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Red Lands’ hot bats cooled off by Kitasuna in Little League World Series championship game

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Hackenberg’s next battle

<p>SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT &#8211; With the heartache of an 18-11 loss to Kitasuna from Tokyo, Japan at the Little League World Series championship still apparent, families and friends met the Red Land team at the top of a hill overlooking the stadium.</p><p>Players had packed up their belongings from the International Grove, which had been their home for the past two weeks, and readied for the long road back to Lewisberry.</p><p>A storm that rolled through less than a hour after the game had ended, chased away most of the 42,218 that packed the stadium earlier in the day; among them included Gov. Tom Wolfe.</p><p>Having a Pennsylvania team in contention &#8211; as was the case a year ago with Taney from Philadelphia and Mo&#8217;Ne Davis &#8211; helped increase the crowds at Lamade Stadium.</p><p>Back-to-back strong Pennsylvania teams and Red Land making it a step farther just pushed the attendance numbers higher.</p><p>Red Land&#8217;s 3-2 win over Pearland West from Texas Saturday drew the largest single game crowd ever to Lamade at 45,716.</p><p>This was also the most attended series ever. Sunday&#8217;s two games drew 63,481 total, making it 467,964 for 32 games at the series. That easily surpassed the record of 414,905 set in 31 games in 2011.</p><p>Nearly half of the crowd that filled the bank above Lamade was out more than five hours before the final, getting positioned for the best view possible.</p><p>&#8220;This team had a huge impact on the community,&#8221; Red Land manager Tom Peifer said. &#8220;Just to see the people that came here is unbelievable.&#8221;</p><p>Jessica Enders made the trip from Camp Hill and was watching Red Land play for the third time.</p><p>&#8220;It was beyond what you could anticipate,&#8221; Enders said. &#8220;The whole atmosphere and support for the boys was phenomenal. They rallied around the boys so much and we&#8217;re just so proud of them.</p><p>&#8220;This definitely exceeded any expectations we could have had,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We were surrounded by a lot of people that we knew, but I do think in general, anybody from Pennsylvania was rallying for our boys here today.&#8221;</p><p>Carter Enders, Jessica&#8217;s son, plays in the Red Land Little League. She said the run to Pennsylvania, Mid-Atlantic Region and United States championships has added to the interest younger boys in the league have in the game.</p><p>&#8220;My arm is sore from all the catches and throwing we&#8217;ve been doing in our yard lately,&#8221; Enders said. &#8220;These young boys are very inspired by what they saw here these last two weeks.&#8221;</p><p>Before the game, Little League Baseball honored Corp. Bryon K. Dickson, who was killed at the Blooming Grove Barracks in Pike County on Sept. 12, 2014. Dickson&#8217;s sons, Bryon and Adam and Trooper Alex T. Douglass threw the ceremonial first before the start of the game.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Red Land&#8217;s Bailey Wirt (9) hugs Japan&#8217;s Yugo Aoki after the Little League World Series Championship baseball game in South Williamsport, Sunday. Japan won 18-11. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_APTOPIX-LLWS-Champion_Sopr-1-.jpg</photo0><caption0>Red Land&#8217;s Bailey Wirt (9) hugs Japan&#8217;s Yugo Aoki after the Little League World Series Championship baseball game in South Williamsport, Sunday. Japan won 18-11. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Tom Robinson</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Times Leader sports at 570-829-7143 or on Twitter @tlsports.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Despite loss, Red Land makes lasting memories