Pearland Little League loses 3-0, will get second change to make it to US championships tomorrow

WILLIAMSPORT, PA -- In the battle of the unbeaten at Williamsport it was clear from the start the crowd was behind Lewisberry, Pennsylvania.

About 35,107 fans showed up to see Red Land Little League move to the US Championship round. They cheered every strike, booed every close call that went against Red Land Little League and sent the "wave" several times around Lamade Stadium.

In the top of the first after an Isaac Garcia strike out, Ben Gottfried reached on a single up the middle and nearly got caught trying to steal as the relay was being brought to the pitchers mound. Jarrett Tadlock then drew a walk. Zack Mack then struck out swinging, bringing up Marco Gutierrez. He then hit a pop up to center that seemed to get lost in the lights, but Lewisberry's Dylan Rodenhaber found the ball in time to make the final out.

Pearland starting pitcher Tadlock walked Lewisberry's first batter and a passed ball then sent Braden Kolmansbergerto second. Tadlock responded by striking out Cole Wagner, but another passed ball sent Lewisberry's runner to third with just one out. Pearland's Alex Solomon could not handle a pop up to 2nd base, allowing Kolmansberger to score. Tadlock then struck out the next batter and got Dylan Rodenhaber to hit a grounder to first, ending the inning with Lewisberry on top 1-0.

In the second, Pearland's Carter Ostrom sent a 2-out single to right field but Raffi Gross struck out ending the threat. After two innings, Pearland had left 3 runners on board.

In the bottom of the second Pearland's Tadlock struck out the first two Lewisberry batters before getting Kaden Peifer to ground out back to Tadlock for the third out.

In the top of the 3rd inning, Lewisberry's Adam Cramer kept Pearland's batters off balance using 14 pitches to record strike outs against Isaac Garcia, Ben Gottfried and Jarrett Tadlock.

In the Bottom of the 3rd, Lewisberry's Adam Cramer doubled to the second pitch to the left field wall. The next batter hit the ball hard to Pearland's 3rd baseman, Caleb Low, but Low's throw to 1st beat the runner.

First baseman Zack Mack then whipped the ball right back to Low to catch Cramer trying to reach to 3rd base. It would be a big out because the next Lewisberry batter, Cole Wagner took Tadlock's second pitch over the left field wall to give Lewisberry the 2-0 lead.

Jaden Henlie kept the inning going with a double of hits to the center field wall. Tadlock then hit Lewsiberry's Chayton Kruass with a pitch to put two runners on board with 2 outs. But the next batter hit the ball to Pearalnd's Short Stop to end the inning with Lewisberry up 2-0.

In the top of the 4th, Pearland's Zack Mack reached 2nd on a double down the left field line. Then Adam Cramer recorded his 8th, 9th and 10th strike outs of the game to keep Pearland off the board.

In the bottom of the 4th, Lewisberry's Zack Sooy struck out then pitch hitter. Camden Walter drew a walk on Jarrett Tadlock's 67th and final pitch of the game. Pearland Manager Andrew Solomon then brought in Marco Gutierrez in relief. Gutierrez got Jarrett Wisman to strike before hitting Lewisberry's Adam Cramer with a pitch.

A passed ball sent the runners to 2nd and 3rd with two outs. Pinch hitter Bailey Wirt then struck out to end the threat and keep the score 2-0 Lewisberry.

In the top of the 5th inning, Lewisberry kept pitcher Adam Cramer on the mound. Cramer began the inning having thrown 70 pitches. Three pitches later, Conner DeLeon would become Cramer's 11th strike out. It only took 3 more pitches to record Cramer's 12th strike out. But Pearland's next batter, Isaac Garcia drew a walk. Cramer then rallied to get Pearland's Ben Gottfried go down swinging and record his 13th strike out of the game.

In the bottom half of the 5th, Pearland's Marco Gutierrez got a strike out and ground out before Lewsiberry's Chayton Krauss got a single to center field. Dylan Rodenhaber drew a walk to put runners on 1st and 2nd with two out. A passed ball moved the runners to 2nd and 3rd with two outs. Gutierrez then walked Ethan Phillips to load the bases for Lewisberry. Jake Cubbler then got hit by a pitch and with no where to put him, the pitch brought home a run making it 3-0. Gutierrez then got Lewisberry's Kaden to hit the ball to a charging Caleb Low whose throw to first ended the inning with Lewisberry up 3-0.

In the top of the 6th, Lewisberry brought in a new pitcher. Jaden Henline then got his 1st strike out of the game by sending Jarrett Tadlock down looking at a called third strike.

Zack Mack kept Pearland's hopes alive by getting a single to centerfield bringing up Marco Gutierrez. Pearland's relief pitcher then drew a walk to give Pearland the tying run at the plate with one out. Tristan Schwehr hit ball to center loading the bases for Pearland. Caleb Low battled hard but struck out after forcing Henline to throw 10 pitches. Carter Ostrom then struck out on three straight pitches to end the game with Lewisberry on top 3-0.

The loss sends Pearland to the losers bracket for the first time in the team's journey to Williamsport, but it does not send Pearland home. The team will play again 7pm Thursday nigh. Pearland will play Bonita, California in a winner-take-all game. Pearland beat Bonita on Sunday forcing the California squad to battle through the losers bracket for a rematch. If Pearland wins on Thursday, they advance to the US Championship game to be played Saturday. Lose Thursday and Pearland's run to the world title comes to an end.