Little League World Series 2015: Pennsylvania's 352 v. Texas' 100,000

Red Land Little League’s pursuit of history began from the unlikeliest of towns, but its journey to the Little League World Championship game is now only one step away.

Headquartered along the southern banks of the Susquehanna River in York County, Pennsylvania, the team now representing the Mid-Atlantic in the 2015 U.S. Championship game, has it’s roots in the county of York in the tiny town of Lewisberry.

Population: 352.

They’ll play a polished Texas team from Pearland that many chose to win it all this year.

Population: 100,065.

Red Land draws from a smattering of other small towns tucked along the river and in the rural country to its south, towns that most people outside of York County have never heard of: Goldboro, York Haven, Frogtown, Lemoyne.New Cumberland and Newberry Township feed players into Red Land.

Compared with their competition, Red Land would seem to be a little fish in a big ocean -- and an ocean that has only big fish remaining.

It’s been 25 years since a team from Pennsylvania has made it to the championship game of the Little League World Series. And it’s been 55 years since Levittown brought home the last World Series championship to Pennsylvania.

Attendance at Red Land games continues to skyrocket. Over 30,000 have watched their last few matchups. The pressure is undoubtedly on.

But they’re not letting it intimidate them.

“We definitely knew this team was special and had a chance, but no matter what it’s a difficult road to Williamsport,” Red Land Little League Vice President Chris Campbell told Patch. “This is an amazing group of kids.”

In the U.S. Championship game, Red Land will have an encore showdown with Pearland.

If they win that game, they could get a crack against the repeat champion Kitasuna Little League, from Japan.

They’re based in Toyko.

But Red Land does not play inconspicuous, rural baseball. They haven’t won by luck, or by sneaking by, or by playing small ball.

They’re playing like a big market team. They’ve won by sheer, Toronto Blue Jays-like offensive domination.

“They are deep in pitching, and play great defense, which gets overlooked by the hitting that’s going on,” added Red Land Little League President Scott Sozanski.

And don’t forget: St. Louis Cardinals-like pitching.

“This is something that I don’t think anyone fully expected, but we knew they were a good group of players and coaches,” said Matt Durlin, an administrator with Red Land Little League.

However, there were ominous signs that this small group of players from a series of small communities on the Susquehanna River might be something special.

Just two years ago, they made it to the regional championships and lost a three way tie-breaker with teams from Maryland and New Jersey.

“We knew this team was pretty good when they were 10,” said Sozanski.

Thus far in their undefeated 19-0 run in the tournament, they’ve outscored their opponents by inconceivable numbers: 275-21.

It’s why they seem like a team that’s fated for history.

Each time they meet a new champion, they leave no doubt as to the momentum carrying them. Their last several victories have come over teams that were outstanding in their own right, besting whole counties, whole states, whole regions.

“To get this far, the other teams are very good,” Durlin acknowledged.

Can they win it all?

“I believe these boys have shown the world what they are made of and what they are capable of,” Campbell said. “I think they have an excellent chance of advancing to the final game Sunday.”

On Saturday, Red Land will play for the U.S. Championship against Texas, who they beat on Wednesday. A victory there would give them a chance to play against either Japan, Mexico, or Latin America.

Shippensburg, the last Pennsylvania team to make it this far, was close in 1990. They won the United States Championship but ultimately fell short, as they were blanked 9-0 by Taiwan.

Pennsylvania has a rich history in the World Series dating back to its earliest years.

Teams from Pennsylvania won the first two World Series that were ever played. And the Series itself is, after all, based in Williamsport.

The state’s total of four championships is tied for fourth amongst all U.S. states and nations, trailing only Taiwan, Japan, and California.

Red Land won the Pennsylvania state championship in 1974. They’ve never come any closer to the World Series title.

Pearland, Texas is a tough team, limiting Red Land’s big bats to only three runs on Wednesday. But that was enough.

“No matter what happens at this point, this has been an incredible run. But I do love our chances on Saturday,” Sozanski said.

Pennsylvania and Texas will face off for the United States Little League Championship on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The game will be broadcasted live on ESPN.