Braintree Takes First New England Little League Crown, Heads to World Series

In a nail-biting eighth inning, Braintree's American 12A Little League team won their first-ever New England Regional Championship. A wild pitch got away from Bedford, New Hampshire's catcher, sending the Massachusetts team to the Little League World Series.

The crowd went crazy when Frankie Fulli raced across home plate with the bases loaded. His dad ran onto the field, leading a rush of excited fans. This big win means a team from this Boston suburb will play in Williamsport for the first time ever.

The unbeatable Massachusetts champions kept their perfect record at 17-0, rolling through district, section, and state games. They'll face Southeast winners Irmo, South Carolina next. ESPN will show the game at 3 p.m. on August 14.

"Braintree is a baseball town," said Kevin Webb to CBS News Boston.

Before the championship game, they dominated the tournament. They beat Maine 15-0 in three innings. Vermont lost 10-0. Both games ended early because of the mercy rule.

The team didn't give up a single run through eight straight innings in regional play. This kind of strong performance puts them in the same league as Middleboro among recent Massachusetts champions.

"The parents, the kids—they all worked so hard. It's just a great feeling. I know they put their heart and soul into this," said Sean Powers.

At Southside Tavern, fans squeezed in to watch every moment. Back home, the community jumped into action, raising money for the team's trip to Pennsylvania.

Massachusetts teams have won five regional titles since 2001. Now Braintree takes center stage, ready to compete against the best young baseball players in America.