A River Forest youth baseball team punched its ticket to the Junior League Baseball World Series on Sunday, August 2, winning the Central Region Championship in Midland, Michigan.

The Elmhurst/River Forest Junior League Baseball squad ran through district and state tournaments before clinching the regional title on the final day of the Central Region Tournament, which ran Tuesday, July 28 through Sunday, August 2. The team is listed on the Little League International website as "Illinois Elmhurst Youth Baseball" representing the Central Region.

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch wrote on X on Monday, August 3 that he traveled to Midland after the National Conference of State Legislatures Summit to cheer on the team in person. Welch called the championship run "unforgettable," writing that watching the players win district, state, and now the regional title meant Illinois was headed to the Junior League World Series.

Junior League Baseball is the 13-14 age division of Little League International. The Central Region Tournament draws state champions from across the Midwest, making the Elmhurst/River Forest squad's path through three postseason levels a significant accomplishment for the program.

The achievement echoes a 2019 milestone for River Forest youth baseball. That summer, a River Forest 12U Little League team won the Illinois state title and reached the Great Lakes Regional final. The River Forest Village Board of Trustees formally recognized the team at its August 26, 2019 meeting, with Village President Cathy Adduci stating the players had made River Forest proud.

Seven years later, another group of local players has matched that level of postseason success and pushed further into the national bracket.

The World Series is scheduled for August 9 through August 16 at Heritage Park in Taylor, Michigan.