The Live Oak 10-12 team waves to their support from the YS area on Saturday, Aug.1 in the opening ceremonies in Greenville, N.C. Photo by Ryan Dudek

GREENVILLE, N.C. (MPG) - The Live Oak 10-12 softball team were beaten 11-1 by Daviess County Little League (KY)in their opening game of the 2026 Little League Softball World Series on Sunday, Aug. 2.

The game endured a four-and-half hour rain delay to the start time of the game that forced an 8 p.m. first pitch in Greenville, North Carolina.

Live Oak came out swinging the bats right away in the top of the first as pitcher Eveya Martinez led off with a single to open the game off DCLL pitcher Michaela Knight.

Knight is one of two athletes on the Kentucky roster that was on the 2025-26 Trinity High School varsity roster in Whitesville, KY as seventh graders.

Live Oak pitcher Charlotte Dudek (19) tosses a pitch on Sunday, Aug.2 in the loss to Daviess County LL in Greenville, N.C. Photo by Ryan Dudek

In the bottom half of the first, DCLL lit up the scoreboard off Martinez in the inning as they played seven runs across the plate.

There were a couple of errors that contributed to the big inning by DCLL as four runs were unearned.

Martinez was relieved in the first inning by infielder Charlotte Dudek.

Dudek opened her time in the circle with a walk but was able to get the final two outs of the inning to end the threat from DCLL.

Dudek pitched 3 2/3 innings where she allowed four runs off six hits and struck out six.

After the first inning, Knight settled into the circle and found her groove as she favored the outside corners to the hitters in the box and mixed her pitches well.

Live Oak infielder/pitcher Eveya Martinez (9) swings at a pitch during their opener against Daviess County LL on Sunday, Aug.2. Photo by Ryan Dudek

Knight finished the game with four innings pitched, allowed four hits and struck out seven.

Martinez had two singles in the loss.

DCLL eventually forced the run rule on Live Oak in the fourth inning as LL rules state that if a team has a 10-run lead after four innings, the game is over.

With the loss, Live Oak moved to the consolation bracket in the tournament and played Tuesday against the loser of Asia-Pacific (Japan) and Latin America (Puerto Rico).

Weather impacted the games on the opening day of the tournament and rain was expected throughout the entire week of competition.

Game times were subjected to changes as five games were scheduled for Monday.