August 15, 2023
@MediaLittleLeague/Facebook
Media advanced to the Little League World Series by winning the Mid-Atlantic regional championships last week. Its first game is Wednesday night against Needville, Texas.
The preteen sluggers from Media are going to the Little League World Series, which kicks off Wednesday in Williamsport, after winning the Mid-Atlantic regionals last week.
On its path to Williamsport, the Media team won its first state championship since 1957 – and the first for a Delaware County team since 1988. The team then reeled off three straight victories in the Mid-Altantic regional tournament, winning the title game on a walk-off home run.
This will be Media's first appearance in the Little League World Series, but several teams from the wider Philadelphia region have made the cut in recent years. Upper Providence, Montgomery County and Toms River, New Jersey played in the Little League World Series in 2021. Holbrook, New Jersey appeared in 2017 – two years after Lewisberry, Pennsylvania lost in the final. And, of course, the Philly Dragons made a deep run in 2014 – and generated national headlines – behind pitcher Mo'ne Davis.
A Pennsylvania team has not won the Little League World Series since Levittown beat Fort Worth, Texas in 1960.
The Little League World Series is a double-elimination tournament. Once a team loses, it is enters the elimination bracket. The winners of the two brackets face off for the U.S. championship on Saturday, Aug. 26. The U.S. champion then plays the winner of the international bracket on Sunday, Aug. 27, with the Little League World Series title at stake.
Here's how to follow the Media Little League team during the tournament — and don't forget about the Philadelphia Phillies, either, who play in the MLB Little League Classic against the Washington Nationals in Williamsport on Sunday, Aug. 20. ESPN is broadcasting that game at 7 p.m.
The Media team will play Needville, Texas, the winners of the Southwest regionals, at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
If Media wins, the team plays again Friday, Aug. 18 against Fargo, North Dakota, the Midwest regional champs. The 7 p.m. game will be broadcast on ESPN.
A victory over Fargo propels Media to a Monday, Aug. 21 game against the winner of the El Segundo-New Albany game. It would be broadcast at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. If Media then wins again, it advances to the U.S. Championship semifinals, to be played Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 3 p.m.
The U.S. championship game will be played Saturday, Aug. 26 at 3:30 p.m., with the winner advancing to the Little League World Series championship game on Sunday, Aug. 27 at 3 p.m. Both games will be broadcast by ABC.
If Media loses against Needville on Wednesday, or at any other point in the winner's bracket, it moves into the elimination bracket. Losing for a second time knocks Media out of the tournament.
A loss to Needville means Media plays the loser of the Northeast Seattle-Gray New Gloucester game on Saturday, Aug. 19 at 2 p.m. That game will be shown on ESPN.
The dates and times for Media's other potential games in the elimination bracket are dependent upon when it enters.
Once joining the elimination bracket, Media still can win the Little League World Series. But to do so, it would need to win every game from that point.
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