VISTA, Calif. -- The Rancho Buena Vista All-Stars, advancing Sunday in the Little League World series, take on a team from Westbrook, Maine.

The Vista-area team won its initial game Saturday, beating an Owensboro, Ky., team 7-2, with pitcher Kalen Pimentel striking out 18 batters to tie a Little League World Series record for a regulation six-inning game.

A pitcher from Taiwan also threw 18 strikeouts, in 1979.

Rancho Buena Vista's game Sunday is set to air on ESPN2 at 5 p.m.

The 10-day series started Friday in Williamsport, Pa., with 16 teams from around the world competing.

On Tuesday, Rancho Buena Vista is matched against a team from Lafayette, La.

The local team, which won the Western Region championships to earn a berth at the World Series, will play three games in pool play, with the top two teams in the four-team pool advancing to the semifinals Wednesday and Thursday.

Rancho Buena Vista is the eighth San Diego County team to reach the Little League World Series. The 1961 El Cajon team, whose roster included future San Diego State and Cleveland Browns quarterback Brian Sipe, is the only one to win the championship.

Local Little League officials said they have surpassed their $50,000 fund-raising goal to help Rancho Buena Vista parents travel to South Williamsport to watch their kids play.

Several donors gave $10,000 each, including The Issa Family Foundation, whose directors are Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, and his wife Kathy, the newspaper reported. Several other donors gave $5,000 each.