A capsule look at Texas’ 2-1 win over Pennsylvania

A closer look at the Needville, Texas, 2-1 win over Media, Pennsylvania Wednesday at Lamade Stadium

PLAY OF THE GAME -- Easton Ondruch's two-out RBI single: The Texas center fielder delivered the game's biggest hit in the fourth inning when he belted a two-out RBI single into center field. Corbin Riddle scored the game's first run after hitting a single and scoring on a passed ball. Ondruch then brought in Jagger McRae with his single and gave Texas what became the game's winning run and put it up, 2-0.

TEXAS PLAYER OF THE GAME -- DJ Jablonski: After closing out the Southwest championship, a game in which he also hit a game-changing home run, Jablonski kept mowing them down on Little Leauge's biggest stage. The calm and collected left-hander threw 5 2/3 innings of tremendous three-hit baseball, allowing only a fifth-inning run. Jablonski mixed a quality fastball with a devastating curveball and struck out 10. He was especially outstanding in tense situations early in the game, stranding three runners over the first two innings, including two in the second. Colten Georgi produced a gutsy save, inducing a game-ending groundout with the tying runner on second.

PENNSYLVANIA PLAYER OF THE GAME -- Christian Nunez: Pitcher Austin Crowley was fantastic, striking out eight in four innings, while not allowing an earned run, but Nunez edges him out after going 2 for 2. Nunez smashed a fifth inning triple down the left field line and scored on Rhys Muessig's RBI grounder, making it a one-run game. He also hit a single in his first at-bat.

BIG INNING --Pennsylvania third: This was a big inning, but the advantage went to Texas for what it prevented.

BEST EFFORT -- Colten Georgi delivering under pressure: Pennsylvania rallied in the bottom of the sixth and had the tying runner on second with two outs. Texas manager Andy McRae called a timeout after Charles Haenn walked and went to second on a passed ball. Georgi heeded his advice and forced the lead-off hitter into a grounder to shortstop which ended the game.

FLASHING LEATHER--It did not take Pennsylvania long to show off its defensive prowess. Second baseman AJ Domenico snared a sinking DJ Jablonski liner and made a good catch before firing to first baseman Trevor Skowronek. The hero of the Mid-Atlantic final made a nice catch on the low throw and completed the inning-ending double play. Catcher Nate Saleski made another potentially game-changing play two innings later. With the bases loaded and two outs, Saleski sprinted back and took a wild pitch which bounced off the backstop. He then hustled home, dove and tagged out the lead runner as Pennsylvania escaped and preserved a scoreless tie. It did not take long for Texas to answer as third baseman Jagger McRae made one of the Series best plays yet. Cole Carroll hit a rocket down the third-base line and McRae somehow was able to back-hand it before it went through for a leadoff double. He made the difficult stop and then an impressive throw across the diamond and produced a key out. Texas shortstop Dalyn Martin kept it going the next inning, fielding a hard-hit grounder which bounced off Jablonski's glove. He was able to change direction, field the ball cleanly and make a snap throw to take a potential hit from Nolan Gratton. Pennsylvania center fielder Rhys Muessig made a great play in the fifth inning, charging hard into no man's land behind second base and making a sliding catch to take a hit from Jakolby White. Patrick Deidrich capped off Pennsylvania's defensive gem in the sixth inning and started its second double play. The third baseman snared a liner heading down the line before making a laser throw and ending the inning, while giving his team one last shot at the comeback.

WHAT THE ADULTS SAY--"It was just a little pep talk to take his mind off it," McRae said of his sixth-inning talk with Georgi. "I told him to just enjoy the moment. At the end of the day, you're about to close out a game to win a game at the Little League World Series."

"As far as telling them what to do, we just tell them to show up and play baseball," Pennsylvania manager Tom Bradley said. "It's really nothing big. We're not going to teach them anything in two days to get better. We just have to get their heads up. We made it here, that's the key thing."

WHAT THE KIDS SAY--"That's the first time that I've gone all the way to my pitch limit," Jablonski said. "I felt good just because I feel like I was a little more excited from the crowd and how big of a game it was."

WHAT IT MEANS-- Texas advances into the winner's bracket and plays Midwest champion North Dakota Friday, back at Lamade Stadium. Pennsylvania will try and keep its dream season alive Saturday when it faces the Washington-Maine loser Saturday.