Phenix City, Ala., is still alive at the Little League World Series, and Kinley Rasmus keeps finding ways to sit at the center of it.
She helped close out Tuesday’s 4-2 win over Washington by snagging an infield pop-up from Kasen Workman in the top of the sixth, snuffing out the Northwest representative’s last real push. That came after Alabama’s Southeast entry, Phenix City Youth Baseball Little League, had already beaten Washington once in the bracket after opening the tournament with a 2-0 loss to Soundview Little League in Tacoma, Washington.
The victory gave Phenix City its third win in four days as it keeps working through the lower bracket toward Saturday’s U.S. Championship game.
Rasmus did just as much damage with the bat. She went 2-for-3 with two singles and an RBI, driving in a run with a single down the left field line in the third inning before coming around to score on Cam Lee’s double to center.
That’s been the theme in Williamsport: Rasmus showing up everywhere. She’s hit, pitched and defended at a level that has turned her into the tournament’s biggest name. The 12-year-old has clearly separated herself as the most talked-about girl in this Little League World Series, and the comparison point is obvious - Mo’ne Davis, who became the first girl to throw a shutout at the event and landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 2014.
Through four games, Rasmus is 5-for-10 with a double, three RBIs, three runs and two walks. Her .583 on-base percentage and 1.183 OPS tell the story, but the five hits matter even more: that’s now the record for a girl at the LLWS.
She’s been just as sharp on the mound. Rasmus has pitched twice in Williamsport, starting Alabama’s opening-round loss and throwing six shutout innings while allowing one hit, two walks and striking out eight.
Those eight strikeouts matched Davis’s record for a girl at the event. Alabama still lost that one 2-0 in seven innings after she came out.
Her best pitching performance may have come Monday night. With one out in the top of the third and Alabama down 5-0 against Pennsylvania, Rasmus took over and threw 4 2/3 scoreless innings.
She gave up only two hits, struck out six and didn’t walk anyone. Alabama stormed back to win 6-5, and Rasmus also chipped in at the plate, going 1-for-3 with the RBI single that tied the game in the bottom of the third.
For the tournament, she hasn’t allowed a run in 10 2/3 innings, giving up three hits, two walks and 14 strikeouts. And when she’s not on the mound, she’s been excellent at shortstop.
Phenix City’s next step comes Wednesday against the winner of an elimination game between New Jersey and Ohio. Whoever survives that one will be a win away from the U.S. title game.
Rasmus also comes with serious baseball bloodlines. Her father, Cory, spent parts of four seasons in the majors with the Braves and Angels, working mostly as a right-handed reliever.
He finished with a 4-5 record, a 4.17 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP and 121 strikeouts in 123 career innings. Cory also played for Phenix City National Little League at the 1999 LLWS, when that team won the U.S. championship before losing 5-0 to Osaka, Japan, in the final.
Her grandfather Tony coached that squad, and Cory is now an assistant on this year’s Phenix City team.
Her uncle Colby was the 28th pick in the 2005 MLB draft and played 10 big league seasons as an outfielder for the Cardinals, Blue Jays, Astros, Rays and Orioles. He put up 20.4 wins above replacement, hit .241/.310/.436 and launched 166 home runs in 1,092 games. Colby was also on Phenix City’s 1999 LLWS team with Cory.
Another uncle, Case, was selected in the 36th round by the Cardinals in the 2011 MLB draft as a catcher and spent four seasons in the minors. He’s managing Phenix City’s team at the 2026 LLWS, and his son Ryker, Kinley’s cousin, is also on the roster.
Kinley’s maternal uncle, Jeff Mathis, played 17 seasons in the majors as a catcher for the Angels, Marlins, Diamondbacks, Rangers, Blue Jays and Braves. He made his name as a defense-first backstop who could steer a pitching staff, and he finished his career with a .194/.252/.299 line in 948 games. Kinley’s mother, Jill Rasmus, played softball at Southern Miss.
Rasmus is the 25th girl to play at the Little League World Series, and the case for her as the best ever is getting louder by the day.
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