SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — The 16-team field is finally set for the Little League Baseball World Series.

Joining Northwest Regional champion Bend North and six other qualifiers on the eight-team U.S. side of the bracket Monday was Bowling Green (Kentucky) Eastern Little League, which beat Essexville (Michigan) Hampton 7-2 in the rain-delayed Great Lakes Regional final. The game was played at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport after being rained out on both Saturday and Sunday in Indianapolis.

The Kentucky team will open play in the World Series on Friday night against the Southwest Region champion, McAllister Park American from San Antonio.

Bend North arrived in South Williamsport late Sunday night and will begin preparations today for its tournament opener against Goodlettsville, Tennessee, the Southeast Region champion and 2012 LLBWS runner-up. That game is scheduled for 4 p.m. PDT Thursday.

With a win Thursday, the Oregon state champions would advance to a second-round game at noon Sunday against the winner of Thursday’s Mid-Atlantic vs. New England game. If Bend North loses Thursday, it would play at noon Saturday against the Mid-Atlantic/New England loser.

The field for the LLBWS is divided into two eight-team brackets, the U.S. side and the International side. The tournament follows a double-elimination format, and all teams are guaranteed to play at least three games. The U.S. and International championship games are scheduled for Aug. 27. The championship final is set for Aug. 28.

All 32 games in the tournament are scheduled to be televised live by ESPN, ESPN2 or ABC.

—Bulletin staff report