Fouling off pitch after pitch after pitch, Mason Van Noort just wouldn't quit. He was down to his last strike, but after Pearland had come back from dead in an elimination game in the Little League World Series, he wasn't going to let the rally end.

So on the sixth pitch he saw with two strikes, Van Noort smashed a home run over the left center field wall, putting Pearland up for good, putting the team from Texas into the U.S. Championship Game in Williamsport, Pa — otherwise known as kid baseball heaven.

Pearland 7, Auburn, Washington 5.

Tell the Pearland moms that they're going to need some new outfits for ESPN. Pearland moves on to play the Hawaii-Georgia winner for the U.S. title on Saturday afternoon. The winner of that game will play the International bracket winner for the World Championship on Sunday afternoon.

The team with Texas power (Pearland hit two more home runs this afternoon) is now two wins away from capturing the Little League World Series title. This on a Thursday afternoon when the dream often seemed all but done.

Down 4-0 after three innings and 5-3 going into the sixth inning (the last inning in a regulation Little League Game), Pearland just wouldn't quit. Blake Toler singled in one run, speed demon Chris Leger scored to tie it on a groundout by Jorge Gutierrez.

Then, Van Noort stepped in.

On a day when his arm wasn't always there for him (Van Noort pitched all six innings as well, giving up eight hits and striking out five), this Little Leaguer turned to his bat to deliver true team redemption.

Washington had jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning off Van Noort, collecting five hits — including a triple from Isaiah Hatch, who might be the most talented player in Williamsport.

Just when Pearland looked completely out of it — having not scored a single run in six innings over two games, an eternity for a team known for its power — pinch hitter Jaron Roblyer send a jolt into the Texas dugout. With two strikes on him, Roblyer (whose nickname is Big Country) sent a breaking ball over the wall and suddenly Pearland's mojo was back. Leger manufactured another run, singling to center, stealing third and scoring on a wild pitch. JGutierrez singled in another run.

Suddenly, it was a 4-3 game. And Pearland was only getting started with its Texas-sized rallies.

After taking that 7-5 advantage, Pearland needed to squash an attempted Washington comeback in the bottom of the sixth. These All-Stars did it with defense. Beau Orlando made a great backhanded stop at shortstop and threw out a lead runner at third. Then, Matthew Bettencourt gunned down another Washington runner at third — from centerfield.

Soon, the Pearland players were jumping around the mound with Van Noort once again in the center of it all.