WILLIAMSPORT -- Players and coaches at the Little League World Series are still basking in the glow of big-league baseball in central Pennsylvania.
The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the St. Louis Cardinals at Historic Bowman Field on Sunday.
While it was the smallest crowd in Major League history, it is one of the biggest memories for the Little League players.
Usually, when it comes to Sunday Night Baseball, there are tens of thousands of people in the stands of a Major League park. But not this week. It was a packed house at Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport, but the capacity is only 2,600 fans.
The MLB Little League Classic was a game these kids won't soon forget.
"Just like seeing them play at the field, seeing them on TV, meeting players, getting baseballs. I got lots of baseballs," said Canada region player Sheldyn Scott.
Speaking of meeting players, there was plenty of that before the game. The Cardinals and Pirates spent part of the day at the Little League Complex with the 16 teams.
"Being so close, interacting with them and mostly letting them come see us play. It's just crazy how the first second they're watching us, the next second we're watching them," said Southeast region player Drew Fields.
The kids tell Newswatch 16 it was like a dream, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
"It was really fun. After the game when all of the MLB players watched us, that made me want to do better. Then going to their game, it was really fun," said Southwest region player Collin Ross.
It's not just the players who thought the game was special. People who live in this area enjoyed watching it on TV.
"Very neat," said Ed Logan of Tamaqua. "I hope they do it every year."
There were only 2,600 seats and many of them were filled with the Little Leaguers and their families. Major League Baseball raffled off the rest of the tickets so most of the fans watched the game on television.
"It was neat because you were there and I've actually watched a lot of games over at the Crosscutters over the years," Denny Markle of Monroeton said.
"Just wonderful to see the pirates. I have not seen them with the children like that in how long? Forever," said Joan Logan of Tamaqua.
During the game, the commissioner of Major League Baseball said he would like to make the MLB Little League classic a yearly event.