Kinley Rasmus tied Mo’ne Davis’ Little League World Series record with 14 strikeouts and five tournament hits as Phenix City, Alabama, made a deep run in Williamsport.
The 12-year-old two-way star stepped into a rich family legacy in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, exactly 27 years after her father and uncle starred on the very same stage.
Rasmus made history during the 2026 Little League World Series by becoming the 25th girl to play in the tournament’s 79-year history.
Tying Historic Strikeout Marks on the Mound
Rasmus made her greatest noise as a pitcher, anchoring the Southeast Region champions through a grueling tournament schedule. During a high-stakes elimination game on Monday, August 24, 2026, she entered in relief with Phenix City trailing West Chester, Pennsylvania, by a score of 5-0 in the third inning.
That outing brought her tournament strikeout total to 14, tying Mo’ne Davis’ record for the most strikeouts by a girl in Little League World Series history.
Earlier in the tournament, Rasmus delivered a dominant six-inning, eight-strikeout shutout against Tacoma, Washington, allowing only three hits. Through her first three outings on the mound in Williamsport, she surrendered zero earned runs across 10.2 innings.
Setting New Marks at the Plate for Phenix City
Rasmus contributes equally as a shortstop and a high-leverage hitter batting near the top of the Phenix City lineup. On Tuesday evening, August 25, 2026, she recorded two hits during an elimination game against Washington, bringing her tournament total to five hits—the most all-time by a girl in the tournament.
That performance followed an earlier multi-hit effort against Bonita, California, where she went 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI triple. Her consistent presence at the plate helped power an Alabama squad that also demonstrated resilience, including a comeback victory from a five-run deficit.
A Deep Generation-Spanning Baseball Bloodline
The Rasmus family name carries immense weight in regional and professional baseball circles. Kinley’s father, Cory Rasmus, helped lead Phenix City to the Little League World Series championship game in 1999 before being drafted in the first round by the Atlanta Braves in 2006 and pitching in the majors for the Braves and Los Angeles Angels from 2013 to 2016.
Kinley’s uncle, Colby Rasmus, played 10 seasons in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from 2009 to 2018. Her grandfather, Tony Rasmus, coached the 1999 Phenix City team and was a former draft pick of the Angels. Another uncle, Case Rasmus, serves as the head coach of the 2026 Phenix City team, while Cory Rasmus assists him as a coach.
Athletic talent extends to the maternal side as well. Kinley’s mother, Jill Rasmus, played Division I softball at Southern Mississippi. Furthermore, her uncle Jeff Mathis played 17 seasons as a catcher in the major leagues, connecting multiple branches of professional diamond experience.
Team Support and National Encouragement
Mo’ne Davis offered public encouragement during an appearance on the MLB Little League Classic Alumni-Cast, stating, Just watching Kinley get all those strikeouts in a game is just unbelievable.
As the tournament progresses, Phenix City continues its schedule in Williamsport, backed by a family tradition nearly three decades in the making.
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