VIDEO: MCYSA Summer International Championships

It was standing room only Thursday night as baseball fans from all parts of the world gathered at Lippold Park to watch America's favorite game.

Japan took on Brazil, and the Texas D-Bat Mustangs faced the Puerto Rican Cardinals.

After seven innings, Brazil came out the winner by a score of 2-1, and the D-Bat Mustangs trampled over the Cardinals by 5 to 1. Both games were in the 15-year-old division.

As of Thursday, there were nearly 100-plus games left to play in the 11, 13 and 15-year-old divisions before playoff and championship match-ups could be determined. 

The McHenry County Youth Sports Asssociation is hosting the Summer International Championships, and games are played at Lippold, Veteran Acres, Woodstock, McHenry and other locations.

This year, 103 teams are competing among the three age divisions. There are 15 international teams, said MCYSA board president Jack Sebesta, who also serves as superintendent of facility services for the .

"We have teams from Japan, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Sri Lanka," Sebesta said. 

Locally, several baseball teams from Crystal Lake, Cary, Algonquin, Lake in the Hills, McHenry and Woodstock will be competing. Teams from Crystal Lake include the Crystal Lake Babe Ruth, Crystal Lake Cardinals, Crystal Lake Bombers, Crystal Lake Slam, Crystal Lake Cyclones, and Crystal Lake Baseball, Sebesta said.

The public is welcome and encouraged to attend the games. For more information visit the MCYSA website.