Little League World Series 2015: Pennsylvania, Texas, Fight Epic Battle

By Justin Heinze

The giants from tiny Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, defeated Texas in dramatic fashion Saturday to become the U.S. Little League World Series champions before a record crowd of 45,000, setting the stage for a final that could put them atop the globe’s kid baseball teams for the first time since 1960.

Red Land, Pennsylvania, plated the final run of the game in the bottom of the 6th inning to win, 3-2, and earn the right to play Japan on Sunday for the Little League World Series Championship.

Texas took a 2-1 lead in the top of the 4th inning on a two out double, but Red Land battled back in the bottom half of the inning with a solo home run from Jaden Henline to tie the game.

Thousands of Red Land fans coated much of the slope behind the outfield fence in shades of red. Throughout the concourse and the stands, supporters of the Pennsylvania team sported red shirts with “#WhyNotUs” printed across the back.

In the top of the fifth inning, Red Land ace pitcher Cole Wagner threw only one pitch that was a ball, retiring Pearland, Texas in order.

Red Land put a man on with a walk in the bottom of the fifth, but Texas pitcher Ryan Farmer struck out the next two batters to end the inning. Through five innings, the monstrous Red Land offense was limited by Farmer to just two hits.

Red Land faced their toughest test yet in a battle-hardened Texas team that had held them to just three runs on Wednesday.