SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Team Pennsylvania played its first game on Friday on day two of the Little League World Series in South Williamsport.
Upper Providence Little League from the Philadelphia area will represent Team Pennsylvania for the next two weeks at the Little League World Series.
It is the first Pennsylvania team to make it to the world series since 2015. Red Land Little League advanced all the way to the finals that year before being knocked out by Japan.
The boys from Upper Providence got some work in on the practice fields before their first game of the tournament against Oregon. The team finished first in the Mid-Atlantic region.
They are led by their head coach Ben Ludwig, a Scranton area native. He told Newswatch 16 that it's an honor to represent Pennsylvania at the tournament.
"Thrilled to be here," Ludwig said. "I am from the Scranton area, so I used to come here with my dad, who was my Little League coach back in the day, and my buddies, so to have me and my son on the team right now being here as participants is a dream come true."
Team Pennsylvania got some last-minute practice in before they faced off against Oregon in their first game of the tournament. The head coach tells Newswatch 16 that his boys are ready to play some ball.
"This team has worked hard to get here. They are a relentless and unselfish bunch. Today I am just hoping they go out and play baseball. It is a big stage And I am sure there will be some jitters but they are a pretty loose group. I hope they just come out and swing the bats and play the offensive game we have. Our pitchers and defense will be solid."