How Stella Weaver can give Nolensville coach Mo'ne Davis revenge at Little League World Series

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Mo'ne Davis broke Chris Mercado's heart on a Little League baseball field nine years ago.

Mercado was the manager of South Nashville Little League, the former iteration of Nolensville Little League. The program was making its second consecutive Little League World Series appearance when Mercado found himself with a front-row seat to history.

On Aug. 15, 2014, Davis became the first girl to earn a pitching victory in Series history when her Taney Little League team from South Philadelphia defeated South Nashville 4-0. Davis allowed just two hits, struck out eight and didn't walk a batter in her complete game.

"Ever since then, I was like, 'We gotta bring a girl back,' " said Mercado, who is a coach on this year's Nolensville team, which is making the program's third consecutive Series appearance. "My friends are busting on me, about 'You lost to a girl,' and 'You put her on the cover of Sports Illustrated.' "

Mercado and Nolensville have their girl now. Her name is Stella Weaver, a pigtailed pitcher who hits 68 mph on radar guns, hits home runs and counts Davis as her sports idol.

Nolensville opens the Little League World Series at 2 p.m. CST Friday against Rhode Island. Weaver will become just the 22nd girl to appear in the Little League World Series.

"Now I'm bringing the girl," he said. "Hopefully we can get a win with her and move somebody else out. It's something I've always wanted.

"I was there for Mo'ne and was on the losing end. Now I'm going to be on the winning end with Stella, hopefully."

Davis hopes so, too. She sent Weaver a video message before the Southeast Region championship.

"Keep pounding the zone, keep hitting those corners and always trust your teammates," she said in the video.

Before facing Davis, South Nashville had just defeated a pitcher who was throwing in the mid-70s, a tall task. Davis, whose fastball hovered at about 70 mph, offered a different kind of challenge.

"We had 30,000 people cheering against us," Mercado said. "They were all Philadelphia (fans), number one. Number two, she's really good. It's a different story when you have fans behind you."

In the years since, Davis has returned to the Little League World Series as a commentator, and is still the only girl to win a game there.

"She's been back every year," Mercado said. "It's Stella time."

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 2023 LLWS: Stella Weaver can give Nolensville coach Mo'ne Davis revenge