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Little Leaguers greet Major League Baseball players

By ALYSSA MANEVAL 3 min read

When the Baltimore Orioles and the Boston Red Sox's plane doors opened, the baseball players received thundering cheers from the Little League teams waiting to meet them.

New England and Australia welcomed the Red Sox to Williamsport. For Luke Bolduc, New England third baseman and outfielder, meeting them was a dream come true.

"This is my favorite team," he said.

As the Orioles stepped off the plane, they were greeted by both the Great Lakes and Panama teams.

Hayden Moore, third and first baseman for the Great Lakes team, said meeting the Orioles was very cool.

"It's not every day you get to do something like this," Moore said.

He held a baseball with signatures from the

Orioles team.

Richie Martin, Orioles second baseman, signed autographs on whatever he was handed and chatted with the Little Leaguers, asking about their next game, what position they played and how old they were.

"(Meeting the players) is great," Martin said. "It makes me feel like a kid again."

He had played Little League when he was their age.

"We did alright," he said about his time in Little League. "We had a great team, but got knocked out in sectionals unfortunately."

Khyden Wilson, Australia's pitcher and catcher, presented the Red Sox players with a shoe.

"They all signed," Wilson said.

The shoes will not be worn, he said, but will be looked at in a glass case.

Other players handed the Major Leaguers baseballs and mitts to sign, plus some Little League hats to wear, including Red Sox pitcher Ryan Brasier.

"This is awesome," Brasier said. "When I was their age, that would have been something really cool."

He also played Little League when he was their age.

"We never made it to Williamsport," he said.

While Reece Trottier, second baseman and right fielder for New England, enjoyed meeting the Red Sox players, his whole experience in Williamsport has been great, he said.

"We never thought we would have made it here," Trottier said.

He had a fun time playing on the field where so many have played for him, knowing how many people are watching him play.

For Trevor Story, Red Sox shortstop and second baseman, the competition in the Little League World Series, or at any level, is good for the kids.

He played baseball in Texas growing up, which he said helped get him to Major League Baseball.

"It's cool to see the Little Leaguers and talk to them a little bit," he said.

Starting at /week.