EASLEY—For the second straight year, the host team – South Carolina District One – will not be part of the festivities for the Big League World Series Championship game. But there should be plenty of excitement at the J.B. “Red” Owens Recreation Complex when the game begins at 8 p.m.

Tuesday night the two pool championship games were played to determine match-up for tonight’s game. Results of those games were not available at press time.

In the United States Pool, the Southwest representatives – Ruston, La., – played the West representatives –Thousand Oaks, Calif.

The team from Ruston, La., has been in the Big League World Series four straight years, and five of the past six years. Since the tournament was expanded to include a Southwest Regional in 2002, Ruston has been won that Regional six of eight years.

Ruston finished pool play with a 4-0 record, including an impressive 10-4 victory over Thousand Oaks Monday night.

Thousand Oaks won the Big League World Series in 2006, and lost the championship game to S.C. District One two other times. In the nine years that the BLWS has been in Easley, Thousand Oaks has represented the U.S. West five times.

In the International Pool, the Dominican Republic faces Mexico.

The Dominican Republic is the only team from last year’s final four to earn a return trip to Easley for the 2009 BLWS. Last year’s team lost to Puerto Rico in the International Pool championship game. The Dominican Republic team got a measure of revenge by defeating Puerto Rico in the Latin American Regional this year.

The Dominican Republic came into Tuesday night’s games with a 4-0 record in pool play, including a 14-2 win over Mexico.

Mexico and Puerto Rico alternate with an automatic bid to the Big League World Series.

Mexico received the automatic bid this year. Mexico is 3-1 in pool play.

Tonight’s game will also be televised live on ESPN2.

Last year’s game was televised by ESPN, but the game was played in the early afternoon.

For this year’s night game, extra lighting had to be temporarily installed so that the ESPN cameras will be able to catch action anywhere on the field.

The lights were set to be installed Tuesday afternoon, according to BLWS Tournament

Director Jon Humphrey.

Humphrey said everything had gone smoothly for this year’s BLWS.

“We owe it all to our volunteers,” Humphrey said.