On the strength of six runs in the top of the fifth inning Thursday, Southwest Region champion Pearland (TX) defeated Hollidaysburg 8-3 to open the Little League World Series.
Pearland snapped a 2-2 game with its fifth-inning surge, which included a run-scoring single by Jacob Zurek and two-run single by Jackson Wolfe.
Landon Karel followed with a two-run double that ultimately lifted the crew from Texas.
Beau Rabel paced Hollidaysburg with three hits and an RBI, but the Mid-Atlantic challenger managed just six hits in all. RBI singles by Braden Hatch and Rabel pushed Hollidaysburg up 2-0 in the bottom of the first.
Pitcher Aspen Anderson, in relief of starter Brody Dull, took the loss. Dull allowed four hits over three innings, striking out one.
Hollidaysburg returns to Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport on Saturday to play Middleboro, Mass. (New England Region) in an elimination game. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
Middleboro dropped its LLWS opener, 5-3, Wednesday to Southeast Region champion Nolansville, TN.
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