A Regional Triumph Secures a Spot in Williamsport
The East Side Little League of West Chester, Pennsylvania, captured the Mid‑Atlantic Region Tournament championship with a 3‑1 win over Naamans Little League of Wilmington, Delaware, earning the first of ten U.S. slots for the 2026 Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport.
The championship game unfolded on a crisp evening, with East Side’s ace pitcher Cole Warner delivering eight strikeouts while also contributing a run at the plate, a performance that helped cement the team’s 3‑1 lead.
Ryan Hennessey and Jack Cassidy each drove in runs with timely RBIs, allowing East Side to plate all three of its runs in the opening inning and set the tone for the contest.
Naamans Little League managed only a single tally, a double by Taj Amobi that brought Charles Puit home in the second inning, underscoring the defensive dominance of the Pennsylvania side.
The road to the final was not straightforward; East Side had opened the tournament with an 8‑1 victory over Wilmington before dismantling Washington, D.C., 10‑0 in the semifinals, navigating a double‑elimination bracket that featured twenty teams.
Their triumph marks the fourth consecutive Pennsylvania team from the Philadelphia region to reach the World Series, following the successes of Media (Delaware County), Council Rock Newtown (Bucks County) and Upper Uwchlan Township (Chester County).
The 2026 World Series will run from August 19 to August 30, featuring ten international teams alongside ten U.S. representatives, and will be held on the iconic fields of Williamsport, Pennsylvania.