EASLEY — Two teams receive automatic bids to the Big League World Series each year.

The host team, S.C. District One receives one of the automatic bids, while Puerto Rico and Mexico rotate years of receiving the other automatic bid. The team that does not receive the automatic bid is eligible to participate in the Latin American Regional and earn a spot in the BLWS.

This year is Puerto Rico’s turn.

But what about the remaining nine teams? Each had to win tough regional tournaments to earn their spots in the BLWS. Many had to win district and regional tournaments in order to qualify for their state tournaments.

Here is a brief look at each team’s road to the Big League World Series.

U.S. Southeast

South Carolina District 7 from Greenville came into the tournament looking for its third U.S. Southeast Regional title in four years. The team came away with the victory, earning the right to cross the Saluda River and play in the Big League World Series in Easley.

The tournament opened with a 13-3 win by West-Virginia over Tennessee. The game was stopped after five innings due to the 10-run rule.

South Carolina then opened the tournament in style by defeating the host team, Florida District 21, 7-4.

In the tournament’s second day, four games were scheduled. The Florida state champions, District 12, defeated Virginia 8-1.

Then in a slugfest, Florida District 21 topped Georgia 13-12.

In the afternoon games, Virginia came back to earn a 6-4 win over West Virginia, while Florida District 12 topped Tennessee 7-2.

South Carolina opened day three with a 12-2 win over Georgia, clinching first place in Pool B. Virginia earned a spot in the semi-finals by defeating Tennessee 11-1. Florida District 12 clinched the Pool A title with a 13-1 win over West Virginia.

In the semi-finals, Florida District 12 topped Florida District 21 5-1 while South Carolina edged Virginia 4-3.

In the championship game, South Carolina topped Florida District 12 7-5 to win the tournament.

South Carolina first began participating in the U.S. Southeast Regional four years ago, and won the title in 2007 and 2008. South Carolina was defeated in the semi-finals of the 2009 Southeast Regional.

2010 BLWS Schedule: 4 p.m., Thursday, July 29 — vs. U.S. West, Field Three; 7:30 p.m., Friday, July 30 — vs. U.S. East, Field One; 7:30 p.m., Saturday, July 31 — vs. S.C. District One; 4 p.m., Monday, Aug. 2 — vs. U.S. Central.

Southwest

Texas East, Texas West, Colorado and the Louisiana state champions joined the host team in Rushton, La., for the U.S. Southwest Regional. The tournament was a double elimination contest.

Texas East opened the tournament with a 10-9 win over Colorado.

The host team, Louisiana District 5, topped Texas West in their opening game.

Texas East then defeated Texas the Louisiana state champions 9-0 to advance in the winners bracket.

Meanwhile, Texas West eliminated Colorado with a 15-3 victory, then eliminated the Louisiana state champions with a 4-3 win.

The host team topped Texas East 5-4 in the winners bracket. Texas East stayed alive by topping Texas West 10-0 in the losers bracket, earning a rematch with Louisiana District 5.

Texas East topped Louisiana District Five 5-1, forcing a second game. In the second game, Louisiana District Five won 9-7 to take the Southwest Regional.

Since the Southwest Regional was started in 2002, Louisiana District 5 has one seven of the nine titles.

2010 BLWS Schedule: 7:30 p.m., Thursday, July 29 – vs. U.S. Central; 7:30 p.m., Friday, July 30 — vs. S.C. District One; 2 p.m., Saturday, July 31 — vs. U.S. East; 7:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 2 — vs. U.S. West.

U.S. East

Last year New Jersey District 3 breezed through the winners bracket of the U.S. East Regional, only to be defeated twice by Pennsylvania for the title. This year, the Garden State warriors were determined to earn a spot in the Big League World Series.

The nine-team, double-elimination tournament began July 18 in Dover, Delaware.

New Jersey opened things with a 10-7 win over New York. In other first round matchups, Massachusetts defeated Connecticut 14-1, Pennsylvania defeated the Delaware state champions 4-3, and the host team — Delaware District 1 – topped Rhode Island 2-1.

New Jersey then defeated Maryland 13-3.

In the losers’ bracket, New York eliminated Connecticut 2-1, then knocked out the Delaware state champions 7-2. Meanwhile, Rhode Island eliminated Maryland 9-6.

Back in the winners’ bracket, Pennsylvania destroyed Massachusetts 16-2, while New Jersey shut out the host team 11-0.

