East Texas is currently being battered by Tropical Storm Harvey, leaving devastation in its wake. A group of young baseball players, however, have the opportunity to be a bright light in the region. The Little League players from Lufkin have shone so far during the tournament in Pennsylvania and kept up the good work on Saturday, winning the title in the United States part of the bracket. On Sunday, if all goes well, the world could be theirs.

Champions of the United States

The boys from Lufkin, Texas went up against a team from North Carolina who had been steamrolling through much of the tournament.

It looked like they would have the upper hand again on Saturday. Bryce Jackson hit a two-RBI single in the second inning to strike first. Three more RBIs in the third inning but the team from North Carolina up by five runs. It seemed they would seize the United States championship belt.

But the kids from Lufkin didn't give up. Clayton Wigley hit a two-run blast in the fourth inning to cut the deficit to three runs. Two more runs scored in the top of the fifth, cutting the score to 5-4. Mark Requena then played the hero, hitting a two-run blast that could have lit up the Texas sky in the top of the sixth inning, giving his team a 6-5 lead. Chip Buchanan took care of business in the bottom of the sixth; just like that, the kids were the kings of United States youth baseball.

About Lufkin, Texas

According to the last census, the population of Lufkin, Texas is about 35,000 people, which is about 8,000 more than the number of people in attendance for the team's victory on Saturday. The city is 120 miles northeast of Houston and is arguably best known as the site where most of the debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster landed in 2003.

Lufkin Industries is the biggest employer in the city.

Some famous athletes have come from within the town line. Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant and San Francisco Giants first baseman Brandon Belt notably hail from Lufkin. They're bigger stars than the United States Little League champions, but they may not be for long.

The Texas boys will face a team from Japan in Sunday's Little League World Series, which will take place starting at 3:00 PM ET on Sunday. If victorious, they would be the third team from the state to win the title, but the first since 1966. Meanwhile, Japan is one of the most prolific winners of the contest, with their last victory coming in 2015; they only trail Taiwan on the all-time list.
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