RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Pennsylvania shortstop Dean Hamilton covers second while Texas’s Kaleb Christ arrives safely during a game last week.

Cooper Hastings had not yet pitched at the Little League World Series. Kaleb Christ not done so all summer.

But when their numbers were called Wednesday against Nevada, both pitchers were ready. Their coaches and teammates believed in them and then the Boerne, Texas pitchers made believers out of millions watching worldwide.

Believe this: Boerne is one of the country’s top two teams, one of the world’s best four and Christ and Hastings are major reasons why. Those two threw 4 2/3 scoreless innings Wednesday, helping Boerne defeat Nevada, 5-2, and reach Saturday’s U.S. Championship.

Christ ended a bases-loaded threat in the second inning before Hastings threw four masterful innings, earning the win in relief as Boerne remained undefeated this summer. A team which relied on just two pitchers during its first two wins, showed it features several aces while reaching the world’s Final Four.

“We talk as a group all the time about how everyone better be ready to pitch,” Boerne manager Justin Newson said. “Everyone was ready to go and we just did everything we had to do to win this game.”

Julian Hurst and Caden Guffey have dominated this summer, forming a potent tandem. They combined on a two-hit shutout in a 9-0 win against Pennsylvania and Hurst threw a complete game against Florida. Guffey had a rare off day after establishing himself as one of the country’s top Little League pitchers after starting the Nevada game. Nevada scored twice in the top of the second inning, erasing a 2-0 deficit and tying it.

With it 2-1 and the bases loaded, Newson played a hunch. Christ may have not pitched in any all-star games, but he has pitched a lot against the potent Boerne lineup at practices.

Christ then made Newson look like a genius. After collecting a strikeout, Christ induced weak contact but an infield single tied the game, 2-2. Unfazed, Christ attacked the zone, worked an 0-2 count and then induced an inning-ending flyout.

“I was just thinking throw strikes and let them hit it,” Christ said. “If they barrel one up, so what? (It was) no walks and just throw.”

So much could have gone wrong in that situation. Instead, Christ made it go right for Boerne. That lit the fuse and the Southwest champions scored three runs an inning later, taking a lead they never relinquished.

Christ is the only Boerne 11-year-old player but neither his age, nor stature means a thing. He is a player, period, someone who has excelled in the outfield, while also providing production at the bottom of the order. This time, Christ showed he has the ability and moxie to deliver in one of the toughest situations a pitcher can encounter.

“It was just a gut feeling. Kaleb’s kind of like the little brother but anywhere we go he is 10-feet tall; bullet proof,” Newson said. ” I hate putting any kid in that situation because it can go the other way really fast, but I just felt like he was the right kid. He’s got very high confidence. He really throws a lot of strikes and he’s got a really good breaking pitch so we were looking to get a double play when he came in.

“He stepped in and did a great job. That’s the first game he pitched and it was at the Little League World Series. Kaleb is always ready.”

So is Hastings.

The 12-year-old proved it in emphatic fashion against Nevada’s disciplined, well-rounded offense. Christ passed the baton to Hastings and the right-hander carried Boerne to the finish line, throwing four magnificent innings of one-hit baseball.

Hastings did not allow a hit after the third inning, retired the last eight batters he faced and struck out two. All this for a player who had thrown just 2 1/3 innings since the regional tournament started.

“In the first inning I was feeling good and in the second inning I really dialed in and was throwing strikes,” Hastings said. “I just tried to do my best.”

Hastings’ best was quite impressive. Throwing close to 70 miles per hour, Hastings complemented his heat with an effective curveball. He also pounded the strike zone and let his excellent defense make plays behind him. Given a three-run lead, Hastings made it look even bigger, quieting an offense which routinely has worn out pitchers this summer.

Nevada put the pressure on during the first two innings against Boerne, but Guffey and Christ stranded five runners and prevented it from forging ahead. Hastings left two runners on base in the third inning and then really found his groove, allowing just one base runner the rest of the way.

“Cooper was rolling. He was feeling it,” Newson said. “He was hammering the strike zone.I just knew the velo was going to be kind of tough for most of the batters.”

“He’s a great pitcher, he kept us off-balance and did a great job,” Nevada manager Adam Johnson said. “He’s got good velocity; he has a good curveball.”

Christ and Hastings were ready because they have faced one of the world’s best Little League offenses throughout the summer. Boerne often plays intra-squad scrimmages and that fosters stiff competition between batters and pitchers.

Both sides have taken turns winning those match-ups. But the big winner has been Boerne because that has made both the hitters and pitchers better. Wednesday provided the perfect example.

They had not pitched yet at the Series, but Christ and Hastings never have stopped working this summer. That effort paid off at the perfect time and gave both a memory they will never forget.

“I didn’t think I was going to go that long but I thought I would throw at some point and (Wednesday) was my game,” Hastings said. “It was so fun.”