As Ryan HARLOST stepped on to the mound on Sunday he took it all in. Sangheon Park’s walk put the tying runner in scoring position, but with chants of “U-S-A!” South Korean arms and flags waved furiously to his right. It’s New York’s first title as a state since 1964. He sure didn’t show it.
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But those hard-hit balls came consecutively and jump-started a two-run fourth.
Others traveled hours, just for the love of the game.
For the first time since Huntington Beach, California in 2011, a team from the United States has won the Little League World Series championship. An upstate team, from Schenectady, last won it all in 1954.
Conner Rush had the NY team’s only RBI to give Endwell a lead in the bottom of the fourth that it wouldn’t relinquish.
The team scored the second run on a rare passed ball, which proved the difference.
“When you actually get the chance to get your head around that, it’s just wonderful that we represented the entire country in an worldwide championship game”, said catcher-third baseman Conner Rush, a 13-year-old rising eighth-grader. “Once that happens, you never know what can happen”. Winning the World Series would be the glass slipper to New York’s Cinderella season.
Harlost struck out eight and limited South Korea to five hits.
According to the Associated Press, he earned a standing ovation from Endwell fans at Lamade Stadium when he exited in the fifth.
Jon Luke Simmons broke up Mancini’s no-hit bid in the top of the fifth.
Harlost, the next batter, singled, and Rush followed, driving in the go-ahead run with a single behind the shortstop. A passed ball by catcher Wontae Cho brought him another run to give NY a 2-0 lead.
Second baseman and pitcher Jude Abbadessa, a 13-year-old rising seventh-grader, shared with ABC News the ingredients that he believed had contributed to the team’s success.
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The team then went to Steuben Field where they were greeted by more fans. “Our coaches let us stay up late to talk and just have fun in the dorms”.
