—who was too young for the 1999 roster—serves as head coach, while Cory Rasmus is an assistant coach. Additionally, Ryker Rasmus, the son of Case and cousin to Kinley, contributed as the primary first baseman and pitched in two games, as reported by MLB.com.
Phenix City is scheduled to begin its World Series quest in South Williamsport, Pa., on Aug. 19, when they face the winners of the Northwest Region.