South Durham Little League drops first game of Southeast Region Tournament

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- South Durham Little League dropped its first game in the Little League Southeast Region Tournament.

The team jumped out to an early lead, but Florida plated 3 runs in the bottom of the 5th inning to tie the game up at 4.

Then in the bottom of the 6th, a wild pitch with the bases loaded allowed the walk-off winning run to cross home plate.

The loss means Durham falls into the loser's bracket of the tournament. But their chance to advance to the Little League World Series is not gone. They just cannot lose another game in this tournament.

"We're a little disappointed, but we're absolutely thrilled our boys have been playing very well...and we still have a great chance," South Durham Little League President Keith Marciniak said. "They're a fighting team and they'll do well tomorrow and Saturday.

Durham plays again Friday at 10 a.m. on ESPN+ against the loser of the game between Virginia and South Carolina.

"The coaches and players have been working for many, many years to get to this level. A lot of them have played together for five or six years and we're seeing their success right now," Marciniak said.

Friends and family gathered at the Blue Zone at Kenan stadium Thursday to watch the game and cheer. The team had to win districts and states before finally making it to the Southeast Region Tournament.

This is the first time a team from South Durham has won a state title and played in the Southeast Regional.