Down to his last strike, Jansen Kenty smashed a two-run home run to tie Houston Post Oak in regulation, and Peachtree City, Georgia, drove in a run in the ninth inning to knock out the Southwest Region champions 7-6 on Monday in the Little League World Series losers’ bracket in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

It was the second straight loss for Post Oak, which lost to Staten Island, New York, 2-1 on Sunday. Post Oak defeated Port Neches for the Texas East state championship en route to the regional title and Little League World Series berth.

The Houston team took a 6-5 lead in the top of the eighth when Ryan Selvaggi scored on an Andy Guy sacrifice fly. Peachtree City evened the score in the bottom half on an error at second base.

Selvaggi batted 4 for 4 with three runs scored and two driven in. Matthew Hedrick batted 2 for 3 for Houston.

Kaleb Rook struck out five and gave up six of Peachtree City’s 10 hits in five innings. Ethan Goldstein K’d two but allowed three runs, all unearned, on three hits in two innings. Richie Klosek (two K’s, two runs on one hit) took the loss after 1 2/3 innings.

STATEN ISLAND 2, HOUSTON 1 (SUN.)

Gregory Bruno struck out six in 5 1/3 innings, keeping Houston Post Oak’s bats cool Sunday.

Staten Island, representing the Mid-Atlantic Region, scored both of its runs in the third inning. Post Oak, representing the Southwest, scored a run in the fourth on a Matthew Hedrick double to send home Richie Klosek in the fourth.

Bruno allowed the earned run on three hits. Chris Bedford threw the final two-thirds for Staten Island and struck out one. He did not allow a hit.

Ryan Selvaggi struck out six in 2 1/3 innings, but gave up both earned runs on two hits. Carter Pitts held the New Yorkers to one hit and fanned two in 2 2/3 innings.

— I.C. Murrell