In the losers bracket, New York eliminated Massachusetts 13-0, while Rhode Island topped the host team 7-6. Rhode Island then eliminated New York with a 5-4 victory.

New Jersey topped Pennsylvania 4-2 to stay in the winners’ bracket. Pennsylvania then defeated Rhode Island 9-3 to earn a rematch with New Jersey.

The situation mirrored last years U.S. East finals, but the results were different. New Jersey defeated Pennsylvania 5-4 to win the regional and advance to the BLWS.

This is the first time that New Jersey District 3 has traveled to Easley for the BLWS. In 2008, New Jersey District 18 won the U.S. East Regional and competed in the BLWS.

2010 BLWS Schedule: 4 p.m., Wednesday, July 28 — vs. U.S. Central; 7:30 p.m., Friday, July 30 — vs. U.S. Southeast; 2 p.m., Saturday, July 31 — vs. U.S. Southwest; 2:30 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 1— vs. S.C. District One.

U.S. Central

Illinois District 15 from Chicago will make its fourth trip to Easley for the Big League World Series after winning the six-team, double elimination U.S. Central Regional in Wyoming, Michigan.

The tournament started with Ohio defeating Missouri 10-5, followed by the host team — Michigan District 9 — topping the Michigan state champions — District 2 — 6-3.

In the second day of competition, Indiana gave Ohio its first loss with an 11-4 win, while Illinois topped the host team 5-0.

Michigan District 2 eliminated Ohio 10-2 in the third game of the day. The host team then eliminated Missouri 15-0.

In the final game of the second day of play, Illinois defeated Indiana 9-4 in the winners bracket.

After taking Thursday off from play, the tournament resumed on Friday, with the host team eliminating Michigan District 2 7-0.

The host team then eliminated Indiana 8-6, setting up a rematch against Illinois in the championship game.

Illinois defeated the host team 6-1 to win the U.S. Central Regional and advance to the BLWS in Easley.

This marks Illinois District 15’s fourth trip to the BLWS in Easley. The team also advanced to the series in 2003, 2005 and 2009.

2010 BLWS schedule: 4 p.m., July 28 — vs. U.S. East; 7:30 p.m., July 29 — vs. U.S. Southwest; 9 a.m., July 30 — vs. U.S. West; 4 p.m., Aug. 2 — vs. U.S. Southeast.

U.S. West

Thousand Oaks, Calif., will be making its sixth trip to Easley to participate in the Big League World Series after winning the U.S. West Regional in Bremerton, Wash.

The tournament featured pool play, with Southern California (Thousand Oaks), Northern California, Oregon and Hawaii in Pool A, while Pool B featured Nevada, Montana and Washington.

Southern California clinched first place in Pool A with wins over Northern California (11-3), Oregon (10-0) and Hawaii (6-2). Hawaii took second place in Pool A with wins over Oregon (10-0) and Northern California (2-1).

Because there were only three teams in Pool B, each team played each other twice, which eventually led to a mess in the standings.

Nevada opened play in Pool B strong, defeating Washington 4-2 and Montana 13-5 the first day of play. But Nevada lost to Washington 11-3 on the second day of play, then lost to Montana 7-6 on the third day of play. Meanwhile, Montana and Washington split their two games, leaving all three teams tied with 2-2 records at the end of pool play.

Nevada ended up losing the tiebreaker, with Washington taking the spot for first place, while Montana took the spot for second place.

In the semi-finals, Southern California topped Montana 16-2, while Hawaii defeated Washington 12-3.

Southern California then defeated Hawaii 3-0 in the championship game.

In the 10 years the BLWS has been in Easley, a team from California has represented the U.S. West nine times, the exception being gin 2002 when Washington earned the honor.

Thousand Oaks has been to Easley six times. California District 46 has been twice and California District 62 has been once.

2010 BLWS Schedule: 7:30 p.m. July 28 — vs. S.C. District One; 4 p.m., July 29 — vs. U.S. Southeast; 9 a.m., July 30 — vs. U.S. Central; 7:30 p.m. — vs. U.S. Southwest.

Latin America

There will be no repeat champion in the 2010 Big League World Series as Panama eliminated last year’s winner, the Dominican Republic, in the Latin American Regional Tournament in Panama City, Panama.

Panama will be making its second trip to Easley for the Big League World Series.

The tournament was set up for pool play with Pool A featuring Panama, Venezuela, Costa Rica and Aruba, while Pool B featured Mexico, Curacao, Columbia and the Dominican Republic.

