SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT -- As most of you know by now, for the first time in three years a team from Pennsylvania is in the Little League World Series. The team from Center City, Philadelphia is representing the Mid-Atlantic Region, and today some of the team spoke to Newswatch 16.
The Mid-Atlantic team is making its mark on the Little League World Series, but not only because they won both their games so far. The Taney Dragons see themselves as the home team.
"It's awesome because they get to see us play and we're representing Pennsylvania and hopefully bringing back a title to Philadelphia," Zion Spearman said.
"It's cool. I mean it's great that we get to host the whole Little League World Series and we have so many fans. It's amazing," Tai Shanahan said.
Little League officials said more than 30,000 people attended Mid-Atlantic's Sunday night game against Southwest. These kids from Philly say they've never played in front of that many people before.
"It was amazing. There were so many people. It was on TV. It was a great atmosphere," Shanahan said.
"There's a lot of pressure on you because they want you to do well and succeed, and so you just try to do your best on the field and make them proud," Jack Rice said.
These kids play for the Taney Youth Baseball Association in Philadelphia, and they are known as the Taney Dragons. But in South Williamsport they are known as Mid-Atlantic. Jack Rice calls playing in the Little League World Series a dream come true.
"I wanted to come here and play, and now it's reality that I get to come here and play at Lamade Stadium," Rice said.
The team's female pitcher, Mo'Ne Davis is getting a lot of attention, but even she says there is no "I" in team. She said she could not do it without her teammates.
Power hitter Zion Spearman summed up the Little League experience pretty well.
"It's been an amazing time meeting new teams and playing against the best competition in the whole world," Spearman said.
Pennsylvania's next game is Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. and Little League officials said they expect a larger than normal crowd. Tickets are being distributed on a first come, first serve basis at the will-call window at noon that day. All tickets are free.