SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- Teams from around the world travel to South Williamsport every year to play baseball. However, one of those teams decided to try a different sport with a group of former Little Leaguers.
Team Mexico woke up expecting to just practice at a practice field nearby, but instead, they wound up playing a game they've never played before with some unusual competition.
Team Mexico was eliminated from the Little League World Series after their 8-7 loss to Latin America, but it wouldn't be the last game they played in South Williamsport.
"We were practicing in the outfield on Field E, close to here, and the Southwest team needed the field to practice before their game and we had no field to practice on, so we just came and asked the girls if they wanted to play a game and they said yes," said Team Mexico interpreter Daniel Baca.
"I was in the dugout getting my helmet on and then I hear their coach coming over and talking to people on my team, so I came out and they said they wanted to come over and scrimmage us, so that's what we did," said South Williamsport softball player Abby Larson.
The boys' team from Mexico decided to scrimmage the girls of the South Williamsport Junior High softball team and it was no easy challenge.
"It was different because we didn't know the pitches, we've never played softball, so it was confusing," said Nicolas Villareal of Team Mexico.
Eight members of the softball team played in the Little League Softball World Series in Oregon just a few weeks ago. They told Newswatch 16 that it was great to be able to connect with other kids through a sport that they love.
"It was cool seeing them hit off Elizabeth because they are boys and it was cool seeing them swing the bat and throwing the softball and getting the feel of it," said South Williamsport softball player Sage Larson. "It was interesting because they played softball, so they had to go by our rules and what we did, and so it was a little bit of getting used to for them but it was great."
Both teams came together after the game for a group picture and players stayed awhile to chat with their new friends.
"It was great to see them interact even though there was a little bit of a language barrier. They were still able to communicate enough that they were ribbing each other and enjoying it, and everybody had a good time and that's what it's about," said Jesse Smith, interim softball coach and school principal.
Team Mexico was eliminated from the World Series, but they will remain here for the rest of the tournament to soak it all in.