West Chester team advances to the Little League World Series
East Side joins a run of Philadelphia-area teams to reach Williamsport, Pa., in recent years, but a Pennsylvania team hasn't won the Little League World Series since 1960.
East Side Little League, a 12-and-under baseball team from West Chester, is headed to Williamsport, Pa.
On Friday, East Side defeated Wilmington’s Naamans Little League, 3-1, to punch its ticket to the Little League World Series. East Side was powered by pitcher Cole Warner, who allowed just one run on four hits and struck out eight in five innings.
“Feels really good, just representing Pennsylvania,” Warner said on the ESPN broadcast. “Little kids who play for East Side, we set the example. Hopefully, they can carry on.”
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Warner set East Side up, but relief pitcher Ryan Donnelly made the game-clinching play.
In the final inning, with runners on first and second, Naamans second baseman Joey DeCaro hit a short roller toward third base. Donnelly slid to grab the ball, and his throw beat DeCaro to first for the game’s final out.
East Side went to celebrate, throwing their gloves and piling on top of each other, but a challenge delayed the party. Eventually, after an almost four-minute review, the call was confirmed. East Side was heading to the World Series, and the team got to celebrate for a second time.
“It felt really good waiting there,” Warner said. “We all knew he was out.”
East Side scored all three of its runs in the first inning. Center fielder Ryan Hennessey got his team started, launching a ball to center to bring in Donnelly and — following a Naamans error — Warner. East Side would score once more in the inning with third baseman Jack Cassidy hitting a single to bring Hennessey home.
Naamans scored its run in the second when utility player Taj Amobi doubled in left fielder Charles Puit.
East Side will look to become the first team from Pennsylvania since 1960 to win the Little League World Series, when Levittown American defeated Fort Worth, Texas, 5-0, in the championship game. However, a few area teams have reached the series in recent years: Glenmoore Eagle Little League (from Upper Uwchlan Township) last year, Council Rock Newtown Little League in 2024, and Media Little League in 2023.