WARNER ROBINS, Ga. (WTVF) — Tanner Jackson gloved the chopper on the grass in front of third base and fired across the diamond for the final out, cueing a wild celebration as Nolensville defeated Columbus, GA 4-2 to advance to the Little League World Series.
Nolensville will meet the Florida state champion Wednesday at 1 p.m. for the Southeast Region championship. Due to the ongoing battle against COVID-19 no foreign teams are eligible to play in the Little League World Series this year, meaning all U.S. regional finalists will advance to the 16-team event in Williamsport, PA.
Nolan Brown, the son of Vanderbilt pitching coach Scott Brown, threw a complete game for the victory. He allowed just two runs on four hits while striking out three on just 66 pitches. Brown also belted a solo home run in the third inning to put Nolensville up 2-0. It was his fourth home run of the tournament.
Drew Wagner lined a pitch off the glove of a leaping Georgia first baseman in the top of the sixth inning to drive in a run to make it 3-1. Nolensville got two insurance runs in the inning that proved to be the difference.
It’s a dream come true for the 11- and 12-year-olds on this team to reach Williamsport, but it’s actually the third trip for this little league program. Previously known as South Nashville Little League, the team made back-to-back trips to Williamsport in 2013-14. With Goodlettsville making the Little League World Series in 2012 and 2016 this is actually the fifth time a mid-state team has reached the big stage in the past nine years.
