Watch Little League World Series: Walla Walla Valley Vs. California

WALLA WALLA, WA — After the Walla Walla Valley Little League team claimed the Northwest Regional title in a hard-fought win over Oregon last weekend, the team will take on the West regional champs Friday afternoon in Pennsylvania.

Walla Walla defeated the La Grande Little League team Saturday 4-3 — avenging a loss to the same team just two days earlier — and overcoming a strong pitching performance from Oregon's Sam Tsiatsos, who struck out nine batters over six innings and allowed four unearned runs.

Walla Walla hopes to continue riding the hot bats of Brixen Betzler, Andrew Hall and Andrew Coleman, who've combined so far for 22 hits, six RBIs and 13 runs scored in the Northwest Regional Tournament, which was played in San Bernadino, California. (For more information on the Walla Walla Valley Little League team and other stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Following the huge win, Walla Walla immediately hopped on a bus to Los Angeles and flew to Philadelphia, where they caught another bus to South Williamsport, Pennsylvania late Saturday.

Team manager Charlie Thomsen said his players are "living the dream right now" — almost literally.

"To be honest with you, that first night we didn't get any sleep," said Thomsen, who's been coaching for eight years. "And then on the next night we got probably about four or five hours of sleep. We're on day four and I think we're just now catching up on sleep and our energy. But we're ecstatic. Kids don't want to sleep they want to run around and meet all the players and interact with them."

His players this week were outfitted with new uniforms and new gear, including hats and jackets, gloves and bats and have been conducting interviews with ESPN.

"The kids got to try on numerous stuff and the ones they like they got to choose. That was probably the best part. Waking up and then 'Hey, pick what you want,'" Thomsen, 36, said with a laugh.

Every player also received a new Easton "Ghost" bat, though the players are allowed to use their own equipment, if they choose.

Wednesday night the team attended the 13th Annual Grand Slam Parade & Festival in Williamsport to celebrate the start of the yearly Little League Baseball World series.

Xpected Performance! #GhostX #PowerOfX pic.twitter.com/XoNueGW75V
— Easton Baseball (@Easton_Baseball) August 8, 2017

Walla Walla is a tight-knit group, and many of the kids have been playing on the same team for years.

"All these kids that are on this team I've coached at one point or another through T-ball, coach-pitch, minors or majors or All-stars," said Thomsen, who works for NextEra Energy managing a wind farm in Touchet, Washington.

He said the team plays for each other and not for themselves. The coaches try to instill that motto into the group, which he called a family. Every coach has a son on the team and they've adopted 12 other kids, said Thomsen.

And like many families, they get along, mostly.

"Everybody gets along. I mean they're 12 year old kids though, you know? Sometimes you'll get a little wrestling match, but for the most part it's a great group of kids and a great group of parents," he chuckled.

Walla Walla is slated to play the Rancho Santa Margarita Little League team, of California, on Friday at 1 p.m. (Pacific) time. The game can be live streamed on ESPN.

Other teams in the tournament include:
U.S. Teams

• Mid Atlantic All Stars vs. New England 3p.m.
• Southwest vs. Great Lake 7 p.m.
• Northwest vs. West 4 p.m.
• Mid West vs. Southeast 8 p.m.

International Tournament Teams

• Latin American vs. Mexico 1 p.m.
• Canada vs. Europe 5 p.m.
• Japan vs. Australia 2 p.m.
• Caribbean vs. Asia-Pacific 6 p.m.

You can track the tournament at the Little League World Series and print your own bracket.

Photos courtesy of Little League Baseball and Softball