Lufkin, Texas, rallies to defeat Greenville, N.C.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Rounding second base with big strides, Mark Requena knew he had just given his teammates, and all of Texas, something to smile about.

Requena hit a tworun, go-ahead home run in the sixth inning and Lufkin, Texas, overcame a five-run deficit to beat Greenville, North Carolina, 6-5 on Saturday and earn a spot in the Little League World Series championship.

Greenville was previously undefeated in the tournament, having given up just one run and one hit in three games — both to Lufkin, in a 2-1 victory Wednesday — before things changed in a hurry in this one. Pinch hitter Clayton Wigley’s two-run homer to center started the rally for Lufkin in the fourth inning.

Lufkin will face Japan, which cruised through the international bracket and shut out Mexico 5-0 earlier Saturday, in championship.

Players and coaches said the comeback meant a little bit more knowing that Texas, including Lufkin, about 120 miles northeast of Houston, was being battered by Hurricane Harvey and needed some good news. Sunday’s

Keitaro Miyahara smacked a leadoff home run to left-center, capping a nine-pitch at-bat, as Japan beat Mexico 5-0 on Saturday to claim a spot in the Little League World Series championship.

Mexico unraveled after Miyahara’s gameopening homer, giving up three more runs in the first.

Japan loaded the bases thanks to a dropped third strike, a throwing error by pitcher Jorge Garcia and a walk before Yuya Nakajima grounded a two-run single through the left side. Another run scored on a wild pitch before Garcia escaped further trouble.