Venezuela defeated Panama (3-2), Aruba (12-3) and Costa Rica (10-0) to take first place in Pool A. Panama, with wins over Aruba (5-3) and Costa Rica (14-1) earned the second-place spot.

In Pool B, Mexico defeated Curacao 14-8 and Columbia 8-7, but fell to the Dominican Republic 4-2.

The Dominican Republic defeated Columbia 6-4, but lost to Curacao 8-6.

Curacao’s 7-1 victory over Columbia put Curacao, Mexico and the Dominican Republic in a three-way tie with 2-1 records atop of the Pool B standings.

Curacao was eliminated in the tiebreaker, with the Dominican Republic taking first place, while Mexico was second.

In the semifinals, Venezuela topped Mexico 8-7, while Panama surprised the Dominican Republic 7-4.

Panama then topped Venezuela 5-4 to win the tournament.

Panama last won the Latin American regional in 2006.

2010 BLWS Schedule: 4 p.m. July 28 — vs. EMEA; 7:30 p.m., July 29 — vs. Canada; 4 p.m., July 30 — vs. Puerto Rico; 5 p.m., Aug. 1 — vs. Asia-Pacific.

EMEA

It was short and sweet for the Netherlands as the team took the Europe- Mediterranean-Asia Regional in Ramstein, Germany.

With only three teams in the tournament, the Regional featured just four games.

The Netherlands crushed Modovia 15-0, then smashed German 12-1.

Germany earned a rematch for the championship game by defeating Moldovia 8-7.

The Netherlands defeated German 10-0 in the championship game.

The Netherlands broke a two-year run by Germany as the EMEA champions. The Netherlands came to Easley in 2004 for the Big League World Series.

2010 BLWS Schedule: 4 p.m., July 28 — vs. Latin America; 4 p.m., July 30 — vs. Canada; 11:30 a.m., July 31 — vs. Asia-Pacific; 7:30 p.m., Aug. 1 — vs. Puerto Rico.

Asia-Pacific

It took 11 innings, but the Philippines team defeated Guam 13-10 in the championship game of the Asia-Pacific Regional in Jakata, Indonesia.

The Philippines had breezed through pool play, taking a 13-4 win over Indonesia, a 6-5 win over Saipan and a 13-9 win over Guam.

Guam earned its spot in the championship game with wins over Saipan (10-8) and Indonesia (17-0).

This marks the Philippines second trip to Easley for the Big League World Series. The Philippines last represented Asia-Pacific in 2002.

2010 BLWS Schedule: 7:30 p.m., July 28 — vs. Puerto Rico; 11:30 a.m., July 31 — vs. EMEA; 5 p.m., Aug. 1 — vs. Latin America; 9 a.m. Aug. 2 — vs. Canada.

Canada

Nova Scotia, representing the Atlantic region, won the Canadian Regional Tournament, topping British Columbia in the championship game Sunday night.

British Columbia had powered through round-robin play with a 5-0 record, including a 4-2 win over Nova Scotia and a 9-6 win over the host team from Regina, Saskatchewan.

Novia Scotia defeated the host team 12-1 to earn second place in the standings going into the semi-finals.

In the semi-finals, British Columbia made short work of Ontario, winning 16-1. Novia Scotia topped Saskatchewan 7-3.

Nova Scotia defeated British Columbia 6-3 in the championship game.

This will be Nova Scotia’s second straight trip to the BLWS. Nova Scotia also came to Easley for the tournament in 2002 and 2004.

2010 BLWS Schedule: 7:30 p.m, July 29 — vs. Latin America; 4 p.m., July 30 — vs. EMEA; 9 a.m. July 31 — vs. Puerto Rico; 9 a.m., Aug. 2 — vs. Asia-Pacific.

Puerto Rico

2010 BLWS Schedule: 7:30 p.m., July 28 — vs. Asia-Pacific; 4 p.m., July 30 — vs. Latin America; 9 a.m., July 31 — vs. Canada; 7:30 p.m., Aug. 1 — vs. EMEA.

S.C. District One

2010 BLWS Schedule: 7:30 p.m., July 28 — vs. U.S. West; 7:30 p.m., July 30 — vs. U.S. Southwest; 7:30 p.m., July 31 — vs. U.S. Southeast; 2:30 p.m., Aug. 1 — vs. U.S. East.