Team Texas beats Team Pennsylvania in LLWS: Information on Boerne's next game

Thanks to a host of home runs and a number of strikeouts, the Texas team may have achieved the most impressive victory of any U.S. team in the 2024 Little League World Series on Thursday.

“Watch out Texas,” an ESPN announcer shouted after Texas' dominant 9-0 win over Team Pennsylvania. According to the ESPN broadcast, Boerne Little League entered the game 7-0 and outscored its opponents 62-12 since the state tournament. That's eight straight wins by a score differential of 71-12.

The youngsters from Boerne, who won the Southwest Region, hit 12 hits and 3 home runs, the most in the LLWS. They struck out the Pennsylvania team more than 10 times and held the Council Rock Newtown Little League to just two hits, not allowing a single one in the final three innings.

Stream the LLWS via Fubo

Team Texas pounced on Team Pennsylvania's relievers after leadoff hitter Saverio Longo was taken off the mound. Longo had to deal with baserunners for the first two innings, but wasn't even close to the 85-pitch limit when he was taken off after eight outs.

It seems Newtown's manager wanted to save him in case his team won on Thursday so Longo could pitch on Monday. But a game that was 1-0 when Longo left was 3-0 an inning later and 8-0 by the end of the fifth inning.

So much for this strategy.

Meanwhile, Team Texas was able to rest its best pitchers and will be able to use them both on Monday (we'll get to that later).

FULL MATCH COVERAGE:Texas beats Pennsylvania in the 2024 Little League World Series

It was an incredible accomplishment for a team from a city of about 18,000 people; Boerne, Texas, is located about 30 miles north of San Antonio and 90 miles southwest of Austin.

Team Texas still has to wait and see who its next opponent will be, but we can already answer some questions:

When does the Texas Little League play next?

Team Texas avoided the first day of play on Wednesday and essentially received a bye in the double-elimination tournament, meaning the team needs just two more wins to advance to the U.S. final.

The Boerne boys can look forward to a full weekend of games in Williamsport, Pennsylvania – including an MLB duel between the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers on Sunday – before they play again on Monday at 7 p.m. (ESPN).

That's a much more relaxed scenario than if they had lost on Tuesday. Newtown, for example, can still win it all, but needs to win five games in six days without losing to make the U.S. final.

MEET THE TEAM:Every player and coach on Texas' 2024 LLWS roster

Who will Texas Little League play next?

The next opponent will be decided when the Southeast Region, represented by the Lake Mary Little League in Florida, plays the Northwest Region, represented by the South Hill Little League in Washington, on Friday at 7 p.m.

Team Washington has not yet played in tournaments, so it is not burdened by pitching restrictions. Team Florida defeated Midwest Region winners Team South Dakota 2-1 on Wednesday. Lake Mary needed a fifth-inning comeback (LLWS games are only six innings) to beat the Sioux Falls Little League kids. South Dakota quickly took a 1-0 lead before a bases-loaded single and a sacrifice fly gave Team Florida a lead it would never relinquish.

Team Florida will be without the talented James Feliciano on the mound after he threw more than 80 pitches in five innings and recorded eleven strikeouts.

UPDATED BRACKETS:Texas' schedule for the 2024 Little League World Series

What pitching limits apply in the Little League World Series?

Pitchers ages 14 and under are allowed to throw a maximum of 85 pitches in a day before being removed from the game. Little League officials use a tiered pitch count system that indicates how much rest a player needs. Feliciano, for example, threw more than 76 pitches, so he can't throw again until he has four calendar days of rest.

For Team Texas, top hitter Julian Hurst threw 60 pitches, meaning he'll sit out three days. It's a good thing Texas doesn't play until Monday, because at one point Hurst struck out four Newtown batters in a row and struck out 10 total. Caden Guffey avoided some lane traffic and completed two innings of 35 pitches, meaning he'll sit out just one day.

No player can throw three days in a row, no matter how many pitches he has thrown. This is how much rest is required for Little Leaguers under 14 years of age:

If a player makes 66 or more throws in one day, four rest days are required.
If a player makes 51-65 throws in one day, three rest days are required.
If a player makes 36-50 throws in one day, two rest days are required.
If a player makes 21-35 throws in a day, a one-day request is required.
If a player throws 1-20 shots in a day, no rest is required.

Highlights from Team Texas' victory over Team Pennsylvania

There were many highlights in this stunning victory. Just think of Hurst's 10 strikeouts or the impressive plays from Boerne's defense. But people love the long ball.

Guffey hit the first home run of the night with the first pitch of the fourth inning, extending the lead to 3-0. His line drive raced right over the left center field wall.

Texas' Caden Guffey extends lead with home run – ESPN Video

Team Texas seemed to have the game under control when Kole Newson, son of the team's manager, slammed a 2-1 pitch over the left-center field fence for a grand slam, showing a heart to the white-and-orange-clad Boerne fans in the stands. According to the ESPN broadcast, it was the second consecutive game with a four-run home run for the team.

Kole Newson opens game for Texas with a grand slam – ESPN Video

Then, in the fifth inning, Doc Mogford hit his second home run in as many games, pulling his home run just wide of the foul post in left field. Mogford hit a grand slam in Boerne's regional win over Team Louisiana, putting the team ahead after trailing 3-0.