Mo’Ne Davis pitches 4-0 shutout in game 1 of Little League World Series [photos]

Pitcher Mo’Ne Davis, one of two girls at the Little League World Series, threw a two-hitter to help Philadelphia beat Nashville 4-0 on Friday in the opener for both teams.

The first girl to appear for a U.S. team in South Williamsport since 2004, Davis received rousing cheers during pregame introductions, every time she stepped to the plate and after she struck out the final batter.

Davis had eight strikeouts and no walks. She retired the first six batters and needed only 70 pitches to complete the game. She was hitless in three at-bats.

“Going into the game I was, I was nervous. But after the home run,  it kind of the nerves went away and I just went out there and had fun,” Davis said.

The home-run was the handiwork of her teammate, shortstop Jared Sprague-Lott, who batted in two in the first inning, to put the Dragons up 3-0. Taney held onto that lead for the rest of the game.

Davis retired the first six batters and needed only 70 pitches to complete the game. She was hitless in three at-bats.

Outfielder Carter Davis had an RBI sacrifice fly in the sixth.

In the end, the coach of the losing South Nashville club, Chris Mercado said that the whole Taney team was impressive.

“The first of course was the big inning,” Mercado said. “They got the momentum and never game us a second chance on getting that momentum.”

The Philadelphia team will try to ride that momentum into their next game Sunday night at 7.