Media, Pa.'s Trevor Skowronek (14) delivers a pitch against Gray, Maine during the fifth inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series tournament in South Williamsport, Pa., Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Tom E. Puskar)

A closer look at the 5-3 Media, Pennsylvania win over Gray, Maine, Saturday at Lamade Stadium

PLAY OF THE GAME ― Charles Haenn’s sixth-inning bunt: Cole Carroll ignited a game-winning, sixth inning rally, hitting a lead-off single. Just about everyone in the stadium knew Haenn was going to bunt a batter later, but there was no defense for his perfect execution. Haenn dropped his bunt less than halfway up the third-base line, as it slowly rolled toward the charging third baseman. Not only did Haenn move Carroll, but he also beat the throw for a single. That turned the lineup over to the top and Pennsylvania capitalized as Nate Saleski singled, and Haenn came around to score on a two-out wild pitch.

PENNSYLVANIA PLAYER OF THE GAME ― Nate Saleski: The catcher and team’s lead-off hitter came up big, going 2 for 3 with an RBI and run. Saleski played a prominent role in both Pennsylvania scoring rallies. He opened the game with a single and scored the first run. He then came up clutch in the sixth and produced what became the game-winning hit, smacking an RBI single and breaking a 3-3 tie.

MAINE PLAYER OF THE GAME ― Mason Amergian: The pitcher and five-tool threat did all he could to help Maine extend its season. He threw six gutsy innings and struck out all five of his batters over the final three innings. Amergian also never wavered after Pennsylvania went up 3-0 in the top of the first, not allowing another run until the sixth. He was equally dangerous with the bat, going 2 for 2 with an RBI and a run. Amergian can fly around the bases and used his speed to go from first to third on a Caleb Barker single before scoring on a passed ball to pull Maine within 3-2.

BIG INNING―Media sixth: Maine had fought back from a 3-0 deficit to tie it 3-3, but the bottom of Pennsylvania’s lineup ignited the game-winning rally and highlighted the team’s depth. No. 10 hitter Cole Carroll ripped a lead-off single before No. 11 hitter Charles Haenn pushed a perfect bunt single just up the third base line. Nate Saleski followed with a go-ahead RBI single, and Haenn scored a valuable insurance run on a wild pitch, putting Pennsylvania up 5-3 as many of the 22,809 broke out in “Media!” chants.

BEST EFFORT―Mason Wescott defying the odds: The Maine first baseman made one of the best plays thus far at the Series. He first went into the hole near second base, and close to the outfield grass to make a difficult stop on what looked like a sure Charles Haenn single. He then was sprinting toward first but stumbled. Alertly, he saw Amergian running toward first, flipped to him and Amergian beat Haenn to the bag for the improbable out.

FLASHING LEATHER―Pennsylvania started strong, but Maine stifled the three-run first inning rally when catcher Gage Rioux hustled after a wild pitch and tossed to pitcher Mason Amergian who made a snap tag for the first out. Amergian then alertly saw the runner on second trying to advance to third, wheeled and fired a perfect strike to third baseman Anthony Piccone who completed the inning-ending double play. Maine shortstop Caleb Barker made a stellar play to open the third inning, going into the hole between shortstop and third base to stop a Cole Carroll grounder. He then made a long, perfect throw which beat Carroll by about a step. Pennsylvania third baseman Patsrick Diedrich showed off Pennsylvania’s defensive prowess in the bottom of the inning, charging a slow roller in the grass before throwing across his body and taking a potential infield hit from Ivan Deemer. Pennsylvania reliever Trevor Skowornek earned the win in relief with 1 2/3 scoreless innings and helped his cause in the bottom of the sixth by using a nifty play to produce the first out. Skowronek jumped high and retrieved a Grant Brann chopper. Had he not made the leaping stop, Brann may have had an infield single.

WHAT THE ADULTS SAY― “The bottom of the lineup did a great job,” Pennsylvania manager Tom Bradley said. “Cole Carroll and Charlie Haenn both getting on base that last inning was huge, and we have the top of the lineup coming up.”

WHAT THE KIDS SAY― “It’s going to be awesome knowing they’re rooting for us,” Saleski said of playing in front of the Phillies Sunday morning. “It will be really fun.”

“We’ve been down before on this stage, we might as well battle,” Maine coach Mike Amergian said. “Our whole theme today was we’re going to fight and we’re going to fight until the sixth inning and the boys did a great job. They weren’t out of this game from the time it started until the time it ended.”

WHAT IT MEANS― Media, Pennsylvania is 15 minutes from Philadelphia and now the players will have the opportunity to play in front of their Major League heroes when the Phillies watch them compete against Rhode Island in tomorrow morning’s elimination game. Maine closed out its remarkable summer run, becoming just the second team from its state to reach the Series.