South Dakota and Ohio had never reached the Little League World Series championship before, and in the Tom Seaver final, only one club could make that long-awaited berth.

Down four runs in the bottom of the sixth with no outs, three back-to-back base hits led to Opland Sonnichsen singling in Gavin Weir to cut Sioux Falls’ deficit to three runs. Once Kaleb Harden came in for relief on the mound for Hamilton, he threw a wild pitch to advance the base runners, and a walk loaded the bases.

Ohio pulled out of the jam with a strikeout, catch in right field and a fielder’s choice to third base to hold off South Dakota, 5-2 at Lamade Stadium on Saturday and advance to the Little League World Series final.

“I know I’m not 12, I’m 48, but I feel like I’m 12,” Ohio manager Ken Coomer said. “After what these kids have went through what they’ve went through, they’ve earned all of it. Every single bit of it.”

DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette Kaleb Harden celebrates the Hamilton, Ohio win over Sioux Falls, South Dakota 5-2 in the Tom Seaver final game today at Lamade Stadium. Hamilton will play the winner of the Hank Aaron bracket tomorrow at 3pm.

Sioux Falls has been a defensive juggernaut all summer. In the Little League World Series, South Dakota has shut out three teams to reach the Tom Seaver final, but have only put up eight runs in four games heading into the final day of the tournament.

“That’s the biggest surprise for me in the tournament, to be honest with you,” South Dakota manager Mike Gorsett said about his team’s hitting in the World Series. “I know we’re a much better hitting team than this, so seven, eight runs we’ve scored in four games, it’s frustrating because I’m an offensive guy. Obviously not hitting the bat half the tournament is a disappointment.”

Each club was without its ace pitcher with Weir and JJ Vogel being ineligible for the remainder of the tournament. Maddux Munson had the start for South Dakota and pitched four innings, with three batters struck out and seven hits allowed on 59 pitches. Cooper Oden pitched the first five innings for Ohio with six strikeouts thrown and eight hits allowed on 85 pitches.

Following a scoreless first frame with one hit apiece for both teams, Ohio kicked the doors in. Oden singled on a hard ground ball, and Krew Brown hit one out to right field for a single. An error on the play brought home Cooper Clay, who initially threw on the jets to beat a double play on a fielder’s choice.

With South Dakota trailing for the first time in the Little League World Series and the bases loaded for Ohio, Gage Maggard came home on a line drive from Levi Smith. With Vogel up to bat, an error at right field allowed Oden and Brown to run on in to take a commanding 4-0 lead for Hamilton.

DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette Chance Retherford (18) of Hamilton, Ohio win slides into home safely as Easton Riley of Sioux Falls, South Dakota tries to make the tag in the Tom Seaver Final game today at Lamade Stadium. Hamilton will play the winner of the Hank Aaron bracket tomorrow at 3pm.

“It feels pretty good because this is like, with every 12-year-old kid with baseball, this is basically their dream, and we’re actually fulfilling that dream,” Oden said.

“It’s crazy,” Maddox Jones added with a laugh. Jones recorded two hits and an RBI in three plate appearances. By the end of the second inning, West Side already had five hits while Sioux Falls accumulated two errors.

South Dakota retaliated with a 1-2-3 inning in the field involving a diving catch from Weir in deep center, followed by two ground outs. In the bottom with two outs, Boston Bryant and Weir made back-to-back base hits.

Noah Kuenzi battled back on a 2-2 pitch for a base hit that brought home Bryant from second and advanced Weir to third. A strikeout thrown from Oden left Weir stranded before any more damage could be dealt to Ohio.

Oden settled in and kept limiting South Dakota’s hitters, though the pitcher had the initial jitters.

“That first inning was pretty nerve-wracking because this is probably the biggest game I’ve pitched in my life, probably will ever pitch,” Oden said. “It was pretty nerve wracking (in) the first inning, but after that, I was basically pretty calm.”

Gorsett had high praise for Oden’s time in the circle.

“That kid today, Oden, threw a great game. He was pretty dialed in on his locations,” Gorsett said. “His fastball is not overpowering but when you throw so many off-speed pitches and then throw that fastball, it really ties guys up.”

Munson tacked on two strikeouts the following inning before a single and batter hit by a pitch gave Ohio runners on first and second. Vogel lined out to retire the side as South Dakota’s field continued to limit Hamilton. West Side also didn’t let anything up afterward.

Ohio once again extended its lead by four runs in the top of the fifth. Chance Retherford hit a line drive to left field on the first pitch that came his way, and advanced to second on a wild pitch right after. Facing a full count, Jones hit a line drive of his own to deep right field to bring Retherford home from second base.

Ohio, the first regional runner-up to make the World Series final, will take on Michigan in the championship game at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Lamade Stadium. South Dakota will face Hawaii in the consolation game at 10 a.m. on Sunday at Lamade.