Pearland opens LLWS with 8-3 win: 'Now that I actually get to see it, it's pretty cool'

The Little Leaguers from Pearland opened the 2022 Little League World Series (LLWS) in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on Thursday with an 8-3 win over the team representing Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, Houston-based media outlets reported.

Pearland Little League (PLL), who were crowned Southwest Regional Champions last week, will wait for the winner of Friday’s West-Metro matchup, whom they’ll face in the next game of the winner’s bracket of the international double-elimination baseball tournament on Monday, per Houston ABC affiliate KTRK.

For Pearland shortstop/pitcher Jacob Zurek, to play in the LLWS is a dream come true. 

"I've always dreamed about coming here, and now that I actually get to see it, it's pretty cool," Zurek told KTRK.

Houston CBS affiliate KHOU reported that Zurek’s runs batted in (RBI) single in the fifth set the tone for Pearland.

His hit was followed by a scoring barrage that helped lift PLL over the Hollidaysburg boys, the station reported.

Pearland hurler Kaiden “Bubs” Shelton collected the win, fanning three and surrendering a run in more than 2.2 innings of relief, per KHOU.

Shelton was one of the players involved in an act of sportsmanship during the regional final game against Tulsa, Oklahoma in which he and Isaiah Jarvis comforted each other after an HBP (hit by pitch).

KTRK reported that PLL rode a pristine 13-0 mark to get to the tournament.

It’s the fourth time Pearland has competed in the LLWS, with its previous berths coming in 2016, 2015 and 2010.

Just like their predecessors, the current squad is amazed by the atmosphere and the exposure that comes with being among the last few standing in August.

“It's kind of unique,” Pearland third baseman Cohen Hartman told KTRK. “It's once in a lifetime."

And it’s why the boys want to do more than just make it to Williamsport.

"We want to win the whole thing,” Pearland coach Aaron Cummings said, per KTRK. “We've seen some great competition here. The best finish we've had here was third place, which is pretty incredible whittled down from 7,000, but we want to be the team with the best finish in Pearland history."