Wow Wow Wow! Taney Comes From Behind, Beats Pearland, Texas, 7-6

It was the bottom of the sixth in Williamsport, in a taut second round matchup between two of the first-round winners, Philadelphia's own Taney and the team from Pearland, Texas, representing the Southwest.

Pearland led, 6-5, but the magic, multicultural local preteens showed no quit. Taney's Scott Bandura led off with a bunt single, but a Jahli Hendricks strikeout and a Jared Sprague-Lott fly out to center left the kids one out away from a loss that would have meant a game tomorrow and a complicated pitching lineup that would have kept star pitcher Mo'ne Davis off the mound.

But Zion Spearman followed with a scorching ground ball past the shortstop that rolled all the way to the wall, and with Bandura running on contact, the game tied, and Spearman wound up on third, just beating the throw from the cutoff man.

With Spearman on third, Tai Shanahan followed with a groundball to shortstop that Texas shortstop Aaron Matthews fielded, but threw over the head of his first baseman as Spearman scored, and Taney walked off.

The game was played in perfect conditions in Williamsport, and a bus-trip aided throng of over 30,000 fans crammed every seat, nook, and hillside to watch the game, many of whom chanted "Let's Go Taney!" throughout the game

Taney will go on to play Wednesday night vs. Las Vegas at 7:30 p.m. The winner of that game will play in the U.S. championship game.

Stop missing this, people! Charlie Manuel sees them! Why can't us?

How about those Taney Dragons! I see you!

— Charlie Manuel (@CMBaseball41) August 18, 2014