EASLEY — It’s a rivalry that goes back several years.

In the nine years that the Big League World Series has been played in Easley, a team from California has represented the U.S. West eight times.

Five of those times, the California team has come from Thousand Oaks. In each of Thousand Oaks’s previous four trips to Easley, either California or the host team has won the BLWS title.

Wednesday night in the first game of the 2009 BLWS for both teams, California topped the host team — South Carolina District One — 5-3.

Thousand Oaks first came to the BLWS in Easley in 2003, when the team lost to S.C. District One 6-3 in the championship game.

Two years later, Thousand Oaks and the host team met again in the finals, with S.C. District One winning 10-5.

In 2006, the host team lost to Puerto Rico in the semi-finals. Thousand Oaks then defeated Puerto Rico 10-0 in the BLWS championship game to take the title.

In 2007, the host team defeated Thousand Oaks 10-0 in the semi-finals, then topped Puerto Rico 11-3 in the championship game.

Wednesday night, a bad third inning put the host team down 5-0. Three runs in the sixth inning was not enough, leaving the host team 0-1 in BLWS play this year.

Barrett Phillips pitched a complete game for S.C. District One, taking the loss. Rusty Kasper pitched four scoreless innings for Thousand Oaks, picking up the win. Tyler Karp, who came in with the bases loaded in the seventh inning to get the game’s final out, picked up a save.

In other games Wednesday night, the Domincan Republic defeated Germany 8-2; Pennsylvania defeated Illinois 8-6; and Mexico defeated Guam 3-2.

Thursday night games scheduled were California vs. Florida, Illinois vs. Louisiana, and the Dominican Republic vs. Canada. Results of those game were not available at press time.

For updates on the series, go to www.powdersvillepost.com.