The Bowling Green East 11- and 12-year-old Little League All-Stars clinched a spot in the Great Lakes Regional championship with an 11-6 win over Kenosha (Wisc.) on Wednesday at Reuben F. Glick Little League Baseball Center in Indianapolis.

After losing an early lead, Bowling Green rallied back with a five-run fourth inning to regain control and move one game away from a second straight appearance in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

“I think that was a good experience for us,” BG manager Rick Kelley said. “It was a nice win and it’s good to have a couple of days off to get our pitching ready and get ready for the championship game on Saturday.”

Bowling Green jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first – getting two-run doubles from Mason Williams and Drew Wolfram – but Kenosha was able to erase that deficit.

Wisconsin scored three in the first and two in the second to tie the score, before taking the lead on wild pitch in the bottom of the third.

John Guthrie gave East the lead back for good, connecting on a two-run homer to fuel a five-run rally. Bowling Green added another run in the fifth and Isaiah Head closed it out with two innings of shutout relief, striking out six of the seven batters he faced.

“John Guthrie really ignited that inning,” Kelley said. “We come back with three base hits in a row, get some passed balls and that really gave us the momentum to get the lead back and be able to keep it and give it to Isaiah to close the game.”

Head and Turner Nottmeier finished with two hits and two runs scored each, while Guthrie scored two runs.

Bowling Green will have two days off, then face the winner of the elimination bracket game at 4 p.m. CST on Saturday. The winner of Saturday’s game advances to the Little League World Series.

Kelley said the team is ready to take a shot at returning to Williamsport.

“They certainly realize that their goal is within reach,” Kelley said. “I think, again, they are still approaching it in a business-like manner. They are not over excited about it. As I have said before, they are playing more mature than their years, so I think they will be ready to play on Saturday.”