SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — The true mark of a person and coach is how they react to a difficult situation.

Coeur d’Alene Little League manager Sean Cherry showed the world what type of coach and man he was moments after his team fell to Peachtree City, Ga., champions of the Southeast Region, 3-0 before 16,512 at Lamade Stadium on Saturday to be eliminated from championship contention at the Little League World Series.

Cherry quickly gathered his team after the loss and, with a group of young players crying, told them he was proud of everything they accomplished throughout the summer. He also told them they had nothing to hang their heads about.

“I just addressed them about this particular game,” Cherry said. “Again, another well played game. It was tight. A pitcher’s duel. They should pick their heads up and be proud of what they’ve done. It was good baseball.”

Coeur d’Alene will complete its play at the Little League World Series with a game against Spain on Tuesday at 8 a.m. PDT.

Cherry elected to start Braeden Newby and he was rewarded for his choice. Newby struck out six batters, scattered eight hits, and gave up just one earned run in five innings of work. He issued first-pitch strikes to 18 of the 26 batters he faced. He also helped Peachtree City strand 10 batters in the game.

Chase Fralick and Tai Peete recorded back-to-back singles in the top of the first inning. Newby shook off the first two hits of the game and struck out Connor Riggs-Soper to end the inning. Newby gave up three hits in the second and ended the inning with a strikeout.

“His maturity has grown by leaps and bounds,” Cherry said. “He used to be a dirt-kicker and a shoulder hanger for part of the year and we’ve been working on the command of his emotions. He did that tonight. He rose to the occasion and he wiggled out of some really difficult situations.”

Newby was pulled after the fifth for A.J. Currie, who recorded three strikeouts, but gave up a run when Fralick connected with a single to left field.

Offensively, Coeur d’Alene struggled against the combination of Peete and Connor Riggs-Soper. The pair combined for a three-hitter and eight strikeouts. Peete, who has become a superstar in his own right over the course of two World Series games, carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning before Chase Saunders came off the bench and hit a single. Saunders also singled in the sixth to finish with two of Coeur d’Alene’s three hits.

“We’ve been talking to kids all year about their particular role and when they are called upon, that’s their time to shine,” Cherry said. “He (Saunders) absolutely came through tonight. His bat is finally coming around and I couldn’t be more proud of him.”

Peete, along with tossing three innings of no-hit baseball, proved to be a difficult out for Coeur d’Alene. He singled in the first before Newby fought back to end the inning. Peete hit a single in the third and a double in the fifth before Currie was able to get a strikeout on him to close out the top of the sixth inning.

“My pitching was good, because my defense was able to make the plays behind me,” Peete said. “All in all it was pretty good. I have a lot of confidence.”

Peachtree City 011 001 — 3 10 0

Coeur d’Alene 000 000 — 0 3 2

Tai Peete, Connor Riggs-Soper (4) and Chase Fralick; Braeden Newby, A.J. Currie (6) and Avrey Cherry. W — Peete. L — Newby.

HITS: SE — Walker, Kenty, Fralick 2, Peete 3, Olvey, Ryan, Manetti. Cd’A — Saunders 2, Smith. 2B — Peete.