Teenager Mo’Ne Davis Pitches Shutout Victory: Team Rides High Into Little League Series

MoNe

Mo’ne Davis warms up….

Sometimes the best guy to get the job done is a girl.

That was the case Sunday when 13-year-old pitcher Mo’Ne Davis made history leading her Taney Youth Baseball Association of Philadelphia team into the Little League World Series in an 8-0 shutout victory, over Delaware-Newark Little League, in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship game in Bristol, Connecticut.

Her team is back in action Thursday.

Last Sunday Davis struck out six while giving up only three hits to Delaware-Newark National Little League and holding them scoreless while helping to secure the final Little League World Series spot for her team—in the American bracket. It was the second time Davis beat the Delaware-Newark team in the regional—having struck out ten batters in a previous game.

Going into the game, Davis reportedly said she would just “keep it simple.” After the win, Davis was asked by a reporter about her calm composure during the big game. “I just considered it as a regular game and just when out and throw strikes to help my team to go to Williamsport,” said Davis.

When asked about her pitching philosophy, she said “I just strike them out.” Davis’ fastball has been clocked at 70 mph. “If I’m pitching, I just go out and throw strikes and they think I throw soft but then they see my fastball and they get kind of scared and I just strike them out,” said Davis.

Ironically, Davis considers baseball her second sport—basketball being her first love. “I wasn’t really into baseball,” said Davis. “I was mostly into basketball and I wasn’t falling in love with (baseball) but then I started falling in love with it more but I still had high hopes that I would be a WNBA player.

Davis will become only the 18 girl to play in the Little League World Series, in its 68-year history. Girls were only allowed to play starting in 1974. Earlier, on Sunday, Emma March of South Vancouver Little League in British Columbia, Canada also saw her team clinch a qualifying spot in the Little League World Series. It will be only the third time that two girls will play in the same Little League World Series.

Davis told the Philadelphia Inquirer that “More girls should join boys’ teams so it could be a tradition and it wouldn’t be so special” she said. “The first hit I gave up was a homerun—inside the park—so then I didn’t like that. So I just started practicing more each day and I got better and my arm was stronger and I was striking more people out, not giving up as many homeruns.”

Davis and her Taney Dragons will be going to the 68th Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania—her home state. The 16-team playoffs starts Thursday—and will be covered by ESPN. Davis and her Taney Dragons will play Friday against Southeast champion South Nashville Little League.

 

 

 

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